An artwork...an idea...and action!
The U.S. Department of Arts and Culture featured The Kudzu Project in their blog this week. Author Arlene Goldbard recounted the project's inspiration, which came from an artwork titled "Defunct Monument I - Racism" created by Dave Loewenstein for the USDAC's 2017 national action, Revolution of Values. Goldbard described how TKP developed and grew through an interview with the project's founder.
For those who are interested in ways that the arts can address our most pressing issues and help us move forward as a society, please check out USDAC's website. Here is their Statement of Values:
Culture is a human right. As expressed in the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community.” It is our sacred duty to remove impediments to the exercise of this right and to ensure that the means to exercise this right are available to all. In a cultural democracy, we are obliged to monitor the impact of public and private actions with these duties in mind.
Culture is created by everyone. The art, customs, creative expressions, and social fabric of every community and heritage contribute to the vibrancy and dynamism of our common culture. Our cultural institutions and policies should reflect this, rather than privileging favorites.
Cultural pluralism is a social good and the wellspring of free expression. Its support and protection require equitable distribution of public resources, particularly to correct past injustices and balance an excess of commercialization. Cultural equity means full inclusion, participation, and power-sharing in all of our communities and institutions.
Culture is the sum-total of public, private, individual, and collective action. We seek balance so that no sector dominates or controls cultural expression or access to cultural resources. We advocate an arts ecology in which all sectors work together to support cultural development for the benefit of all.
Happy New Year to all of our participants and followers. Look for more action and media attention from The Kudzu Project in 2018!