Art Works : How Organizers and Artists Are Creating a Better World Together

A "poignant, entertaining" (Foreword Reviews) look at the artists and organizers on the front lines of political mobilization and social change, with a new preface and postscript on activism in the age of Trump

“With contributions from voices like Jackson Browne, Shepard Fairey, Jane Fonda, JR, Jose Antonio Vargas, and more, and drawing from historical to contemporary examples like BLM, Grossinger''s primer is must-read for every artist/activist.” -LA Weekly

“The first-ever sweeping history of how artists and organizers have worked together to advance an array of social movements,” (The GIA Reader), Ken Grossinger’s updated paperback edition of his celebrated Art Works “truly illustrates how art can be a weapon, an organizing tool, and a mirror for activists and organizers to view their own work” (The Progressive).

Distilling lessons and insights from grassroots leaders and luminaries such as Ai Weiwei, Courtland Cox, and Shepard Fairey, and drawing from historical and present-day examples—including Black Lives Matter, Standing Rock, the Hip Hop Caucus, the Legacy Museum, and the Art for Justice Fund—Grossinger “tells the complicated and fascinating story of the recent history of activism and the arts and points to new ways in which the arts, pop culture, and institutions are aligning themselves to address issues of violence, beauty, capitalism, and justice” (Laurie Anderson).

With a new preface and a postscript describing how to combat authorianism in this new political era, along with new illustrations Art Works offers a rich tapestry of tactics and successes that speak directly to the challenges and needs of today’s activists and artists.