Author: James L. VanHise

Read an interview with Steve Lambert and Stephen Duncombe of the Center for Artistic Activism. I talk to them about their new book, “The Art of Activism,” and the importance of incorporating both visionary creativity and rational strategic planning into social change campaigns. “All effective activism has to involve creativity and culture,” Lambert tells me.

Formed in November 2018, the Better Bulawayo Initiative is using creative, low-risk protest measures to agitate for better city services. Their goal is to address the kinds of simple but important issues that affect the lives of residents every day, like access to clean water, better sanitation services, regular garbage collection and safer roads.

The Fragments website features videos, graphics, stories and essays. Unlike the Nonviolence 3.0 blog, where I feel constrained to focus primarily on civil resistance strategy and tactics, Fragments allows me to post content of a more creative nature. The aim is to merge art and activism in the belief that creativity and culture can drive political transformation.

Read excerpts from some interviews I did with a couple of activists in Zimbabwe who are trying to create social change while living under an authoritarian government. They give their thoughts about the benefits of using nonviolence to confront a violent state, the advantages of using creative protests, and the stupidity of property destruction and riots.

Elections can sometimes bring superficial reforms, but they can’t create deep, lasting social change. The electoral system is carefully designed to keep all choices well within the status quo guardrails. Real change can only be achieved through the hard work of organizing and direct action. Participating in electoral politics should be a tactic, not a strategy.

Founded by artist Steve Lambert and scholar Stephen Duncombe, the Center for Artistic Activism (C4AA) teaches artists how to be more effective activists, and activist how to be more creative in their tactics strategies and organizing. In this interview, Lambert and Duncombe explain their philosophy on art, activism, culture and social change.

Stories can be powerful. Stories are how we organize reality. They inform our identity, how we think, what we believe and how we relate to the world. In social change campaigns, challenging your opponent’s narrative and promulgating a more compelling story can help you achieve success. This post was inspired by the Center for Story-based Strategy and the book “Re:Imagining Change.”

This is the whimsical tale of a cruel king who ruled his kingdom with an iron fist. But when his subjects turn against him, he finds he is completely powerless. The king learns that without functionaries to carry out his orders, or people to obey them, he is no different than the people over which he once ruled.

INDECLINE is an underground collective that creates controversial art projects to shock people out of their complacency. Their escapades often get media coverage, like when they surreptitiously staged nude statues of Trump in public areas around the country. Here I talk with an anonymous INDECLINE spokesperson about what they are trying to accomplish with their actions, and how they measure success.

Trying to persuade people by attacking their opinions head-on, with fact-based arguments, often spurs them to double down on their beliefs. But humorous actions have the potential to jolt people out of their comfort zone by taking them by surprise, and insinuating new ideas before they are able to put up their defenses.

The aura of authority can be one of the main pillars of support for a ruler, a regime or an institution. But the public’s perception of authority can be easily undermined by humor. That is why the high and mighty—political leaders, governments, big corporations—hate being laughed at.