ART ACTION UNION Creative Activism

General Observations - a complaint of an ALL ROUND nature (an open letter to the Advertising Standards Bureau - Australia)

2010-06-17T19:51:00.001-07:00

To Whom It May Concern,

You may consider this complaint to be superficial and unofficial given your obvious stakeholders. And it is not in response to a 'particular advertisement' but rather at the way things are going across the board.

However, I am a mother of three children and I have a few things to pass along.

I don't watch television much anymore... Because of the advertising. Our television never leaves the ABC (kids shows) hardly, because there is no advertising (despite the fact I also have programming concerns, another issue obviously). I am offended that advertising is constantly thrust in my face, it is incessant and annoying. I have a budget and when I need something I go looking for it!

I am a trained Advertising Professional with Marketing experience and a Graphic Designer. I know the psychology of advertising, in fact I spend a great deal of time with the Art Action Union collective teaching people about it and how it is used to brainwash you to part with your own dear cash, but also how these brainwashing principles can be used positively - i.e.. the opposite of what you see around you and always allowing ETHICS as your guide. I guess in that sense, you are an enemy to my cause :-)

ETHICS... I am compelled to say this again, ETHICS; MORALITY.

As a mother of three who understands the marketing strategies that some (perhaps not all) advertisers employ... I am continually appalled and angry, really bloody angry, that bodies like yourself judge things in the way you do. Lets face it... for every complaint you get there is a plethora of people out there who feel that they don't have a voice at all (regardless of services such as yourselves) and that when complaints ARE made and nothing is acted on you all look like your taking cash in paper bags from the high rollers... sorry, but it's one perception.

Now, sexualisation of children, sexualisation of women in general and the general marketing that takes place for the lowest common denominator of human response is so rife I wonder if people (as you say you base your standards on the GENERAL FEELING IN THE PUBLIC, possibly based on skewed focus groups to a degree) ... what if our public aren't exactly as educated or as behaved as we would like to be as a nation?

Women and children are, according to the UN, marginalised and at risk in many many countries. I am increasingly ashamed in a personal sense, that there ARE NO intellectual or intelligent ads anymore. Before soft porn became the norm in GENERAL media areas (which I have to think this body has benchmarked things that way) you saw some really well thought out and clever ads. Artistic expression in advertising was at an all time high, now advertising executives seem to not be even able to THINK in alternative strategies when presenting to certain potential clients their concepts. These industries are clearly defined to the viewer, but I won't go there now.

What I really want to ask, above all else is to goddam show some community leadership please!

I will state again, Women and children are, according to the UN, marginalised and at risk in many many countries (this one included) and I am constantly, constantly engaged in conversations with other parents about the appalling 'standard' of the advertising in this country when it comes to SEX in a generalised sense.

For one thing not everyone gets turned on by public nudity, in fact some people are actually sickened by it. Not everyone is having sex, particularly not every teenager and for goodness sake let kids be kids...

In some ways the fact that YOU need focus groups to tell you if the community ETHICS of a commercial are in line with "people's level of desensitisation, or rather tolerance" is the opposite of what many believe a leading body in a media (that eats people's brains alive) is supposed to be doing, ETHICS don't change, people's adherence to them does though, and this is evidence in itself that you are out of touch with a dedication to preserving our community morals.

Of course the advertisers are going to pressure you to not regulate them... because SEX sells, but it also keeps people in a state of sexual arousal, particularly if one person is prone to engaging in pornographic activities, and it could validate negative social behaviours in a worse case scenario.

Could you please listen to the academics that place importance on the psyche of our nation, as a born entity of this media that we are told to be obsessed with?

Could you please understand that your complaints system is flawed, for many will not complain because we are told we are prudish or uncool if we don't want to boof that chick in her jeans while her top is off... ETC.

This is an emotional response to a news article, and I have wanted to complain many times, but MUM and DAD are BUSY trying to keep our kids happy and homed and fed, but the increasing drama? The thing I spend more time doing than a lot of things these days, is making sure that my kids understand that they are NOT sexual entities because of marketing. Kids ask questions, they get curious - but letting them be kids and not be caught up with what they should be for another man or woman is MORE important. More important than profit!

Our school's billboard marketing says this week: "Every child, Every chance, Every day" - media removes these rights from marginalised families and communities.

I haven't even started on the psychology of these things for the MANY MANY MANY victims of sexual crime in this country.

Sex also can be traumatising for some... with the philosophy and strategy you have on public display (particularly at this time of reassessment for your body) you are saying:

1. Everyone in this country is of a particular moral standard and there will be NO negative effects in the long psychological haul of life ... I mean, I have seen extreme changes in my life and I am only 34!

2. Everyone in this country agrees with small focus groups, not possible - show me the independence of the survey please. Show me the demographics of the social groups please. Show me the MARKET RESEARCH in a TRANSPARENT and non-industry biased format please.

3. Everyone in this country treats women and children with respect, crime stats attest to this imbalance. Again, as does the UN and World Health Organization.

4. There are NO victims AT ALL as a result of incessant and community complacent advertising over time.

5. That continually pandering to desensitisation of sexual violence, crime and objectification of women and children (and men even) is a GOOD thing for us (yes, your marketing is saying that to me). There can only be one eventual outcome... what happens when no one cares anymore about protecting people sexual rites to abstaining from sexual based materials? ... what are the future of your decisions for the FUTURE of our SAFE community in AUSTRALIA? I guess the church are no longer morally relevant since the worship of money became the new 'religion' therefore we only have YOU to rely on, having said that I don't go to church and maintain my own spirituality, however, for a while there they were our moral lobby group weren't they?

6. That there is no need to tailor campaign to a target audience any further, because if the country are desensitised enough, you can use the general audience to perpetuate massive branding campaigns based on SEX, because it sells to the broadest category of unthinking people willing to part with their cash because some company successfully made them feel horny, or that they should be horny, or that making you buy a product and then use it will make you more bonkable to the opposite sex.

Playing with people self-esteem in this way? What are the social and community actions that will eventuate by continually ALLOWING private advertising to MESS WITH HEADS and marginalising people in their own social group?

7. That every parent is responsible, again statistics attest to this NOT being the case.

These aren't knew topics are they? It's a concern to academics, it's a concern for parents and it's a concern for single thinking people too.

For example, this letter of complaint took me an hour away from my kids, now what if I was to complain about every ad and billboard that upset me to the point of shaking and crying in disappointment and anger?

I would never leave my computer and you would consider me a serial pest... Now should we discuss the personality demographic of those that are brave enough to speak up? We all have different personalities apparently but not if we are getting sexual ads thrust in our sphere of thinking.

The ONLY course a parent can take is to be kind of controlling over content (which we would rather not do), which causes marginalisation and disharmony between parent and child and consequently the household in general, and also pits parents against parents as some people really don't care what their children are exposed to and are exposing other children to. Therefore the fallout is that you say that your kids can't play with their friends because you don't trust their parent's judgement and that kids like to share, particularly if they think they are being more grown up and competitive with their peers.

Also, why the hell are we having cases of 6 year olds sexually assaulting other 6 year olds? Probably 30-50% of mothers and fathers have been at the wrong end of sexual abuse at some stage, maybe we are all getting protective of our kids more than ever... why, because we know we are hurting still to this day and - that the bullies telling us to loosen up and stop thinking 'frigid' are most likely those that abuse.

What will be the fallout?

This seems a desperate correspondence, but I have lots of question marks here in this note... I expect someone to answer them intelligently and personally please.

I also feel obligated to let you know this letter will be published to our activist art network, with up to 3000 people... not to publicly humiliate but to raise awareness... not all of them of course will consider this their view but for the last 10 years, this topic ALWAYS arrives in the conversations I have with other parents. ALWAYS, and they are TOO pressured by all the things we are supposed to be doing to complain about every abhorrent ad... and that also makes me think that if advertisers ASSAULT the community during this DEREGULATED time with marginalised sexual ads, that they create desensitisation in the community very quickly and overwhelm the complainers ... which gives them a good footing with you lot doesn't it, a good argument for their case.

See, everyone wants branding of their product don't they - it's the ultimate retail glory! But you can't achieve branding without marketing to the broadest catchment audience... can you? It's a flawed formula for community value if your product is an adult product!

Please, respond, I am anticipating your rebuttal.

Thanks for listening.

ps. THE the article that stirred me to finally spew at you: http://www.smh.com.au/business/media-and-marketing/watchdog-seeks-truth-unadorned-20100617-yjvf.html

***************************

If you would like to make your voice heard, do it NOW, this body are re-evaluating ... Totally happy for you to take any part of this letter for your own purposes if you agree with the wording.

http://www.adstandards.com.au/pages/page12.asp

BEING AN INDIVIDUAL IS A PARADOX... SO NOW I AM A SHEEP?

2010-03-21T21:37:00.000-07:00

What exactly do you do AAU? (oooh, that rhymes!)

Somebody recently asked me to succinctly describe what this thing that we do is?

This was what I said:

Primarily, it does whatever it creatively can ... our motto is to aspire to inspire!

In essence, the collective becomes multi-faceted - it is a podium and an audience, a gallery, a media service, an agency etc. Kath runs around the web scoping opportunities
and forging links with other orgs and finding like-minded friends... I

try to drive traffic... also, I try to find events to have stalls at,

sell merch, write blogs and find promotional opportunities in heaps of

places.

This year we have already gathered tons of momentum, I have already done one stall at a Brisbane (that's where I live, so I guess that's where we are based) punk gig, had a press ad in a
local net culture mag and been offered a regular column in another ...

have a local Gallery stall soon during our regional art festival.

Eventually, I hope to do more, but as I am just a chick organiser with a family budget and nothing more (not to mention time line), I am satisfied with the pace we are travelling and am very
pleased that people support the concept and what I hope to do...

Which is at it's most fecund ... bringing a spotlight onto a collective of people who use their creative talent and their own personal audiences to promote awareness of socially
challenging topics, whether they be visual, aural or written. This may

seem a small thing, but it works wonders for enthusiasm and healing

(creative healing of the individual is always a priority)... oh and

education based on personal interaction with other artists in a global

context.

To be diverse, we are not tied to one topic but rather represent the artists needs and their ideas about what concerns them in their part of the world ... and gather them together... we can
also match (as you noted) artists to causes they care about when

opportunities arrive.

Activist organisations and organisers can approach us with their ads for distribution to our network... on facebook alone we are approaching 2000 people on the profile and we also
have a group and a fan page, we have twitter and all that too... we

have the ning site for creatives who want to join more formally by

having their own aau profile etc. We have 5 redbubble galleries full of

conscientious artworks and we share the really great ones around, also

giving artists a benchmark to improve their message clarity in their art

etc. and linking everything back to the artists' sales page so they may

hopefully make some money for encouragement, but under art action union

branding.

So... taking a deep breath...

With every new organisation or relationship we forge, we are growing - and word of mouth is strong... if we can create the biggest pool of activist artists ever (decentralised) imagine the
capacity for visual, aural and written action if we can somehow

coordinate... or the potential to get really awesome interactions with

the like-minded activists and creatives... it's a big experiment really

- and I can't stop being obsessed with it...

All I can say is that we are moving and want to shake... we are going and growing and until it stops, neither will I...

So, we are not so much an organisation as a collective - administered by me, only cause I came up with the idea a while ago and decided to test it :-)

We don't do summits like Copenhagen though, but are very proud to have people like Anna who is supporting us in her heart and we brag that we are attached to important campaigners and groups... We did get an invitation to the
"Freedom to Create Awards" last year, but alas, a trip to London to see Bianca Jagger was not in budget :-P

Is that succinct?

QPUNX i.e. THE QUEENSLAND PUNK MUSIC SCENE

QPUNX magazine is an initiative run by the scene for the scene and it has a sturdy readership so far. I'm not quite sure why, but they have been really
very supportive of our little 'leftist' type venture... which of course

has me screaming cries of ANARCHY... but then that could just be the

beats and drones of punk!

QPUNX invited us to one of their numerous fund-raising shows at the Jubilee Hotel in Fortitude Valley one rainy Saturday late last month ... and... well...
Kath turned up with her punk rock friend Punxie for a day of I had no

idea what... I had art stuff... rained out... not so good to scream over

the top of the music all the time when discussing this concept... and

the roller derby girls had the interior hot pretty and I felt that I

would just dag the place out... but... with my six foot two punk rock

friend Punxie (of Punxie and the Poison Pens) I mingled and talked...

which is something I do a lot of... about the AAU and about art and

about whatever got attention... I had my teal coloured butterfly (there

are a lot of butterfly's around the punk rock art of time) logo t-shirt

on like the true Indy-car promo chick without the boobs and Lycra. I

gave out art with the website address to a number of people and did some

word of mouth... it was a really fun afternoon and cool to connect with

a lively and rich bunch of go-harders. So I didn't get my head punched

in... in fact, some people seemed to actually like talking to me... so I

guess they aren't such an exclusive group...

We are fortunate to have a regular column on a monthly basis where there will be ranting and art venting... this month will have two feature
artists from our collective so it rolls on!

Below is our article from Issue 3... Issue 4 is out soonish ... thanks Josh!

Being an Individual is a Paradox

I’m thinkin’ about words. Not specifically ‘the’ words but the way certain ones are used and adapted for certain definitive socio-tribal aural
recognition.

In that, collectives of groups form based on things
such as clothes and music – a very broad definition of course – add into

the mix ‘lingo’, ‘handshakes’, ‘gestures’ and ‘struts’. People of the

same mind may give each other fleeting attention or a ‘sign’ in the

street or club that the secret society is ever vigilant of its members

in public.

This forms shades of cultures within subcultures,
stereo-types within pigeon holes and a plethora of characterisations for

shows such as The Simpsons to

streamline and make the world simpler for ‘people less inclined to think

deeply’ to understand the subtle, yet marked, differences between us.

This is when we all relatively live and look the same; we’re not even

going to contemplate the psychological social barriers collectively

confronted when we seek multi-cultural and spiritual diversity, as one

eclectic idea differs from another they all somehow become the same when

we consider the market.

A market that is cashed up and able to
have flogged to them, through marketing and brainwashing, products that

are mass-produced for a mass-produced and groomed consuming market of

people made up of subtle differences. After all the retail stores can

only do so much to stay afloat and that generally means getting as many

people through the doors as possible to buy a line of the same

product/s. At the same time though, it seems important for us all to be

safe in the knowledge that there isn’t anyone like ourselves and we are

all really individuals. Which of course we are, it’s just that we all

buy the same stuff in streamlined ways. We all seek to identify with

something visual and aural that somehow defines our inner thoughts and

values, to feel safe in the knowledge that there actually are other

people like us. Paradox!

We all strive to be some sort of
stereo-type (be it obvious or associative), even when we are doing what

the hell we want. And I guess, even when we are trying to ignore

stereo-typing we become stereo-typed by the stereo-typical because one

strives not to stereo-type. Check that sentence out for an

idiosyncratic phrase… ha!

A market that is only capable of
needing beyond the needs of needing (already making a large group

similar). As such, a market that needs to be made up of individuals,

doing the same thing but remaining individual whilst looking to

associate with people similar. Hence the success of music festival

culture in the fiscal sense. A single event with musical shades of

sideshow attractions that appeal to a ‘set’ of ‘spenders’ … and

therefore ‘sell-out’ the show.

We like to spend time with people
like us because we like to do things that we like with our time and we

can’t be with someone when they are doing what they like and not what we

like, some of course take this to a greater extreme than others.

Seemingly
at times, the more different we become the more ‘the marketeers’ are

able to tailor our minds to actually behaving the same. Let’s take a

mild example: the hippies began their alternative lifestyles in order

to seek to create social, spiritual and environmental change, generally

operating from high ethical moral standards. A way long time back now,

this gave way to hippie fashions becoming ‘mainstream’ and

‘mass-produced’. One idea for this could be that a freedom of

expression and a bending of visual status-quos became attractive to

those not infected with these notions of social change. But also, to be

visually identifiable as someone associated to higher moral thinking

whether a conviction to the ‘cause’ exists or not. It becomes about the

look, not the action enhanced by the look.

Remember when faded
jeans were cool because it meant you proudly went without expensive

materials to prove you were suffering for your art? Or that you were

humble or consumerism conscious or that you just like wearing old worn

in garments? Then artificially faded denims go on mass sales in the

shops … it’s that kind of thing that makes me bawk! Not exactly sure

exactly why, hmmm.

Then fashion and social ideal splinters
because there are reactions to this trend. And mixes form and it

becomes a myriad and a fractal of personality all looking to find

like-minded personalities using sight and sound. And the cycle repeats

over and over again.

So then, language also mutates. Some
might say that it is generational, but I aint that old and bugger me if I

can understand some of the ‘lingo’ some not so younger people use

amongst themselves. It’s a coded language. It might be as mild as

using ‘fuck’ every second word, or it might be a total mutation of the

sentence structure, spelling and pronunciation the entire phrases that

could be used repetitively just to get it out there that these guys and

gals are ‘different’ to the boring old English dictionary folk. To

create a new language is real fame man, albeit collective fame.

“Man”
“Like”
“Fuck”
“Bugger Me”
“Crikey”
“omg”
“lol”
“bro”
“cuz”
“dope”
“werd”
“hoe”
etc.

geez – how many stereo-types of language can there be.

I guess… likewise activist artists use certain terms and styles repetitively to

enforce their connectedness, or simply to quickly define the topic they

are approaching. Which in some ways, is a conscious use of this

psychology to appeal to broad groups about the same issue, whether

people are personally affected or whether they care, to inspire actual

political and social action.

ACTION ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
Action
Artists in Residence are a collective of Activist Artists who are

dedicated to the continuation, development, growth and improvement of

the Art Action Union as a force for positive social change. If you would

like to be an Art Action Union official artist in residence, you will

be the first to be called on for special projects and opportunities for

promotion that fit your situation and your beliefs. Send us an email (contact@artactionunion.org)

and tell us you’re in! We will add your name to our database of talent.

Random visual of the issue:
CCTV Government T-Shirt

Artist: Ross Robinson (http://www.redbubble.com/people/rossman72/t-shirts/1412658-3-cctv-government)

FREEDOM TO CREATE AWARDS 2009 - OUR INVITATION TO CREATE FREELY AND CELEBRATE THAT THEREOF

2009-11-25T23:13:00.001-08:00

THE FREEDOM TO CREATE

Freedom to Create (www.freedomtocreate.com) is an initiative that seeks to improve lives by addressing society’s ability to support and sustain creativity. The initiative focuses on those societies in greatest need.

Directly from their website:

A celebration of courage and creativity
Established in 2008, the Freedom to Create Prize is a celebration of the courage and creativity of artists around the world who use their talents to build the foundations for open societies and inspire the human spirit. It is open to artists in all creative fields.

Support for frontline artists
Each year, US$125,000 in prize money is awarded across three categories: Main, Youth and Imprisoned Artist.
The winners of this year’s Prize will be announced at our awards ceremony to be held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, on 25 November 2009. Human rights activist Bianca Jagger, leading human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson QC and acclaimed documentary maker Nick Broomfield will present the awards.

A growing presence
The Prize has been embraced by artists on the frontlines, the global arts in development sector and the human rights community. This year there were more than 1,000 nominations from over 100 countries.

Last year the Art Action Union promoted this prize in it's fundamental year, to a very modest and new group of artists. We even ran our own challenge in parallel with the ideals.

It was with honour and surprise that this year the Art Action Union was identified by this growing prestigious prize and invited to the awards ceremony at the V&A Gallery in London.

Unfortunately, I couldn't go :-( Because I don't live anywhere near London ... and after a frantic mail around couldn't get anyone there either :-( even though we were very lucky to have the invitation extended to our "colleagues in London" ... ho hum! I'll have to meet Bianca Jagger another day!

What is more important about the awards being in a state of "growing prestige", is that not only are they attracting the likes of:
HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE BIANCA JAGGER,
AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY MAKER NICK BROOMFIELD
AND HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERT, GEOFFREY ROBERTSON QC
to present the winners, the growing number of entrants on the front line of human need regarding expression have embraced the awards. This year over 1000 entries from over 100 countries has marked The Freedom to Create Prize as a special and magical celebration of voice, but contrasted against the dire need to raise community expectations and standards in educating our richest world communities about the sacrifices made by others in their struggle against oppression.

The stories of the finalists themselves are enough to inspire ... please find the press release for the Awards and read their biographies.

The winners will be announced tonight Wednesday the 25 November 2009 ... alas without the real time cheers and tears of the Art Action Union's physical presence, but we are there in spirit and will be advocating the change that these artists need to see in the world.

एक्टिविस्ट आर्ट उनितेद

2009-08-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

Water War and Irrigation Without Borders - Bangladeshi Theatre pouring out their concern

2009-08-17T19:38:00.001-07:00

"Water War (water is life not for sale)" is a play written and designed by Art Action Union community member Sorkar Haider. Sorkar is a resident of Bangladesh and expresses his concerns through theatre alongside the Karigar theatre troupe. His latest scripted production draws to the surface the impact of globalisation, international conflict and neighbouring policy on Bangladesh, it's people and the river systems that have been their life and culture.

The fear that Sorkar and his fellow thespians are aiming to express, is the deep nature of greed and control that could cost them not only access to this necessity for life, but invoke violence and inter-dependent corruption that could overcome nations as the resource diminishes.

The play was inspired by the reflection of the actors’ love of the rivers as children in their earlier village life.

From the play brief that Sorkar sent to the Art Action Union (transcribed as is):

We discover some moments at the bend of river and we see rivers have chronological story, birth story, and all people are love them.

Bangladesh is irrigated by rivers. In the ancient and middle ages near about 850 rivers to flowed over the country and they meet with Bay of Bengal. But now this time we are seeing only 249 rivers. Where are the other rivers? Death. There are 90 percent people dependent on rivers in Bangladesh. The people are habituate by agricultural farming, fishing, stone business and other river related works.

All the rivers come from India because all the rivers are born on Himalaya and other hills. Indian govt. blocked 168 rivers water by damming 249 rivers. The Bangladeshi people are suffering a very poor time for water and river. Farrakhan dam is malediction for Bangladeshi people. Ganges water hindered by Farakka. In that time Indian govt want to build a dam on Surma, Kushiara, and Borak river. If it will happen more than 2 core peoples will suffer.

What is the global situation of rivers? It is impossible to talk about human civilisation without talking about Water.

One generation passeth away,

and another generation cometh;

but the earth abideth always...

all rivers runneth to the sea,

yet the sea is not full...

- ECCLESIASTES

The words are beautiful, haunting and suddenly anachronistic, but they are not true owing to growth, change and devolvement during our lives. Even degraded rivers seldom totally runneth at all, but loiter in a chain of reservations. In some years our mightiest rivers, Africa's Nile, Asia's Yellow, America's Colorado, Australia's Murray do not reach the sea...

"Water War" will present some small story about the people who are suffering for water. It will be performed by two characters, they are acting in speaking mood. They tell five stories. Five stories are ...

1. Dighal Kumari, a story of a sweet village girl who will die for water.

2. Alluvial Lande, a story of rivers crying and alluvial lands people.

3. Love story, A mythological love story about rivers, a green love story of Ganges and Sitolakkha (River names).

4. Water Bottle, a story of bottling water.

5. Dam, a story about Dam.

Not only are the Bangladeshi people suffering by water. The whole World and Nature are suffering for water. We are losing our natural beauty and people's natural activities. People and Nature are fighting for water in opposition to some peoples.

And there are people here in Australia, here in the west, who refuse to consider the option of recycled water or even share their dams with neighbouring shires OF THE SAME STATE AND COUNTRY.

Wake up world, pollution kills.

… and bottling water from a spring in France and shipping it all over the world for the luxury of the polluters is just pure madness.

How many carbon credits in the production of one bottle of less-than-pure springwater from the Evian spring once it arrives in the offshore export country??? Not to mention at all the environmental implications in the use of plastics and the population’s lack of mental strength to grasp the concept of “recycling receptical”… sheesh…

Bangladesh is a country that I know very little about. When I think of it though, I think of monsoons and thick lush terrain with a rich, colourful, vibrant, long-lasting and resilient local culture. Not at all like this dusty island nation that recieves so little empathy from it’s population in times of drought.

It is sad to think that the actions of one country that shares resources, that has a responsibility to it’s neighbours and to the livlihood of our global community and global community mental health, could allow such ‘greed’ to take place.

Where are the international ethics on river systems, is it allowable for a country to block a river that flows to another country’s life-line? It is allowable for one nation to dam a river and stop it flowing before it escapes the border of it’s jurisdiction?

Does a country own a river that does not start within it and flows through to the other side of it to another border?

I becomes particularly nasty if the sanitation system of the water greedy country in question is questionable and squanderous in it’s directive and resource.

What does a de-salination plant cost in carbon credits again???

HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT LEADERSHIP MENTORING ARTS PROGRAM

2009-08-17T17:09:00.000-07:00

HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT LEADERSHIP MENTORING ARTS PROGRAM

Environmental art project grants - $13,000

Can arts make a difference to the environment?

If you are an emerging artist under the age of 26 that works with visual art as a means to promote the environment and sustainability, than you may be interested in trying for a slice of this rather generous pie.

Queensland Conservation and the Australia Council are working towards creating a number of unique projects fusing the world of the arts and activism.

What a novel idea!

Utilising the artist as a catalyst for change, and change as a catalyst for the artist, the grant promises to give support and training in association with Feral Arts in Brisbane (www.feralarts.com.au). Such is the need for promoting sustainable environmental ideologies to diversified audiences, art is generally a medium that appeals (in some form or other) to just about everyone in every culture.

$A15 000 (including $2000 for travel) in mentorships will be awarded to deserving young emerging artists to raise environmental challenges in their work. Artists will be involved and mentored by environmental activists to learn about issues ranging from climate change to biodiversity conservation. The end result to be a magnificent work or works that will bring together the environment, community and creativity.

From the press release:

Ryan Dillon, Queensland Conservation Executive Member says the HELM-Arts (Healthy Environment Leadership Mentoring) project is innovative because it helps develop a new generation of artistic leadership.

“This project will expose, train and support young artists and shape them into effective leaders who can advocate for a sustainable world through their art,” Dillon says.

“Queensland Conservation, the peak body for more than 60 environmental groups in Queensland, is well placed to build closer links with the art sector,” Dillon states, “and we are hoping to attract nominations from a broad range of artists, geographical locations and ethnic backgrounds.”

“We created the term HELM-Arts as we feel it is up to young people to take the helm and lead the way with environmental change,” Dillon says.

The Art Action Union had a discussion with Ryan Dillon about art challenging environmental education.

We discussed how the mentorship grants will help these young emerging artists bloom.

Ryan said in a manner of speaking, “the good thing is that it’s a partnership with the Queensland Conservation Council/Australia Council and Feral Arts, two of the best and most well networked environmental and arts organisations in this region. We hope the project will network people from all over the country to create outcomes in Queensland and cross-train arts activists with direct hands on experience to create an ‘eco arts space’ to be watched and anticipated.”

I like the way Ryan used the term ‘eco arts space’ it creates a vision of a new and necessary arts culture. A microcosmic and specialised art form that has purpose and reward.

We discussed what will happen with the work once it is finished? How will the work be used as an education tool for awareness beyond the initial grant timeframe?

Mr. Dillon had a very strong idea that it was open for interpretation.

“Given the diversity of artists that we are expecting to see apply for this opportunity, it really will be up to the discretion of the successful artist. All artists will have their merits measured against the same criteria but that doesn’t mean that we will have a set idea about what type of work it will be and how it will be finished. The artists must demonstrate professionalism but it is up to them to prove that they have the best plans in arts education for sustainable environment and the best way of presenting it for long-term educational and arts benefits.

We are looking for art that is provocative and emotionally engaging, hopefully the viewer will see the art and want to get involved actively with climate change. The main motivation behind the HELM terminology is to provide a vision for young people to form their ideas around leadership in this area. They are at the HELM of the Titanic with the iceberg [ironic ‘cause really they are melting] looming in the near distance, the artist has to steer that ship with creative thinking to take a new course and not crash. To engage a new audience through new networks. It is up to the artists to decide what is provocative.”

Thanks to Ryan for his time and patience with my dodgy technology.

It is hoped that the HELM-Arts project will become an annual arts grant event.

Further about the initiative is available online at is available online at: http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/grants/grants/healthy_environment_leadership_mentoring_program2

STATUS REPORT - ACTION MAIL MAY 2009

2009-05-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

URSA FREEDOM PROJECT STATUS REPORT

FIRST THINGS FIRST

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: ANIMALS ASIA AUSTRALIA EXHIBITION

Animals Asia, Australia Branch, is calling for artists to donate works to raise money for their Moon Bear Operations in China. As the event is only two weeks away they are hoping to have all the pieces together by the end of this week but if people can’t make that deadline, they are willing to accept pieces up until about Tuesday 2nd June.

Please contact Anne if you are interested: annelloydjones@animalsasial.org

The exhibition is being held in conjunction with a presentation from Animals Asia Foundation’s Chinese Relations Director, Ms Christie Yang. So if you are not able to donate artwork, you may wish to attend the event.

Tickets are $25 (Aust.) each and can be purchased by contacting Anne at the above email.

Artworks will be silently auctioned at the Red Lips Gallery (owned by renowned artist Rae Heint) to raise vital funds for Moon Bear rescue.

Saturday 6th June 2009
Doors open at 7 pm, Presentation on Animal Asia’s work in China will commence at 8pm
Red Lips Gallery, 60 Excelsior Street, Leichhardt NSW

"SEE THE INVITATION"

DEE DO DEE DOO THIS IS WHAT WE DO

The Ursa Freedom Project (http://www.ursafreedomproject.ning.com) is projecting forward with the Movement developing into much more than a campaign for fund-raising, although this being it’s most important function.

Animals Asia (http://www.animalsasial.org) operate in China and Vietnam rescuing bears and rehabilitating them as best as possible, although many of the bears sustain lifelong injuries and diseases as a result of their treatment in the bile farms. It costs a lot of cash to house and provide them with the special nutrition they need to peacefully fulfill their new-found days of freedom, so fund-raising and sponsoring of bears is directly going to the victims of these commercialisms and the organisation that frees them.

The Ursa Freedom Family is committed to liberating the bears that are bred, born and captured into a life of torture and abuse. The Bile that is extracted from the stomachs of these bears is used in commercial products for which there are cruelty free alternatives. This industry is supported by the people who buy those products and at the bottom of the pit of change, the first step to take before a market can be effected enough to fundamentally alter or cease existence, is to educate the consumers. And that’s where targeted awareness can be a radical approach to education.

Art Action Union is currently highlighted and praised on the home page at the Ursa Freedom Project (THANKS JEANETTE).

Founder of the Ursa Freedom Project, journalist and activist Jeanette McDermott, approached the Art Action Union on Ecopaparazzi to lend a hand with spreading the word. So what do we do? We spread the word! Issuing forth blogs and news and art challenges on all our sites about the project, connecting a number of networks spanning from Facebook to Redbubble, from Ning to YouTube and so the twitter bug carries the Chinese whisper.

If you visit the UFP site you can see that the AAU have also produced a couple of promotional vids …
(http://ursafreedomproject.ning.com/video/video/listForContributor?screenName=1yg9v8nk0ne40)

We also have an 11 minute documentary in the approval system waiting for a go ahead. (I have been busy lol)

We have designed a brochure for email circulation amongst welfare organisations to bring awareness of the wonderful efforts that are happening in a grassroots – yet global – way!

ART FOR THE BEARS - ARTISTS MAKIN’ ART

The AAU Redbubble group ran a challenge to help get people not only on board but wearing and looking at awareness. Congratulations to nofrillsart (http://www.redbubble.com/people/nofrillsart/t-shirts/2898371-1-save-the-moon-bear-bile-farming-makes-me-sick-to-the-stomach) for the winning tee Save the Moon Bear (Bile farming makes me sick to the stomach) T-Shirt, last I heard Glenn had sold at least 4 of this design. If you visit the page too, you can see a small proportion of the people who found awareness to this topic through creative activism – and that’s not even taking into consideration the army of fans that would have seen but not spoken, or the people who see the t-shirts being worn.

Glenn chose to sell his tees with no mark up to encourage buyers to spread the word about the cause and the plight of the bears for commercial and consumer attitudinal change. By contrast another very active and passionate member of the AAU collective, Lupe (http://www.redbubble.com/people/lupexx), made sales on some of her many and varied anti-bile farming/save the moon bears tees and donated the sales directly to the Ursa Freedom Project’s donation page sending the funds straight to Animals Asia.

GREAT STUFF TO SEE THAT MAKES ME CRY …

Kids always have a way of saying things in a special way - a way that makes you feel happy, sad, safe and scared and a variety of other emotions all at once. Sometimes their application of their view of a situation can completely change the adult world, too many kids are robbed of their opinions. My eldest daughter Olivia (8) is often quite interested in the gozillions of projects that I pile around me so the Moon Bear project, being the animal LOVER she is, made her particularly thoughtful. It prompted her to participate and sent her off on a magical and imaginative picture process that resulted in a beautiful charm for the souls of these sweetly fierce mammals.

What made this very extra sweet from here in Australia was that she was joined in mind and spirit by Angelique’s (http://www.redbubble.com/people/eliq) son Josiathe in Nashville USA. Josaithe is also 8 and together - I reckon they nailed it!

Goodbye bile farming!

By Olivia, 8 years, Brisbane Australia

By Josaithe, 8 years, Nashville USA

ON A SIDE NOTE… HOME AND AWAY … TRAA LAA LAAAAA

For those of you who may enjoy Australian soap opera (no not I said the little red hen, I had to google the name, but I was surprised none the less) … you may be interested to know that Home and Away actor (and evidently, also singer) Bernard Curry has written and contributed a song to the URSA Freedom Family, named Willow’s Song. I had contacted Mr. Curry in the hope that he would contribute more of his media prowess to the cause to nil reply.

I reckon we can change his mind, contact me if you want his email address… ha! Just joking but some one should hassle him for a media release, it would do greater things than he perhaps would know.

You can listen to a soapie singer singing for great things at the Ursa Freedom Site home page (music player is on the left, just down a little bit).

ANIMOTO FOR A CAUSE – SUBMISSIONS WANTED FOR ACTIVIST ART VIDEO

Animoto.com is a website designed to create slide-shows that amaze! A free Animoto account allows a 30 second promo vid that you can post online. What you do is you upload a ton of still images, choose a sound track and mix it. The site mashes the pics through some filters and things and comes out with something cool. You can re-mix the vids as many times as you like until you get one to satisfaction. A free account however gives you very little control over some aspects of the animation so its message presentation potential is limited.

Animoto for a Cause is a special account that you can apply for to which gives you full access to pro-video services in order to quickly and easily make targeted slide-shows that atmospherically move to a soundtrack creating an almost cinematic experience. Additional benefits allow the user to upload images and music but also include text headlines, ebeddable AND downloadable and also available in high definition DVD format for those really special projects. It’s a great way of presenting artwork and also a really easy and no fuss way of creating really professional looking advertisements. Given that the files are downloadable too, they become really awesome motion fills for larger movies that you may be editing in other video making software. You just import the .mp4 file into your editor as a video track.

Having had a free Animoto account for a year, the moment they circulated news of this new scheme I applied on a hunch … and they gave us one!

I have been fiddling with it to get the feel of it but I have a plan to showcase more activist art from our groups this way in the future –

For some idea of what this can do you can compare and contrast:

This is the first AAU vid promo I created using the free account

Find more videos like this on ART ACTION UNION COMMUNITY
This is the latest AAU vid promo (pretty ill-concepted and quick but you get the idea) using Animoto for a Cause

We want to make a vid with your art in it too. If you have any specific pieces that you would like us to add to the next promo send a link or attachment to:

submissions@artactionunion.org

The final video will replace the one that is currently set as the AAU promo vid and will eventually sit on the front page of the artactionunion.org portal when it is finally fully operational - mwahawwwhawww like the Death Star!

NINETEEN74: NYC AGAINST HIV

FASHION AS THE VEHICLE OF CHANGE

Living in the age where sex sells just about everything and anything has consequences, particularly on society and more worryingly on young people. Time and statistics is proving that relying on institutionalised education in matters of safe and healthy intimacy is failing in large populations and the third world.

Is it up to the community to find the solutions to these issues? Let's not leave it to mainstream media, shall we?

Conscientious fashion professionals have taken the issue to the catwalk of New York - getting straight to the heart of the cause by infiltrating the fashion conscious teen. On the 8th May 2009 Midwood High School in Brooklyn New York was the centre of awareness for Aids education.

In collaboration with Designers Against AIDS and Sunny Downstate Medical Centre, website NINETEEN74 Director, Raoul Keil, described the vision for the event:

In the wake of another revolutionary fashion event and the anticipation of its first major New York based catwalk show, NINETEEN74 collaborates for a great cause with young professionals; examining the issues of HIV and AIDS, improving sex education and promoting safer sex. It is indeed true- the US, particularly areas in New York: eastern Brooklyn, the Bronx and Northern Manhattan are in a state of sexual meltdown and the most threatened are teenagers. HIV infections are registered among youths aged from 13-29; 1 in 3 students in NYC are being sexually active at present and there’s a disproportionate percentage of teenage pregnancies escalating. Organised by NINETEEN74, director Raoul Keil; The NYC AGAINST HIV/AIDS fashion show will cite the existing pressures and consequences of unprotected sex. It will present an impartial approach providing the reality of the virus through two major elements: education and entertainment. We don’t want to impose but rather expose the need for better sex education for youths. Through the sheer medium of fashion and visual performance, all of the designers and contributors [make-up artists, stylists and models] involved tackle the motto: 1 LIFE 1 CHANCE. NINETEEN74 are here to reinstate that safer sex is fashionable.

Following the event there is an excellently informative and extremely aesthetic publication, which tells you the shocking truth, while feeding you beautiful concepts to push the message home.

http://en.calameo.com/read/0000196556d5ee655a058

I asked Raoul about the reaction to the message that was presented in this provocative and chic event.

Q. What is the one phrase you remember from the evening that summed up what you were hoping to achieve?
A. With our event NYC against HIV www.Nineteen74.com has reached a local audience of 1100 guests attending the show plus 100 000 online viewers. We wanted to increase awareness about HIV and show that high profile professionals have the power as individuals to educate a young audience and entertain at the same time.

Q. Why do you believe that fashion can be a powerful catalyst for Aids education?
A. Every individual needs to dress, and each individual should be aware of dangers in the world, but why always presenting it as evil. With our fashion show we caught the attention to raise awareness about the possibility to protect and show that everybody on that planet is involved! and hopefully we cleared the heads of those kids from HIV being a "dirty" virus by showing them the effort all the talent involved has made.

According to their official press release:

The event was brought to life through the valiant efforts of health and wellness advocate Karen Jemmott, Director of Physician Outreach at SUNY Downstate Medical Centre, and Raoul Keil, Founder and Director of creative networking site www.Nineteen74.com. Jemmott and Keil met through a mutual acquaintance,
Ninette Murk, Founder and Director of Designers Against Aids, who suggested for them to collaborate together for a cause: ‘NYC against HIV’ was born!

‘1 Life 1 Chance’ was the thread which tied together all of the contributors on the project to spread the word about the benefits of delaying sexual contact as well as practicing safer sex. The project focused on the hopes of making the next generation healthier, happier and better informed.

At the forefront of the catwalk show were the vibrant and chaotic creations of UK designer Emma Bell who recently showed her Autumn/Winter 2009 collection at London Fashion Week. Hair and Make up by Artlist Paris based famous Steven Canavan, and Cecilia Romero, who worked their magic on the models and produced an intriguing show.

With the success of NYC against HIV, Ninette Murk and Raoul Keil have hopes of replicating its message in other cities across the world by bringing together budding talent and health activists to spread the word.

RADICAL EDUCATION – IN THE MIDDLE OF A WHIRLWIND

Here are some very cool ideas about the re-definition of educational values for the benefit of community. Presented as audio documentaries accompanied by some great articles of 'leftern' viewpoint.

http://inthemiddleofthewhirlwind.wordpress.com/i-want-to-do-this-all-day-redefining-learning-and-reinventing-education/

PACIFIC STORMS EXHIBITION

The Pacific Storms Exhibition in Bundaberg creates a great opportunity for cultural creativity to bring understanding to us about some of the people that Australians live closest to. Particularly if you live in Queensland (and can get to Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery) as we see many Pacific Islanders moving amongst us.

Pacific Storms will be celebrated from the 3rd – 12th July, an exhibition accompanied by an array of cultural activities such as Lei making, dancing, audio-visual performance, family fun-day and weaving.

For more information visit www.brag-brc.org.au

RECYCLED TOILET PAPER

A list of organisations recommending the use of toilet tissue tat is made from recycled paper.

Australian Department of Environment and Water Resources
www.environment.gov.au

New Zealand Ministry for Environment
www.mfe.govt.nz

United States Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov

United Kingdom Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
www.defra.gov.uk

Environmental Defense
www.environmentaldefense.org

Natural Resources Defense Council
www.nrdc.org

Worldwide Fund for Nature
www.panda.org

Eco Buy Victoria (Australia)
www.ecobuy.org.au

Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment
www.dse.vic.gov.au

Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW
www.dec.nsw.gov.au

Queensland Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.qld.gov.au

Planet Ark
www.planetark.com.au

Links provided in context by “Safe”, the toilet paper … it’s wrapped in brown paper… like a favourite thing!

And while we are on the topic of ethical consumption, Australians should visit this site:
http://www.ethical.org.au/
A guide to ethical groceries ... what a gem this is! Although it still won't make shopping with young children any easier, in fact most likely harder and longer ...

There is also this seemingly reputable UK website:
http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/

The Art Action Union, Uni Students and Activist Education

A little while back I was fortunate enough to attend a workshop that was organised by the Australian Student Environmental Network. The day was absolutely value packed with active education utilising creative learning tools such as role plays, drawing and active problem solving, and what workshop is complete without a bunch of crazy games that require looking silly, or running madly with arms flailing. All free and provided by volunteers, including a yummy, homely vegetarian lunch.

Image provided by Australian Student Environmental Network, Educating the Educator August 2008

Among all the eating, role-playing and drawing though, I managed to gain a hell of a lot of ideas and enthusiasm (not to mention, the realisation that as an active listener I suck, yes, you all knew it I know). I met like-minded and concerned people who want to feel empowered and want to use their skills and knowledge to promote forward and positive progress in all communities. It's nice to meet people in this way; it reminds us that we are not alone in our insecurities and passions.

The day focused on how to get your own action group up and running, how to facilitate community meetings, how to get your message out to the community and explored topics of strategy and audience.

I was also nicely introduced to this massive and extremely active network of capable caring souls pushing their minds and spare time to the limits in public service. Concerned with topics that span all issues we heard personal stories of immigration, cultural challenge, environmental action, veganism and women's issues. I also became familiar with terms such as "Dumpster Diving" (by which starving students tour the inner city suburbs visiting the garbage receptacles of local food vendors and 'rescue' the edible delights that these businesses carelessly discard after a day's display).

Find out more about the Australian Student Environmental Network at: www.asen.org.au

Other related activist-education resources as recommended by ASEN:

The Change Agency (Brisbane Based)

Training for Change (Philadelphia Based)

Thanks especially to Clare Towler and all the team for being so awesome and active in helping others to get to a level of expression in their communities.

Green Peace With An Artistic Farewell For Climate Action

The Greenpeace International vessel the Esperanza spent part of last year promoting an Energy [R]evolution to renewables as the Australian federal government was developing a response to climate change, a response that fell very short of expected targets and was largely disappointing and internationally embarrassing.

Images courtesy of Greenpeace Australia

As the vessel sailed up the Queensland coast it stopped off here and there to make powerful direct actions, including powering down the largest coal fired power station in Australia at Eraring, occupying the top of Ipswich power station smokestack for nearly two days, and painting climate change statements on the sides of twenty massive coal ships near Mackay.

The Esperanza's visit to Australia came to an end in Cairns (North Queensland) as artist Jorge Pujol directed a candle-formation in the shape of a wind turbine. A fine example of creative statement making being utilised to make an endpoint and to draw in another audience.

More than 7000 people toured on board the Esperanza as it stopped in ports along the eastern Australian coast. We were able to visit and get a first hand encounter with a boat that sees a lot of important and intrepid activity in the southern oceans and all over the world, when it docked in Brisbane.

The Esperanza is used most frequently in anti-whaling campaigns in the Southern Oceans because of it's size and inflatable raft capability (it has 11). It is also the home of a large boat called the African Queen, used in the Amazon River recently to confront illegal fishing.

images copyright 2008 Kathleen Cameron

The first image is one of the famous inflatables you see on the news wire doing all those amazingly courageous antics to keep reporting what is real and to bring awareness to the world... and that's the famous rainbow!

Greenpeace Australia Photographic Exhibition - 30 Years of Inspiring Action

Greenpeace International

Donate to Greenpeace
Donations at this time will fund their new campaign to bring direct political action on Climate Change.

How To: Grow Veggies From Art

Northcote Community Gardens (Melbourne Australia) are a great example of how local community groups can utilise their collective creative talents and their passion for sustainability to promote their activities to their communities and the world.

T-shirts for sale by Northcote Community Gardens at redbubble.com

From their RedBubble profiile:
... any profits made from these images will be used to sustain the gardens and hopefully buy a water tank! We also have many creative people among our members including photographers designers, and artists, so we plan to keep the quality of our work up...

Rebecca made this statement when I asked her about the Northcote Community Gardens' collective:

Northcote Community Gardens is very small by most community gardens standards, with only 15 plots, but we are very passionate about our little plots of veges, and the joy we all get from gathering together to grow food and share. We are a diverse group of people of different ages and cultural backgrounds, and that also adds to the creative mix. We like to share our creative skills with the group and often have little workshops on topics ranging from felt-making to seed saving to pumpkin soup making to how to promote ourselves and fundraise. Growing our own food organically and caring for our little plots of earth is a creative act, as is making the little mosaics, or natural found object sculptures that decorate our plots, or photographing our produce…and designing tshirts to spread the word!

We also feel that growing your own food is rapidly becoming an important political and environmental statement….plus home grown just tastes better! Community gardens are more and more in demand in urban environments and they are fabulous places for people to learn, and connect and create…we urge everyone to get involved in community gardens…GROW FOOD and save the world!

Northcote Community Gardens Blog

Lorie's Pet Cause

Lorie Rhoden - otherwise known as half of Crockpot Productions – is an avid animal rights supporter. She tells us of her personal attitude towards animal abuse and why she feels compelled to watch that footage.

Why I Get Angry

I have to get angry.
Why?
It's like this.
Every time I watch video footage about animal cruelty I cry like a baby. I can't help it. This is the kind of stuff that makes me despise the human race and it makes me ashamed to be part of it. This is the kind of thing that makes me feel like things will never change - at least not enough. I feel like people are evil and always will be; and that people like us will never be large enough in number to make others understand or care. Stuff like this is the kind of stuff that makes me want to have nothing to do with our society, this world, or this life. It makes me want to die.

But then I get angry.
Before the tears have even dried on my cheeks, I get sooo angry about the state of the world and our society and about the people who don't understand or care. And I want to make change happen - somehow.I've yet to come up with a foolproof plan - but at least when I'm angry I'm feeling the need and the passion to do something - to make a change for the better. To make people understand and care.

And being angry at society and passionate about animals is, in the long run, going to be far more productive than being dead. So no matter how hopeless I feel; no matter how much I feel like I just can't sit through another video; I find a way to move onward and keep working towards my goal to make things better for all the voiceless creatures whose lives depend on people like us.

Art, Action and Awareness - Stuff to do now!

Join the Art Action Union Community and add stuff

Learn about the 350 Climate Campaign

Look at (and perhaps purchase) some active wear from some witty designers

Donate to the World Wildlife Fund

Read about the diversities of feminism and find 1001 Links at Feminist Ezine

Discover Blue King Brown Activizm/Educationism

Posimism and ProActivism
Feature Projects from Around the Globe for the Greater Good!

Skateistan: Afghanistan’s 1st Co-ed Skateboarding School

Crescent City Art Project: the Kids of Katrina

Blogs and Logs

Do you have an Activist Art Blog or Website or know of a really good one? Nominate it for our news mail by sending a link to: contact@artactionunion.org

Helen Bascom expresses her opinion on "Visionaries" because of pressure from others in other places to stop her questioning her government through photographic art in public.

"A frustrated graphic artist, so what better way to get over it than to build a website where real artists can express themselves." Eric Wilson, Founder of Artevist

'By supporting Frame Lines you not only support the artists but you also support the need for an alternative media for magazines. You support the reduction of damage to the environment.' read more!

***

Hope you made it to the end of this huge issue... sporadically brought to you by me at the AAU Base Computer...

Aspire to inspire y'all!

Kath

MOON LIGHTING... for the URSA FREEDOM project

2009-03-29T23:34:00.000-07:00

MOON LIGHTING... to free the moon bears

ACTION REQUEST!!!

Ursa Freedom Project began on March 20 (Vernal Equinox) when, in the evening sky, the constellation Ursa Major rises up from the NorthEastern horizon (Northern Hemisphere).

The campaign builds through a series of monthly posters and activities that catapult the whole world into action on June 21 (Summer Solstice).

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW!!!
(AND HOPEFULLY KEEP DOING THEM 'TIL THE BEARS ARE FREE)

Sign the Petition
Create Art For the Bears (NB. Art can be submitted to the project site or directly to art.action.union@bigpond.com)
Join The Community or Commit your Skills to the Project
Listen to Mafi's Song by Jay Jourden
Embed Educational Videos to your Video Sites
Visit Animals Australia and meet the Rescued Bears
Add Badges and Banners to your sites (get HTML)
Join the Facebook Cause (and generally post to Facebook if you use it! or any other social networking community for that matter)

Below are are some of the artistic contributions so far.... show the world what a pro-active group of concerned artists can do to raise awareness to ALL people...

You all have your audience...

You all have your style...

You all have influence...

You all have hearts...

and...

I am sure...

You all have CONTACT LISTS...

Although I don't encourage spammmmmm.... telling a few people would be great too!

ASPIRE TO INSPIRE!!!

Find more videos like this on ART ACTION UNION COMMUNITY

AAU HOMEPAGE FEATURE AT CHANGENTS.COM

2009-02-23T23:38:00.000-08:00

The Photo of the Week Feature on the mid right hand side... SEE THAT!!!(click the image to view complete in new window)

Cool hey... hopefully this will bring our activities some more audience...

Thanks for being a bunch I can be proud to brag about...

I see the AAU as a giant experimental art collective project and the internet is the canvas...

Onward and upward...

Kath
Aspire to Inspire

CHANGENTS.COM

VICTORIAN BUSHFIRE APPEAL - ACTION MAIL FEBRUARY 12, 2009

2009-02-15T17:55:00.000-08:00

ACTION MAIL FEBRUARY 12, 2009
VICTORIAN BUSHFIRE APPEAL ...

This weekend just passed, Victoria in Australia has seen the most horrible and horrific of disasters, one not experienced here in modern times . It is hard to identify with what has been happening because to identify with the lessons to be learned from this experience, we need to delve into a situation of which it is easy to run and hide from. In our humble modern humanity there are those of us who still find it difficult to accept our vulnerability against the fury of the elements. And the flames were furious and many lives were lost. There are fires still burning.

Fingers are being pointed and many people want answers that may never come, but I guess from this singular perspective, I can only pray that if there was criminal intent, justice will be served.

For another perspective, Miranda Divine writes opinion for the Sydney Morning Herald and has raised the questions environmentalists will cringe to read, may indignantly defend or may pray that a balance can be found where we are not choosing between populations and vegetation density or our habitat. Particularly when we have been, and are from that habitat and many of our peers have now gone back to it's Earth element through those fires of havoc.

Lots of us have already given all the spare funds that we can, but if you can give still... here is the donation link for the Red Cross, you can also donate blood to help if you can (thnx bites)...

There are also many other items and general living things that may be called for such as:

The latest request for the bush fire victims
We have had an extremely sombre request today.
Wallan Community Centre has put out an urgent request for suits. These suits are for families who have lost relatives, and also their homes, and need them to attend their relatives’ funerals. Any shape and size of suit is fine.
If you have anything you would like to donate – please let me know.
Kind regards,
Kristin Flanagan
Events and Communications Coordinator / Special Projects
E: flanagank@missionaustralia.com.au | P:(03) 8615 2266 | M: 0458 372 765
A: Level 2, 398 Lonsdale St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000 | W: http://www.missionaustralia.com.au
(thnx Melinda)

The good artists at RedBubble have also organised The Phoenix Appeal to raise more funds for the many many families and communities that require rebuilding...

Victoria's bushland and wildlife will feel the effects of these fires for the remainder of the century.

The Art Action Union extends it's thoughts and hopes to the victims and heroes, peace and love.

BY CONTRAST ...

The entire north of Queensland has officially 'plunged' into flooding disaster status. Raining since January and with cyclones and king tides, it's been described as a downpour of "biblical proportions".

HUMAN RIGHTS POETRY SUBMISSIONS ...

New Internationalist is a magazine with the bi-line, 'The people, the ideas, the action in the fight for global justice'.

Their website footer states: "New Internationalist (NI) workers' co-operative exists to report on issues of world poverty and inequality; to focus attention on the unjust relationship between the powerful and the powerless worldwide; to debate and campaign for the radical changes necessary to meet the basic needs of all; and to bring to life the people, the ideas and the action in the fight for global justice."

It has a passionate feel and a definite yet subtle 'angstyness' about it, including aesthetic and appropriate design that is balanced by the obvious intelligence of the data encapsulated in the immediately recognisable stories of appeal.

The extra creatively activist angle is that they are currently looking for poetry to highlight the constant vigilance we keep for the prevalence of human rights around the world.

Rhymes for Rights - New Internationalist Magazine
Our Publications Team are busy compiling a human rights based poetry anthology with poets from around the world. The aim is to have a hundred poems from a hundred different poets. And we need your help! If you have a favourite poet or poem that you think might fit the bill, please email us your suggestions.
Interpret human rights in the broadest possible sense; we're not just after poetry of protest; affirmations are as valuable (and much harder to find) as complaints; translations are fine; poets should be fairly contemporary (ie 20th century to ones still alive); established names and unknowns equally welcome.
Please email your suggestions to: rightspoetry@newint.org

WHY THE ART ACTION UNION LOVES ARTISTS THAT LOVE THE WORLD ...

Our Mission Statement:

+ to empower and gather activist artists together to broaden the appeal of communication of messages regarding important issues in society.

+ to promote and market our activities with a critical mass wherever possible to strengthen voice and communication of the message.

+ to ACTION issues as they arrive and when needed, but to also continually create awareness about social justice and topics that are always under scrutiny or are concerning to the artists.

+ to forge links with larger and more influential socially active community networks, in order to get exposure to coordinate with whatever we are needed for and to hopefully gain artists opportunities to get their ideas into the public arena through print, internet and ultimately traditional events such as exhibitions.

+ to stimulate awareness amongst our communities by actively acting collectively and artistically.

+ aspire to inspire.

Some specifically related info:

The Basics of Pro-Activist Art For Social Change

Terms and Conditions of Membership of the Art Action Union and our basic (very basic) Legal Disclaimer.

ART ACTION UNION LINKS DIRECTORY ...

Visiting this page will take you to a list of Art Action Union directory links, this page is intended to be a quick guide to all the pages and networks and affiliations and groups where the Art Action Union (or I as your spokesperson) have a presence. There are still more to add but I would love to hear of more networks where art and activism are a major topic. If you know of any sites that we could sign up to with a view to awareness of the work that activist artists do, and that they need support with promotion (and yes financially too), please send me an email.

The AAU is many things, it can be a place of venting, a place of healing, an art gallery, a discussion forum. It is a collaboration in itself, and all the sites we add and spread our peace dove wings to, become part of that collaboration and the internet, be it an art site, a social networking site or whatever, is not only our canvas, but our voice and our medium for public ethics and morality to be called on in a continuous and diverse and fun and accessible way.

AND NOW FOR SOME ENTERTAINMENT ...

The artists of this collective are BRILLIANT!!! We have already accumulated a vast amount of intelligence and perspective and it just makes a big beautiful bowl of news and arts for me to write about. So for this section of our bumper news mail today - sit back and relax while I unearth some of the passionate people of our experiment.

Visual Fusion Collations:

shanghaiwu - is a digital fusion artist who is heavily influenced by her personal experiences in China and Japan, she lives in Australia.

Curious Comic Collations:

Mark Brumfield's eclectic and creative comic commentaries are inspiring, check out the shapes and vividness of colour contrasted with age old characters with quirky texts.

Audio Collations:

Find more music like this on The JB Seed
Mother Earth
Kate Watts and the Blue Ruins

Video Collations:

"WALKING WOUNDED"
Kaisha (see her music too)

SORRY DAY 2008 to AUSTRALIA DAY 2009 ...

Victoria Morphy recently shared with us the experience of her first hand encounter with the momentous event that is known in Australia as "Sorry Day" with the Art Action Union. I thought it a cool idea on the Anniversary, to contrast the wonderful art that many members of the Art Action Union Group on Redubble shared with their audiences back on the 13th of February. It was an awareness campaign that was launched on the eve of the eve of the day, but brought forth a pouring of emotion and healing. Particularly for many people who haven't had the chance to express their regret in any other way previously. This is the blog article link, as we were in such infancy then, I don't have the collection I wished in the back catalogue, but I thought it right to retrospectively draw attention to the effort.

ARTS GRANTS FOR GROWING ...

The JB Seed Arts Grants Program is taking submissions NOW! They have also started a forum ... oh look on Ning too... quite like ours for sharing and planting and cross-pollinating ... oh they are good with the Music stuff. :-)

WE ARE HAVING A POLL-ACHE ...

Only 8 votes in our little crappy poll-for-fun, please join in the mayhem and click for a chance to push the boundaries of the universal institution that is collective consciousness ... for each click we receive your soul ... for keeping safe of course!!!

REMINDER ABOUT THE LEPUFOLOGY PROJECT ...
For the Stop the Alberta Tar Sands actions!

GAZA ...

A conversation I had on our Facebook Group not very long ago ...

Post #1
Bissan (Palestine) wrote on January 14, 2009 at 1:52am
What is your stand on Gaza and what is going on there.

Post #2
Kath wrote on January 14, 2009 at 9:17am
Hi Bissan, I think that the Israelies are not following any mandate of tolerance ...

it is a very messy war and i can't see resolution... my view is that israel should not invade their neighbours... and should take heed of the international pressure for them to STOP killing people... no matter who backs them...

my understanding is not overly comprehensive but it seems that after world war 2 simply carving out a nation by dividing up a number of existing borders in the middle of a tribal and ancient land was always a bad idea.

there are many displaced people's of the world... they didn't 'make' a country for the Kurds after Sadam invaded Kuwait in the Gulf Conflict...

however, Israel I believe must also act like the rest of the world when it comes to responsible immigration policy... if they haven't got the room people can't live there, jew or not!

We can work together Bissan and create and art project to bring awareness about this topic if you like...

The only other thing I can do is post links for petitions from Amnesty International, of which I was planning to do at some stage today.

Post #3
Bissan (Palestine) wrote on January 14, 2009 at 10:38am
I am very impressed and happy with your perspective.. it made my day.
The point I am going to make is
It is not a war about religion...

Palestine is a country for Jews, Muslims and Christians, it is the site for their holy locations..
so I will ask this: How can Zionists make it a Jewish country??
It is not just offensive to Muslims, it is also offensive to Christians and Jews themselves.

The Zionists have been ignoring the UN resolutions and etc for centuries, who do they think they are..
It is time the time to wake up.

Bissan Nohra is a young Palastinian woman who is studying in the US, she is deeply and personally passionate about raising awareness for the issues that are happening on the Gaza Strip. The conflict between Israel and Palastine which is ancient and difficult to fully interpret, but those living there understand it - they understand that they are innocent and they are being killed.

Palastina II

Let "US" Play War

We can support her by participating in the Gaza Awareness Campaign which will be launched soon ... watch out for a RedBubble Challenge and basically channeled campaigning ... you need to join with us and promote your work to your audiences, promote other people's work and generally talk about Gaza however and wherever you can. I know you will all put on your protest pants and be the Armchair Activists we all are. Won't ya!

Start thinking NOW about art, songs, videos, poetry, stories, articles, posters, pamphlets, t-shirts ... everything and anything to POSITIVELY promote a peaceful move forward for the families and children that are having their existence destroyed by this craziness.

MEGAHERZZZ ... THIS NEXT INSTALLMENT IS LOVVVVEEEELLLLYYYYY ...

Well Saturday's show is on Valentines day soooo ... being the women we are it's about love. That's LOVE not LUST (if we can separate the two) from as many angles as we can cover in the short time we've got!

Be serenaded by Jesse, Tian and moi (if you're lucky I will sing too) on Saturday in Brisbane between 2-3pm on 4zZz 102.1 fm Megaherzzz... it's a show by chicks about women's issues (of course, it's hard NOT to gossip about the blokes though ... ahem ... or complain ... or ... celebrate ... depends on the mood really ... and that's OUR prerogative right!)

***

GAWWWWDDDD.... WHAT A MOUTHFUL THAT WAS ... hope you got it all, and wrote notes ... now go forth and create!!!

Peace and Harmony on you!!!

:-) Kath and the decentralised gang

ACTION MAIL 13 JANUARY 2009

2009-01-12T23:30:00.000-08:00

NEW ADDITIONS TO OUR COLLECTIVE... WELCOME AND INVITE!

The more the merrier and the more bizarre and informative minds we get to mingle with...

Our community collective has had members join from lots of diverse places recently and the new year has brought new thoughts and perspectives for the education and awareness of any who happen by the spaces the Art Action Union Inhabits. We now are up to 97 members, can we kick in past ONE HUNDRED with a sprint? INVITE INVITE INVITE people... go nuts...

Our facebook group has swelled to 168 members... feel free to intercept and network through us there also.

On RedBubble.com the Art Action Union Creative Activism Group is at 470 likeminded folks who make and post provoking pieces of art and writing pretty much constantly... a activist art feast... We also are affiliated with other groups and have a moderating presence on the panel for Current Issues and Anti-Consumerism...

Follow the movements of the Art Action Union on Twitter by clicking FOLLOW KAOSKYANE

And I have just joined MySpace where I will also be gathering souls for promoting our wears... spread the word, use all your resources and become our army of advertisements... add our badges or logos or banners...

This year too, i will be revisiting our artactionunion.org portal to hopefully get it up... as time, life and resources allow :-)

CALL FOR COLLABORATIONS - THE TAR SANDS AND THE LEPUFOLOGY PROJECT

The Art Action Union are very glad to be associated with this great effort from a group of activists in Quebec Canada. Do you know what Tar Sands are? Do you know why they are important and why if they are 'used' for dirty energy it will be a bad thing? Well... find out, educate and make art to spread awareness. What goes around comes around contribute and your heart will find further repose... or at best, good karma will come to you.

From one of the organisers, Christopher Stewart:

The Lepufology Project is a not-for-profit collaborative art project which aims mainly to raise public awareness of the issues and impacts of the non-consensual development of oil sands in Alberta, of the various organizations taking action against it, and of alternative energy sources.

The Alberta tar sands development project has been described as “the largest industrial project in human history and likely also the most destructive.” It raises numerous social, environmental, and economic issues such as declining human health in many communities, the second fastest rate of deforestation on the planet behind the Amazon Rainforest Basin, fragmentation and devastation of bird and wildlife habitat, species loss, atmospheric pollution, acid rain, greenhouse gases, climate change, water pollution, degradation of water quality, contamination and sickening of wildlife and residents, lack of proper consultation and accommodation of First Nations interests, and loss of fishing grounds and traditional hunting and trapping territory.

Because of its sheer scale, the development of tar sands in Alberta impacts all of us, no matter where we are located on the planet.

Artists and artistically inclined people are invited to participate by creating digital art inspired by the cause or by the accompanying sci-fi short story and soundtrack. Then they are asked to submit their artwork to the project, spread it around, and link back to the project's website. Already existing pieces of art are also accepted, and so is art which is related to the cause even if not directly inspired by the story. All forms of art are accepted, as long as they are submitted in digital format easily shareable on the world wide web.

Take action right now ! Participate and help stop the tar sands !

WOMEN'S STUFF ON THE RADIO ...

4zZz fm Community Radio in Brisbane is one of Queensland (and Australia's) pioneering grassroot mainstays, not only delivering cutting edge music entertainment and events but offer a bunch of Radical Radio shows... including MegaherzZz. Join us on Facebook!

Unfortunately there is no podcast but ideas for awareness are encouraged and welcome from all parts of the globe. Contact me directly or post to the group if you are not Facebook shy.

SHE IS AMAZING ... AND SO IS THE ARTIST WHO CAPTURED HER STRENGTH ...

Art Action Union member Angelique Price has been copping some great press lately for her beautiful portraits, most recently from Juxtopoz Magazine... and with damn good reason... she is one of the most awesome portrait poster print-makers with a pantone! or sharpie... ever!

What is extra awesome however, enhancing the beauty that emanates from her work, is that she has a gift in bringing out the most vulnerable aspects of political and social leaders through bright, almost psychedelic, hand-drawn and coloured posterisations.

Angelique's portrait of Barack Obama shows not just his strength of character, but she has chosen a pose for him that is less than confident in feel but more the confident looking for counsel. Seemingly a leader who is looking to the people for advice.

But it is her portrayal of strong and courageous women that I love the most ...

Particularly Angelique's tribute to Benazir Bhutto, this artwork brought the knowledge of this woman's strength and untimely demise at the hands of the corrupt and intolerant.

ART BLOG FOR PEACE REDBUBBLE CHALLENGE RESULTS

Congratulations to rubyred for gaining the voting advantage for the Peace knot tshirt - buy it now by clicking the image below.

To view (and/or purchase) some of the other inspiring entries of tshirts and wall art, follow the blue link line.....

Action Mail 29.12.08 Between Christmas and New Year… what to do?

2008-12-28T19:50:00.000-08:00

Action Mail 29.12.08
Between Christmas and New Year... what to do?

Hey y'all...

I realise that many are most likely at the summer festivals or dodging the blustery northern chills... most likely trying to forget that which makes us vigilant.

Never the less...

Here's some stuff to read and do and listen to...

ACTIVE MUSICIANS
Click on the Music player on the homepage of our community site to listen to some fine compositions from passionate artists from the world over.

Profiles of note are:
Christopher Stewart - Poligraf >>> Prog Rocking In Quebec City
justjason and morphed productions

Clinton Tyree has added some cool audio too here

or... for something totally weird...
listen to this composition (track 16) by spidergoatal... then follow the weirdness and learn about her interest in the moral dilemma of genetically engineering animals.

RADIO

For those who ignored me last time, I have become involved in community radio... so if you have any ideas that you think should be discussed, the show centres on women's stuff... read more
send any ideas to me or better yet, put them in the AAU forums for all to see...

FEEDBACK...

What can we do to inspire you in 2009
How can we make the redbubble AAU crowd more integral to our world

In short, how can we get you to actually do more in this group... I watch and hype but generally voting on challenges tends to be low, IF that is an indication, and participation in forums is negligible...

the GOOD news is that we do see LOTS of F@#%&G (ahem, sometimes the word is good for emphasis) AWESOME ART THAT IS EXTREME AND PASSIONATE...

We all gotta cleanse somehow, art is good for that...

ACTIONS OF THE DAY...

Brisbanites Unite

The Regent Theatre is under threat...

This facebook group has all the info and links...

To those who don't know, we haven't got much heritage left here...

It's all grey and glass and stainless...

and sterile...

artistically dull if you live in the past like me...

Spread the word and write to the Premier (one Ms. Anna Blight) here...
Premier@ministerial.qld.gov.au

If you aren't on Facebook and don't desire to do so, the official action site is here

Blog For Peace - December 31

More details can be found in Helen's Journal here

You can watch here video about it on AAU Community here

READ MORE IN OUR BLOG FOR PEACE CHALLENGE HERE

SPECIAL THANKS TO HELEN TOO FOR OFTEN HOLDING THE FORT... CAN'T YOU SEE HER WITH HER TIN HAT AND BAZOOKA!

AGAIN... I THINK YOU ROCK HELEN!!!
(btw can you add your attention seeking animated Christmas boobies to the AAU forums somewhere... they are so flashy!)

WORLD TOILET DAY ART CHALLENGE

2008-10-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

This interesting challenge just came through my Queensland Environmental Activist Network Group List... All dues go to the author:

The World Toilet Day web site went live this week.
Check out www.insanitation.org

In 2001 the World Toilet Organisation in Singapore declared its founding day – 19th November as "World Toilet Day".

This is now being celebrated by members all over the world. We celebrate the humble, yet vitally important toilet and raise awareness of the global sanitation crisis.

It is not about white porcelain shiny things. The majority of toilets are just a hole in the ground. It is about making the connections between malnutrition and dysentery.

A toilet in a school provides the dignity and privacy for young women to continue their education beyond puberty.

2.6 billion people in the world do not have access to a sustainable, designated place to poo.

A key objective of World Toilet Day is to provoke discussion of toilets and sanitation in everyday conversations.

Event in Brisbane organised by Rowan Barber

TO CELEBRATE SUCH PRECIOUS AWARENESS...

THE ART ACTION UNION...

PRESENTS...

THE WORLD TOILET DAY CHALLENGE

The theme is simple...

A toilet capture of the most political of kind...

Artwork centred around the toilet (aka. loo, crapper, shit-house, poo room, WC, out-house, john, bathroom etc.) as a celebration of the ability to manage our personal waste is a systematic way... a personal thanks to Mr. Thomas Crapper (sp.?)

Give thought in your description to the masses of people who have been denied access to such fundamental sanitary needs...

Be funny, be serious, be gross, be active and aware...

You may also add your entries to our RedBubble Challenge if you are a member of the Art Action Union at RedBubble... or to the Facebook Group... or add it to your profile and our gallery on the Art Action Union Community site

ACTION MAIL - 8 OCTOBER 2008

2008-10-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

HI Active Artists...

The Challenged...

Well, there was a little controversy surrounding our first ever redbubble group challenge... we had issues with the launch first up... thanks for your patience in that one... then we had some tough lessons learned... none too major but had to rethink things a little...

Nevertheless... we are not scared to keep it going...

Participation is not exactly in the high echelon of the spectrum... so we would love to see more entries but also, more importantly more VOTING...

I will endeavour to be more proactive in hypin' them up... but it's important for this group to show their concerns are acted ... of course... I don't wish to force people to participate... but rather inspire you to!

We currently have the following challenge live...

OXFAM CANVAS FOR CHANGE REDBUBBLE CHALLENGE
Taking entries still for quite a few days and frankly... there aren't many there - so come on guys... you most likely have something you can enter already - if not, human rights and the environment are very linked... this challenge is only a redbubble challenge, but if you ARE inspired, send your canvas to OXFAM by following the links on the challenge page...

Coming VERY soon to a REDBUBBLE challenge feed near you...

ANIMAL RIGHTS
This challenge opens in the next 24 hours...
Cover image: I helped Test & Approve by crockpot

Some of the educational and fascinating topics from the ART ACTION UNION community site...

"Women in Islam - female genital mutilation - by warchild bender"

"THE ART OF 2012 AND BEYOND NEOLOGY - by Raithy"

"something about tibet - by sunrise"

"activism in extreme music - by Michael Grefski"

"Who Are We Voting For? - by justjason"

"30 years of leading by example - by Ashworth"

"Research: 1kg beef = CO2 emitted by the average car over a distance of 250 kilometres - by Live Vegan"

"The Importance of Developing a Multi- Cultured Society using the meduim of the Arts! - by Ross Naidoo"

"Big Brother is Watching You - by Ashworth"

*Featured Blog is "The story and reasons behind creating the SpIderGoAtaL costume.. by SpIderGoAtaL"

Featured Image is "Victims" by Warchild Bender

Join our Facebook Group if you are there and help spread the word...*

Aspire to inspire!

Kath

ACTION MAIL 23 SEPTEMBER 2008

2008-09-22T22:23:00.000-07:00

ACTION MAIL 23 SEPTEMBER 2008

Congratulations to cometman for winning the art action union freedom to create challenge on the redbubble site.

You can view all the entries here

Our New "Challenge!!!

Although the Oxfam Challenge is for painters only, we invite you to use your individual skills and talents in whichever medium you love to explore the same theme.

We want you to not only enter our Challenge here on RedBubble but enter it for
OXFAM... the details are below... when you make it... submit it here, there and everywhere...

Oxfam “Canvas for Change” (courtesay of VenusΨ on Heroine)

Oxfam is currently taking entries for the Canvas for Change exhibition. We encourage you to submit an artwork and to tell others about this project. There are various entry categories with the possibility for your artwork to be shown at the UN Climate Summit in Poland later this year, to be shown in other local exhibitions in Australia, or to be reproduced as a poster, postcard or other campaigning materials to help others See the bigger picture.

There are a couple of entry criteria, the key one being that artworks need to show the climate change impacts being felt by vulnerable communities in developing countries, or alternatively show how these communities are taking action to adapt to these impacts.

find out more

Australian Student Environmental Network and YOUR ART!!! (courtesay of Erland Howland)

The Australian Student Environment Network are a group of students and their sympathisers who are dedicated to providing education for the facilitation of activist workshops, meetings and action groups. They provide tools and lists of information to help people become skilled in activism and lobbying.

AAU member Erland, posted this last week... evidently, he is a sympathiser such as I (i.e. not actually a student).

The Australian Student Environment Network a great crew of environmental advocates from universities and schools across Australia are holding an art auction fundraiser on October 17 and they are looking for donations.

If you can provide an artwork, please contact me by BubbleMail or via my contact form here.

ASEN do a whole bunch of great work, from putting on the Students of Sustainability Conference each year (which is actually the largest annual environmental conference in Australia!), training high school kids and university students in climate change, facilitation and activism, and working with local indigenous people on campaigns like Uranium mining in the NT and the poisonous gold mining at Lake Cowal.

Next Facebook Art For Awareness Application Submissions

I am planning another adventure in the world of facebook virtual gifting for awareness, I assure you it's all for the messages...

This one will be themed for the ENVIRONMENT... so I will only be accepting images based on this theme. Submissions can be as simple or as complex as you like but must address the theme...

Please send ALL submissions to contact@artactionunion.org...

Our current Art For Awareness application stats to date are...

Monthly Active Users
242
About Page Fans
31
Total Users
443
Sent
5246

I wrote up some stats in the last mail if you are interested in comparing here.

Trees Are Homes has been sent 713 times which was great exposure and seeing some of the comments on the site has been invaluably amusing!

This is one way to send the ideas out further... trying to find others...

Video that's easy - for awareness if you like

One thing that I did find that has been fun is the powers of Animoto.com ... you can make a FREE 30 sec movie with no more than a few stills and a YouTube account...

I made one and added it to my YouTube Channel and the art action union community site and it was great fun... i uploaded a couple of photos, added a title and chose a piece of free music from their libray... the site then proceeded to mash it all together through some filters and the result was ACTIVE ART.

Enthused so much by it, I am now looking at making vids on and of my own... inspiring!

Aspire to Inspire!...

Kath

Our Network is Growing

2008-09-07T19:56:00.000-07:00

Hello creative pro-activists!

Another update!

Our Network Is Growing Bigger!!!

You are all contributing to global positivity and awareness in so many beautiful and creative ways... so, in order to serve you better, myself and some other key investors are working very hard to provide you with a higher pedestal and a bigger soapbox. So keep making great art, tshirts and whatever it takes to move us to a conscientious world.

Some stats, 'cause they are always a really good visual pleaser!

The Art Action Union Network...

Redbubble Art Action Group the group that just constantly make stuff
377 members

Facebook Art Action Awareness Group the group that brings new recruits and promotes our activities
91 members

Facebook Art For Awareness Gift Application a little program where you can send artistic gifts from artists who receive exposure along with the messages
363 total users (current people with the application installed on their pages)
4800 sent items
198 monthly active users
15 about page fans (including 2 reviews)

Art Action Union Community where we have convergence
59 members
441 images
25 videos
20 audios (songs and spoken word)
25 active forums
12 groups

... and counting!

We are also spreading our wings wherever it be relevant with memberships to activist groups, art groups etc. I list forums in the weirdest of places... hee he...

This is always expanding...

In the beautiful future, we will have everything of our own... the site is being expanded in concept and soon we hope to have a hugely integrated dedicated and independent site... ideas that we float around are community functions, a gallery for images/sound/video, forums, and a wiki contribution for articles and education.

A massive artistic web collaboration for action... lovin' it!

Other stuff...

EVENTS...

AAU Beach Clean in Sopporo, Japan

Over the weekend just past, the Art Action Union was involved in it's first environmental event to date... a beach cleanup in Sopporo Japan, organised by my friend and intellectual investor Barry (you can see his amazing photography at www.artactionunioncommunity.ning.com)...

As soon as I hear what went on and see some photos, I'll let you know of it's success...

Exhibition Opportunities of the Future

I hope to add to the plethora of services that the AAU offer their artists and supporters in the future by forging links with other organisations and the business sector... one such hope was floated on Friday when I met with a group who wanted to discuss with me the prospect of the Art Action Union assisting them with sourcing artists from the Asia Pacific region for exhibitions and artist talks at key business convergence events to aid in the understanding of the arts culture and business integration of this region... if you have heritage of the Asia Pacific (or are heavily influenced by it in your art) and may be interested, I have no time frame, but would love to add you to my database (contact@artactionunion.org)... talent scout I am now!!!

E-Newsletter

This will hopefully go out through the email this week or so, but there is still time to add yourself to our mailing list... send me a request to subscribe at contact@artactionunion.org

happy days...

Kathleen

ART ACTION UNION
contact@artactionunion.org
artactionunioncommunity.ning.com
kathleen.redbubble.com

ACTION MAIL - 8.7.2008

2008-07-07T21:50:00.000-07:00

+Unionists...
News and bits and pieces for your glorious knowledge...

Peace Sign Competition...

sugarpop is the managing editor of arabad magazine, Beirut – Lebanon... They are kicking out to the audience a celebratory competition offering cash prizes... the theme "Peace poster design contest at the occasion of the 50 years of the peace sign".

More information below...
flickr: www.flickr.com/groups/arabadpeace
blog: http://arabadvertising.blogspot.com
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14760881596

Interesting Interviews of Interesting Interest

Just posted my latest interview with aid-worker/photographer Jacob Simkin...

1001 - Jacob Simkin Is In Afghanistan Interview

You may also enjoy... Chris Barker Interview

Facebook Stuff...

Art For Awareness Gift Application Update...

Since the release of the little Art For Awareness Facebook Gift Program the stats are (at last count):

Sent: 2073 times...
Total Users: 160...

I think this is a great effort for just over a week of circulation... and there has been more awareness of our groups, our action, our artists and our art brought forward, this group has swelled greatly with membership in recent weeks... You can still contribute art as a gift image if you wish, send a URL of your activist piece to me in a bubblemail...

Facebook Application _Art for Awareness_ Fan page

Group posts...

Been putting links up for anything relevant that casually comes my way about activism in the news and the arts, please feel free to contribute but I must stress relevance... thank you...

Facebook Art Action Union Group

The Gift of Art

A collective of photographer's that are promoting their effort through RedBubble and everywhere else possible to raise money for charity... Read it all here and see the artists involved and their charitable contributions...

Promotional Materials & Street Teams...

A few people have decided to add our banner...

{For information on how to insert images into your Redbubble profile click here}

... in their profile pages...

when there is more time to focus on pretty graphics, I will be making a whole heap of graphics, gifs and things for us to spread around the net like a virus.... in the meantime though, please feel 100% free to take this graphic and promote it wherever the hell you can...

The idea of having Art Action Union Street Teams is one I have been floating around for ages now... it basically involves recruiting dedicated active members to take these promotional tools and materials, all the web URL's, emails and newsletters and whatever other promotion you need or want, and start actively going to other sites to spread the word, sending it to friends and handing out pamphlets in the street... maybe we can even make merch and fundraise for something significant one day... ahhh a dream... but one worth sending you all anyway... If you are interested in petitioning for the Union as an active outlet and network for creative activism... please add your name to this list in the forums.

Orphans in North America

North American Artists need to take ACTION NOW to protect their property...

Read more from these contributions...

ORPHAN WORKS ACT?!!!!!?!? - justjason

April's Blog Announcement

Our Independent Protest Portal

And the exciting news is that, we are hopefully nearly at the end of the website project... just gotta get the stuff sorted better and then Faizan needs to do it... but he is doing it for free so please CONSIDER PURCHASING SOMETHING OF HIS WORK that would be lovely for him... but not till he finishes the site haa ha ha...

Find a glimpse of how it will look:
Art Action Union Website Sneak Peak

Lastly... some topics of interest for discussion in the forums

I wish there was oil in Zimbabwe
Gangs
mohawk indians - land takeover?
Carbon Trading

All campaigns are always current (unfortunately)...
Aspire To Inspire!!!
kath

ANTI-RACISM CAMPAIGN is doing great...

2008-06-29T21:31:00.000-07:00

BELOW IS THE ACTION PUT OUT ON THE 16th JUNE

ANTI-RACISM CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

ACTION !!!
RACISM SUX!!!

Gather your creative and social conscience powers, make a t-shirt, piece of art, write a poem or a journal and upload it. Express your story and yourself in a positive and outward way. Not only can you provide another voice to create a better force, but you might help someone else (and yourself) feel better.

BELOW IS THE EXCELLENT RESPONSE TO THE ACTION PUT OUT ON THE 16th JUNE

Here are some of the incredible thoughtful and positive pieces...

There are also a number of great expressive written pieces in the writing and journal section of the Art Action Union Group

ANTI-RACISM CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

2008-06-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

ANTI-RACISM CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

ACTION !!!
RACISM SUX!!!

It's plain and simple.

Racism is an evil that is degrading moral judgment in communities locally and globally. With all the information available, there are many who still choose to create marginalisation through discrimination based on the triviality of culture and skin.

ART WANTED
TO ACTIVELY PROMOTE
DIVERSITY AND ACCEPTANCE
IN ALL COMMUNITIES

Campaign initiator is Art Action Union member littleredplanet, he aproached the AAU with this idea:

Racism is the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics. Racial separatism is the belief, most of the time based on racism, that different races should remain segregated and apart from one another.

We would like to encourage the public and the Red Bubble Community to reflect on the numerous forms that racial discrimination can take in society. In addition, we invite our RedBubble Community to join forces in the fight against racism.

This event not only acknowledges the potential of peoples from around the world. It also represents a tangible effort to build a society characterized by harmony, equality and respect for diversity.

Gather your creative and social conscience powers, make a t-shirt, piece of art, write a poem or a journal and upload it. Express your story and yourself in a positive and outward way. Not only can you provide another voice to create a better force, but you might help someone else (and yourself) feel better.

ACTION NEWS - APRIL 14 2008

2008-04-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

ACTION !!!
ACTION NEEDED NOW BY NORTH AMERICAN ARTISTS

Your rights as a creative are under threat! A bill is being promoted whereby artwork, animations or anything creative made by YOU will be FREE PUBLIC DOMAIN UNLESS you pay $5 per piece to register your copyright. ACT NOW to protect your intellectual property as artists (the starving ones need you most!) IF THIS BILL IS MADE LAW, WILL LEGALISE ART THEFT AND EXPLOITATION OF ARTISTS IN THE US!
Article Link
Other ACTION links to help you find VOICE...
United States House of Representatives
United States Senate
Open Source Letter Posted by Helen Bascom, copy and adapt to suit, permission granted! For more links and info. you can also visit Helen's Journal.
Here is the letter I faxed to my Representative and sent via email. Feel free to adapt this letter for your use - Helen Bascom

Congressman Baron Hill
279 Quartermaster Ct.
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
Phone: (812) 288-3999
Fax: (812) 288-3873

Re: The Orphan Works legislation

Dear Congressman Hill:

My name is Helen M. Bascom and I live in Jeffersonville, Indiana. After reading about the Orphan Works bill, I am outraged that this could happen in my country.

This Orphan Works legislation, if passed, will severely impact my income and life as an artist/photographer. Not only will it give license for others to legally steal and use my work for free, it will be virtually impossible for me to afford the time and money to register my creations in all the potential new registries. Commercial registries will be the only organizations that will profit from this legislation.

I have thousands of photographs and works of art and I simply can not afford to register my works, even at a few dollars each. This bill, if passed, will force me to close my on line galleries which will destroy my business. Should someone consider my work to be orphaned and take my work for their own use, I can not afford the legal fees to protect my copyright.

I demand that you to vote AGAINST the Orphan Works bill and protect my rights, my copyrights, to all that I have and will create.

Thank you.

Regards,

Helen M. Bascom,
Bascom Digital Art

REDBUBBLE DISCUSSION LINK

Create ART in your ANGST!

ACTION !!!
CONTINUING CREATIVE PROTESTS FOR TIBETAN LIBERATION DURING THE OLYMPICS IN BEIJING - 2008

Some of the recent contributions available at RedBubble.com, wear your conscience on your chest, let people know that YOU are in support of Human Rights in Tibet by creating a statement or buy one!

ACTION !!!
CHEMTRAILS

The discussion about the validity of chemtrails continues in the forums, contribute to the education, brought to you by trickyruby.

UNION ACTIVITY !!!

NEW AIMS NEW DIRECTION
To move this idea forward, it's gonna be necessary to streamline organisation and publishing HEAPS more. With a growing network, to reach as many people as possible, I am working as hard as time permits to grow the potential of the group and it's aims. That's why it was necessary to implement some new organisation and rules into the groups overview, please make sure that you take a close look at these documents, they affect every member of the group from here on in...
NEW! Overview - now provides clearer aims and an overview for the group
NEW! Mission Statement - linked in the forums from the overview page
NEW! Rules - necessary to cover our bases
NEW! Terms and Conditions - you agree when you click 'join', link from the Rules
NEW! Disclaimer - just some minor but important legal stuff, link from the Rules

ART ACTION UNION PROTEST PORTAL
An independent website is in production for the Art Action Union Group on RedBubble.com. It is intended to be a primary promotional point that allows more control and integration with activist artists and existing activist activities, I hope! More news about this as things develop.

NEW GOOGLE AUSTRALIA RANKING
Due to the mind-boggling wonders of key word search database technology, a little tweaking of the wording on a particular page and a little adage to the title and the Art Action Union Group now gets a number one rank on my Google Australia search when I type in ACTIVIST ART... perhaps a small and petty feat, but something to spur things on. Looking at the web in general, the concept we have going in partnership with RedBubble is quite unique I think. Ideas are welcome on how we can spread the word to like minded activist artists and thinkers, add any brain storms to the forums.

HELEN BASCOM ON BOARD AS HOSTESS
Read about Helen in "Current Issues Feature Artist - April 2008" a rich addition to the AAU plan, she is also the co-host of the Current Issues group and forms a great partnership with me. Honestly, she is one of the most passionate people I know!

I Would Die 4 U by Helen Bascom

ASPIRE TO INSPIRE!!!

kathleen

ACTION MAIL - MARCH/APRIL 2008

2008-03-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

WHICH DO YOU FEEL MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT...

OR DO YOU CARE FOR ALL... THESE ISSUES ARE WIDESPREAD AND ACUTE...

BEIJING OLYMPICS PROTEST ABOUT THE TREATMENT AND CONTINUED OPPRESSION OF THE TIBETAN PEOPLE.
(Initiated by Ross Robinson)

Add you voice to THIS PETITION
IT'S MASSIVE BUT NEEDS MORE AND MORE NAMES....

Express your feelings about how the Upcoming Olympics in Beijing is an insult to the Dali Lama and the the many Tibetans who are experiencing blatant oppression of their rite to belief and freedom! CREATE SOME ART THAT WE CAN EDUCATE AND CREATE AWARENESS AND UPLOAD IT NOW!!!

The Olympianks - tshirt on sale at www.redbubble.com

Please remember that the Olympic Rings are under strict copyright

Forum for this topic

SPIRITUAL FREEDOM

In compliment to the above mission, please consider adding to the Spiritual Freedom forum in the Practising the Dark Arts Group or the complimentary Action Union Forum for this topic.

You may also like to participate in the Group challenge-spirituality in another dimension in the Parallel Dimensions group.

CHEMTRAILS

TrickyRuby has suggested that we raise awareness about the lurking and hazy poisons and dangers surrounding Chemtrails from Aircraft if you know stuff about this and have opinions and knowledge to share please consider ACTION ADDING THEM TO THE FORUMS AND MAKE SOME PROTEST ART ...

ALSO IN THE FORUMS WE ARE GATHERING INFORMATION FOR FUTURE AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS FOR:

BIO-FUELS - NOT SO GOOD

AND

CARBON TRADING

PLEASE ADD EDUCATION AND NEWS LINKS TO INFORMATIVE SITES AND OTHER ACTIVIST/PROTEST ART...

ADD ANY TOPICS YOU ARE CONCERNED WITH TO RAISE AWARENESS IN THE

CONCERNED PERSON'S REGISTER

ASPIRE TO INSPIRE
:-) kathleen

Action for Sorry...

2008-03-25T02:16:00.000-07:00

CO-ORDINATED ACTION

The active and passionate artists at RedBubble have co-ordinated in the past to flood the site and their audience with social awareness.

Some outstanding examples are shown here.

Sorry Australia - 13th February 2008
Providing a voice for everyday Australians to Say Sorry to Indigenous Australia

Collective Collected Sorry's - a forum dedicated to National Sorry Day

Sorry by Helen McLean

SORRY - AT LAST by Melinda Kerr

Anti-Whaling Protest Art 2008

2008-03-24T23:50:00.001-07:00

CO-ORDINATED ACTION

The active and passionate artists at RedBubble have co-ordinated in the past to flood the site and their audience with social awareness.

Some outstanding examples are shown here.

Action Whaling 08
In response to the Japanese Whaling Activities in the Southern Oceans

Save the Whales by tori r

Whale by Sam Mortimer

Written protests...

Senseless Slaughter by Darren Stones

Hope For Our Whales by Shayne 2011

THE BASICS OF ART FOR ACTIVISM AND CHANGE

2008-03-24T23:40:00.001-07:00

THE BASICS OF ART FOR ACTIVISM AND CHANGE

COMMUNITY BASED ART

Creative expression emerging from a NEED to collectively highlight and educate for social improvement.
Involves many varied social contexts and definitions.
Includes an understanding not only of geography but also history and tradition, ethnicity and dedication or belief in spirit.
Includes topics/issues (but not limited to): racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, classism, ableism and all forms of discrimination that create marginalisation in society.

COMMUNITY BASED ARTISTS

Concerned with the functionality of art in public arenas including community development, corrections, education, intergenerational communications, aging, environment, conflict resolution, cultural citizenship etc.
Work with all media, in all disciplines, everywhere.
Committed to bringing arts and education to highlight and expose the widest possible range of social conditions and challenges facing our communities.
Seek to create social change on every level of society, from the most ‘personal’ to the most ‘political’.

Activist Art for Leadership…
How do we practice it and what style does it inhibit? Is it catching?
WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT? A few thoughts…

If you want to change things you do it with people not to people.
Ongoing revolution.
To service the greater good activist art (like all forms of expression) should be regarded according to review, peer assessment, research and budget in order to gauge it’s effectiveness in society.
A crucial shift in thinking is to involve people for their abilities, what they can do, rather than build up an attitude that only aesthetic or technically sound work should be the focus or at the forefront of the revolution in an ideological sense.
Artistic merit should be judged according to a clear communication of a relevant, centralised and communal message, no matter the art form or level of artistic development.
Activist art is concerned with cultural and ideological democracy and the right of all to have access to services.
Equal rights for one should not come at the cost of another’s rights.
Activist art is concerned with promoting a community that encourages ideas and the community leaders who have the courage to put them forward.
A community that takes pride in the way we treat and include those that need our help.
Inclusion.
Apart from enjoying the right to create art for its own sake, activists are often draw to art.
Activist Artists are concerned with highlighting technocratic decision making processes… behind closed doors based on limited information and without initial intention to consult those whom the decision most affected.
Rather than fearing our differences, we wish to be a people who celebrate it.

Recognising diversity can give birth to creativity as much as conflict.

YET… We do not seek to be a society that fears rigorous debate.

It is through the testing of ideas, through endless argument and negotiation that a community retains it’s vitality and survives.

Let our debates be based on mutual respect and the denial of violence.

Some examples of activist art:

Some examples of Activist Art in the Art Action Union Group Gallery at RedBubble.com:

ART ACTION UNION

2008-03-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

ACTIVIST AND PROTEST ART ON REDBUBBLE.COM

Thought-provoking works of art and tshirts (photography will be considered on a case by case basis depending on the clarity of the message) that are activist-based and convey a MESSAGE about an important issue. It could be about (but not limited to) the erosion of civil liberties, global warming, degradation of democracy in your country or anything else that you feel passionately about.

This group is for ACTIVIST ART… photos of effigies, creative political statements, clear and bold, in your face statements providing social and or political critique and commentary.

Text and Symbolism is generally a strong indication of activist based art.

THE MESSAGE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE ART IN THIS GROUP ART MUST CONVEY THE MESSAGE CLEARLY

IF I CAN’T TELL WHAT THE MESSAGE OR ISSUE IS AT A GLANCE, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT

When thinking about adding work to this group, think about protest marches and picket lines, think about how quickly those messages need to be displayed for coverage.