On August 10, artists and cultural workers across genres and disciplines gathered at the Seattle Liberation Center in the Chinatown International District (CID), to participate in a unique forum on the role of artists in political movements for systemic change and social justice. Titled The Artist Must Take Sides, the event confronted the looming threat of the all-out Trump-led assault on essential social services, fascistic ICE raids on immigrants, curtailing of civil rights and political speech, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The forum was one part craft workshop and one part history seminar. Together, creatives from varied backgrounds reflected on the role of art in political struggles for justice and against racism and oppression. Attendees discussed: What actually makes political art effective? What role should artists play in political movements? How can artists organize for social change?
Artists heeding a call to action
At the new working-class, all-volunteer run event space in the heart of the CID, musicians and painters connected with writers, sculptors, and dancers. The walls were adorned with posters and artwork from historical and contemporary revolutionary movements—from Cuban literacy campaigns and resistance to the Vietnam War to the South African anti-apartheid struggle. Attendees engaged in conversation with one another about what kind of world is possible with working people in power. For many, it was the first time going to an event about the role of artists in social change movements.
“I’m really interested to see what people have to say about [art] in relation to what’s going on,” said Wingale Teferi, a painter who heard about the event on social media. Teferi shared an observation on the current war waged on Palestinians in Gaza, remarking that “some speak very passionately and others don’t say anything at all.”
Taylor Drake, a spoken-word poet, was attracted by the event’s core premise, saying, “like many things in our lives, art is political whether it’s explicit or not.” Others like Jackie An, a musician, came to the event because they were hoping to be more involved politically with other artists. Robyn Bjornson, a Butō dancer, wanted to learn how their work can speak to tumultuous times.
Event organizers hope the forum will be the first in a series of events to build artist-led organizations to stand firm against the reactionary turn in US politics. Ari Laurel, a Seattle-based fiction writer, co-facilitated the forum. Laurel was there representing Artists Against Apartheid, a coalition of artists united against Israel’s siege, genocide, and starvation of Gaza.
“The turnout for this event proves there’s no shortage of artists who stand with Palestinian liberation. My hope is that artists can build enough collective power and coordination to match or even surpass the suppression we face when fighting for justice for Palestinians,” she says.
In Laurel’s view, and that of Artists Against Apartheid, artists must inspire others to see that a better world is not only possible but an imperative necessity.
A legacy of artists in struggle
The Artist Must Take Sides takes its name from the famous declaration by Paul Robeson, the multi-talented African American singer, actor, athlete, and unyielding civil rights titan. Robeson and his contemporaries in the radical wing of the Civil Rights Movement—like Nina Simone, Langston Hughes, and Harry Belafonte—not only performed with a message of justice, but were active participants in the biggest political events of their time. The Artist Must Take Sides aimed to carry on the tradition of such artists, using their talents in the movement for justice.
The duty of artists is not simply to make art with a message, but that artists themselves must also take an active role in revolutionary political movements. This was made clear during the event, with a historical survey of figures like painter and Mexican Communist Party member Frida Kahlo and Black Panther Party artist Emory Douglas. Kahlo and Douglas were active political leaders and participants in their own right, raising the pen alongside the picket sign.
Representatives from the Shut It Down for Palestine Coalition, a coalition demanding the end of Israeli apartheid, also spoke passionately about the role of artist-revolutionaries in Palestinian resistance against genocide.
What’s at stake
Laurel discussed the myth of “apolitical art” emphasized during America’s Cold War period, where artists who made political art were heavily censored and blacklisted. Robeson himself was blacklisted for his outspokenly anti-racist and pro-socialist politics. The chilling effect on artists back then echoes the ongoing MAGA-led assault on civil liberties and speech today, with antagonistic policies toward immigrants or the genocide on Palestinians.
Attendees analyzed a piece of art from history. After reading June Jordan’s 1967 poem, “I Must Become a Menace to My Enemies,” they began to write down a record of collective knowledge to address common problems people face in the creative process.
Attendees raised the potential of working collectively with other artists through political organizations, tackled questions on whether their art can actually make a difference in political issues, and how they can continue to resist self-censorship and institutionalized pressure that discourages art praising anti-colonial movements.
“When you poll Americans, a majority of them support a free Palestine,” Laurel said. “Social media algorithms downplay people’s voices, but the movement for Palestine is actually a popular one.”
Laurel further argued that in taking sides, artists engage in questions of strategy and political power: “When we talk about ‘taking sides,’ we’re not just talking about making art with a message. We’re also talking about rejecting the myth that art exists outside of power. We’re talking about choosing strategies, and making certain choices, even when those choices come with risk.”
Attendees expressed interest in future involvement with Artists Against Apartheid.
“I loved the emphasis on political education. Being in discussion with others helped refine my understanding of myself as an artist,” An later said. “The questions [this event] raised were really helpful.”
Others like Al Williams, a fiber artist and maker, look forward to meeting more like-minded artists in future events: “[I hope to see] more collaboration and delving into problems we are facing [as artists].”
Events like The Artist Must Take Sides add to CID’s existing vibrant arts community. Artists Against Apartheid hopes to grow its Seattle presence as a political hub for local artist organizations engaged in popular people’s movements. One thing is clear: Seattle artists, facing the crises of a world on fire, are taking sides.
