Specialized databases — created by key resource organizations in the field — offer access to arts for change artists, projects, and organizations in specific arts disciplines such as visual or media arts; professional fields such as online games, community arts, or arts for healing; and around particular issues such as environmental arts, and other valuable searchable resources.
- Arts and Organizing
- Arts and Healing
- Community Arts
- Design
- Environmental Art
- Immigration
- Media/Film/Internet
- Multidisciplinary
- Music
- Popular Culture
- Visual Art
Arts and Organizing
The Arts & Democracy Project builds the momentum of a movement that links arts and culture, participatory democracy, and social justice. The Project works to increase civic engagement among people who have been traditionally disenfranchised and to build closer ties between arts and culture and sustained and strategic activism. Courtesy of the Arts & Democracy Project, the Landscape Profiles include exemplary artists, organizers, projects, and organizations that connect arts, culture, and media with policymaking and organizing. Arts & Democracy is a sponsored project of State Voices.
Arts Engine, Inc. supports, produces, and distributes independent media of consequence and promotes the use of independent media by advocates, educators, and the general public. Its Media That Matters Film Festival is a showcase for short films (12 minutes or less) by independent filmmakers, many of whom are under 21. Films are available via an online database searchable by issue.
Breakthrough is an innovative international human rights organization that uses the power of popular culture, media, and community mobilization to transform public attitudes and advance equality, justice, and dignity in India and the United States. An interactive database provides educational and campaign information related to its projects and media programs and resources.
Creative Counsel partners with the arts and entertainment industry, visual artists and curators, musicians, writers, and other creative professionals to connect audiences to causes that matter. As an organization showcasing innovative work at the intersection of the creative arts and advocacy, one of Creative Counsel’s key resources is the 1000 Voices National Archive, a curated collection of dynamically linked video stories told by social change leaders across the country. Produced by a team of filmmakers, editors, musicians, and graphic artists, the 1000 Voices Archive taps the power of stories to encourage community conversations. Through an interactive map, search engine, browsing filters, and web tools, the archive makes visible an emerging cross-issue, cross-cultural public dialogue of our nation.
LikeMinded helps community success stories travel better. Users share stories about great work being done in their communities, including through arts and culture. In the Discovery feature, you can discover information about local issues you care about through: Resources such as articles, videos, tools, and audio from around the web related to local community change; and Projects – the story behind community change including what issue was addressed, how, and whether it worked. In the Sharing feature, individuals and organizations share local community stories through LikeMinded. LikeMinded is a project of Craigslist Foundation and is part of the Technology for Engagement Initiative of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Arts and Healing
The Arts and Healing Network is an online resource for people interested in the healing potential of art. The site includes an extensive Projects database of creative social change projects and organizations categorized by the themes of Building Community, Education, Environment, and Health Care. Projects profiled range from creative projects in hospitals to artists raising awareness about environmental issues to projects that strengthen and revitalize a sense of connectedness between people. Inspiration provides resources to learn more about the field of art and healing.
Community Arts
The Arts and Healing Network is an online resource for people interested in the healing potential of art. The site includes an extensive Projects database of creative social change projects and organizations categorized by the themes of Building Community, Education, Environment, and Health Care. Projects profiled range from creative projects in hospitals to artists raising awareness about environmental issues to projects that strengthen and revitalize a sense of connectedness between people. Inspiration provides resources to learn more about the field of art and healing.
The Community Arts Network (CAN) is an online resource and database that contains hundreds of essays and articles searchable on terms such as: activism, community development, corrections, cultural democracy, education, environment, health, criticism/theory, history, infrastructure, policy, and working methods.
Design
Architecture for Humanity seeks architectural solutions to humanitarian crises and brings design services to communities in need. The Open Architecture Network (http://openarchitecturenetwork.org) is an online, open source community dedicated to improving living conditions through innovative and sustainable design. It features thousands of design project images organized by building types, competitions, themes, and countries. Organizations seeking design services can post their requests on the Architecture for Humanity web site.
DESIGN 21: Social Design Network’s mission is to inspire social consciousness through design by connecting people and organizations who want to explore ways that design can positively impact our communities. The Design 21 Network features a database with links to member designers and design organizations and to design projects organized by social theme and design type.
Environmental Art
The greenmuseum.org web site features a registry of more than 100 environmental artists that is searchable by name, country, and category. Each artist's listing includes images, artist statement, bio information, project descriptions, and related article(s) and web site(s).
Immigration
The Opportunity Agenda was founded to expand opportunity in America for people of color, poor people, immigrants, and women who face multiple barriers to opportunity that cannot be overcome through individual effort alone. Its report, "Immigration: Arts, Culture and Media 2010 - A Creative Change Report" identifies examples of arts, culture, and media projects that effectively move hearts and minds; break down prejudice; inspire community engagement; and, in the long term, encourage public support for the fair treatment and inclusion of immigrants in American society. Courtesy of Opportunity Agenda, Animating Democracy's Landscape Profiles integrate arts and immigration examples identified by researcher Liz Manne for this study.
Media/Film/Internet
Arts Engine, Inc. supports, produces, and distributes independent media of consequence and promotes the use of independent media by advocates, educators, and the general public. Its Media That Matters Film Festival is a showcase for short films (12 minutes or less) by independent filmmakers, many of whom are under 21. Films are available via an online database searchable by issue.
Breakthrough is an innovative international human rights organization that uses the power of popular culture, media, and community mobilization to transform public attitudes and advance equality, justice, and dignity in India and the United States. An interactive database provides educational and campaign information related to its projects and media programs and resources.
Games for Change provides support, visibility, and shared resources to individuals and organizations using and designing digital games for social change. The web site features Game Channels, a database of exemplary games that engage contemporary social issues in meaningful ways to foster a more just, equitable and/or tolerant society. These games have been created by cross-disciplinary teams from around the world. Profiles include age appropriateness, description, and a link to play.
Good Film is a project of Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation, a London-based foundation that supports documentary filmmakers worldwide. The web site, goodfilm.org, is an online tool that links filmmakers to nonprofit and funding organizations to develop partnerships for each stage of the filmmaking process. Films are searchable by topic areas of: Arts, Culture and Sport, Education, Environment, Health, Human Rights, Humanitarian, Participation, and Poverty.
Grantmakers in Film and Electronic Media (GFEM) serves as a resource for grantmakers who fund media content, infrastructure, and policy as well as those who employ media to further their program goals. GFEM believes that media play a vital role in shaping, framing, and catalyzing public discourse and culture. GFEM Media Database (http://media.gfem.org) serves as a hub where funders can find a rich array of media-related projects that fit their funding priorities. It is a searchable online database that allows organizations to post projects-in-progress that utilize media to address social issues.
The mission of Meaningful Media (MM) is to increase the quality, visibility, and impact of social issue media. MM maintains a network of creators, distributors, and advocates of socially relevant media through membership programs, professional networks, and student chapters. The Meaningful Mediapedia (under development) will be a dynamic web resource that aggregates, curates, and celebrates pro-social media across issue types and media forms. Users will be able to discover thousands of exceptional projects, artists, organizations, and resources at the intersection of media and social change.
Multidisciplinary
Chicago Artists Resource (CAR) is a program of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs that hosts a searchable database on its web site where Chicago artists can post their artwork and experiences through Artist Story or Arts Professional Story. Resources are organized by artistic discipline and also include links to local and national organizations, educational and career opportunities, and business resources for operating an arts organization.
The Community Arts Network (CAN) is an online resource and database that contains hundreds of essays and articles searchable on terms such as: activism, community development, corrections, cultural democracy, education, environment, health, criticism/theory, history, infrastructure, policy, and working methods.
Creative Counsel partners with the arts and entertainment industry, visual artists and curators, musicians, writers, and other creative professionals to connect audiences to causes that matter. As an organization showcasing innovative work at the intersection of the creative arts and advocacy, one of Creative Counsel’s key resources is the 1000 Voices National Archive, a curated collection of dynamically linked video stories told by social change leaders across the country. Produced by a team of filmmakers, editors, musicians, and graphic artists, the 1000 Voices Archive taps the power of stories to encourage community conversations. Through an interactive map, search engine, browsing filters, and web tools, the archive makes visible an emerging cross-issue, cross-cultural public dialogue of our nation.
WomenArts is a worldwide community of artists and allies that works for empowerment, opportunity, and visibility for women artists. WomenArts Network, an online directory of more than 1,400 women artists and artist organizations, is searchable by issues, art form, or type of artist. Listings include brief personal statements, bios, link to the artist's web site, image, and contact information.
Music
Air Traffic Control (ATC) supports musicians and managers who want to be engaged in social change by providing resources needed to develop capacity and coordinate partnerships. Courtesy of Air Traffic Control, Animating Democracy's Landscape Profiles integrate descriptions of resource organizations identified by Air Traffic Control that assist musicians in social change work.
All Ages Movement Project (AMP) is a network of 200 community-based organizations across the U.S. that connects young people through independent music and art. AMP’s web site includes The AMP directory that links to more than 200 all-ages punk, hip-hop and indie venues as well as youth-run recording studios and art galleries, searchable by city, genre, and other terms.
Axis of Justice links musicians and music fans with local political organizations to effectively organize around issues of peace, human rights, and economic justice. Axis of Justice's web site includes a database of local activist organizations organized by state and nine national organizations.
Popular Culture
Games for Change provides support, visibility, and shared resources to individuals and organizations using and designing digital games for social change. The web site features Game Channels, a database of exemplary games that engage contemporary social issues in meaningful ways to foster a more just, equitable and/or tolerant society. These games have been created by cross-disciplinary teams from around the world. Profiles include age appropriateness, description, and a link to play.
The Look to the Stars web site publicizes the work that celebrities are doing to make a positive difference in the world. The web site features a searchable database of more than 2,000 celebrities and has a listing of more than 1,500 charities with descriptions and their celebrity supporters. Also on the site is a listing of top charities and top celebrity supporters for each of a range of causes.
Visual Art
The greenmuseum.org web site features a registry of more than 100 environmental artists that is searchable by name, country, and category. Each artist's listing includes images, artist statement, bio information, project descriptions, and related article(s) and web site(s).
WomenArts is a worldwide community of artists and allies that works for empowerment, opportunity, and visibility for women artists. WomenArts Network, an online directory of more than 1,400 women artists and artist organizations, is searchable by issues, art form, or type of artist. Listings include brief personal statements, bios, link to the artist's web site, image, and contact information.