Our Work
What We Do
There are a number of ways to begin to solve some of our most pressing social challenges. While creating awareness is a good beginning, Global Alliance of Artists wants to focus on actually solving these issues.
The heart of Global Alliance of Artists work is the creation of an international network of literary, visual and performance artists who have declared a social case and demonstrated action towards helping that particular social cause. For example, painter Carla Goldberg is committed to human rights issues and so she participated in a collaboration where proceeds from the groups of artists’ book sales went to Amnesty International. Please see our artist directory for other artists and their causes.
Sharing the social concerns of artists around the world is one way for artists to begin to communicate to the world and to each other, what their concerns are and make steps towards creative problem solving. Artists, too often, are marginalized in mainstream society, when in fact their ideas should be utilized.
In addition to supporting and encouraging the networking of socially-conscious artists, Global Alliance of Artists itself initiates programming. GAA has decided that over the next few years, its key areas of focus will be human rights and the environment. These strategic areas of focus are re-visited every three years and may change as determined by the members of GAA.
GAA facilitates exhibits, conferences, and workshops to move its goals forward. Some examples of GAA’s programming around these issues include Arab Women and Financial Literacy and the Chicago Arts + Environment Xchange. GAA is continually evaluating our methods and brainstorming other effective ways to go about its emphasis on problem solving.
GAA believes that social problems, particularly on an international level, cannot be solved in isolation. Creativity and goodwill needs to also be leveraged from our communities. GAA is therefore also developing partnerships with individuals, nonprofits and socially responsible corporations to execute programming, reach out to artists and generate support.
Strategic Areas of Focus
There are many social challenges that we are experiencing as individuals and collectively including climate change, nuclear proliferation, water shortages, sex trafficking of millions of women and children, war.
Global Alliance of Artists focuses on two to three keys strategic areas for a period of time and build its organizational programming around that. Artists who are part of GAA’s network are welcome to declare and work towards any social cause of their choosing, even if his or her issue does not fall under one of GAA’s key strategic areas.
HUMAN RIGHTS
“Human Rights” encompasses what GAA believes are inherent rights every human should have regardless of race, religion, gender, nationality etc. These include the right to security and freedom from harm, the right to an education, the right to religious freedom, the right to a standard of living that provides an adequate standard of living that includes access to health care, food, shelter and clothing. GAA abides by the United Nation’s “Universal Declaration of Human Rights” which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
THE ENVIRONMENT
GAA strives to improve environmental quality by supporting efforts that lead to more sustainable human impacts on air, water, land, human health, and other species. The environmental challenges facing our planet threaten not only our natural resources but our culture as well. The creativity of art communities is necessary in developing solutions for these issues and conveying them to others.