Art for Social Change: Aligning Values and Actions Toward Effective Activism

This participatory action research project involved 11 members of Art for Social Change, a higher education social activism group in the United States, using art to impact social change. Through cycles of action, reflection, and dialogue, members made changes within their organization and developed a deeper understanding of themselves and each other. Co-researchers reflected on their intersectional identities and how dialogue and art making in community helped widen and deepen their connections with each other. They identified how effective activism could be achieved in their group alongside two types of ineffective activism that impeded their goals. By fostering a community culture of change, the project exemplified how authenticity, compassion, and embracing tension and uncertainty cultivates critical consciousness and growth.