The Art of Revolution: Commissioning Black Female & Non-Binary Artists
At Uprising Theater, we believe that art is a pillar of revolution. Inherently interactive, it forces society to engage with the perspectives of individual communities. From ten story murals to fashion, to photography, to dance, art elevates the voice of the people.
We are raising funds to commission the work of Black female and non-binary artists.
Our goal is to commission at least ten artists to make a piece in the medium of their choosing. This could be an existing piece or an original, as long as it falls under the scope of our mission: using art to amplify the voices of those who are marginalized.
We will ask that the artists spend no more than 8 hours working on original pieces, as artists will be paid $120 per commission. (We want our artists to be paid $15/hr minimum). In the event that we raise more than the $1,200 goal, we will commission more artists.
Commissioned artists will have full flexibility over medium and style. The piece could be a spoken word poem, a culinary dish, a screenprint, a DJ set, etc. Our only restriction: we must have the ability to share the piece with our online audience. If artists provide a live theatrical or performance piece, we will require a video recording.
This is a time of radical change. As a Palestinian American theater company, our mission has always been to amplify the voices of marginalized communities seeking social justice. As our society faces this exciting movement, we feel it imperative to play a role in passing the mic to Black voices. We want to pay artists to do what they do best: express themselves.
In the coming weeks stay tuned for some amazing art, by extraordinary artists. You will find artist bios and the commissioned art here on the Uprising Theater website.
“We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”
Ways To Get Involved
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help us commission Black female and non-binary artists by making a donation on our GoFundMe Charity Page or by making a donation via PayPal through our website and adding the note BlackArtMatters.
Purchase your own Uprising Theater shirt. Between now and June 30th you can purchase this T-Shirt made by a local Chicago small business. $10 of each t-shirt sold will go to supporting Black female and non-binary artists.
