Named one of The Progressive magazine''s Favorite Books of the Year
An inside look at the organizers and artists on the front lines of political mobilization and social change
“Ken [Grossinger] is one of the smartest strategists I know.” —John Sweeney, AFL-CIO president, 1995–2009
An artist’s mural of George Floyd becomes an emblem of a renewed movement for racial equality. A documentary film injects fuel into a popular mobilization to oust a Central American dictator. Freedom songs course through the American civil rights movement.
When artists and organizers combine forces, new forms of political mobilization follow—which shape lasting social change. And yet few people appreciate how much deliberate strategy often propels this vital social change work. Behind the scenes, artists, organizers, political activists, and philanthropists have worked together to hone powerful strategies for achieving the world we want and the world we need.
In Art Works, noted movement leader Ken Grossinger chronicles these efforts for the first time, distilling lessons and insights from grassroots leaders and luminaries such as Ai Weiwei, Courtland Cox, Jackson Browne, Shepard Fairey, Jane Fonda, Elizabeth Alexander, Bill McKibben, JR, Jose Antonio Vargas, and more. Drawing from historical and present-day examples—including Black Lives Matter, Standing Rock, the Hip Hop Caucus, the Legacy Museum, and the Art for Justice Fund—Grossinger offers a rich tapestry of tactics and successes that speak directly to the challenges and needs of today’s activists and of these political times.
Industry Reviews
Praise for Art Works:
"[Art Works] truly illustrates how art can be a weapon, an organizing tool, and a mirror for activists and organizers to view their own work. "
-The Progressive
"Poignant, enlightening insights from artists and activists. . . . Art Works is an inspiring overview of the growing power of cultural organizing."
-Foreword Reviews
"Throughout history, art has played a key role in social movements. Art Works is the first book that gives us an insightful, behind-the-scenes look at the tactics and strategies that have allowed this marriage of art and organizing to turn fledgling movements into forces of lasting social change."
-Jane Fonda, Academy Award-winning actress, activist, and bestselling author
"My life as an activist and my life as an artist are inseparable. Ken Grossinger reveals the power generated when these two strands intertwine. The stories and strategies he illuminates cast light on a path to social justice."
—Harry Belafonte, singer, activist, and actor
“Art Works will help all readers see art as a medium for social justice, and that understanding will advance both how we create and how we live.”
—Gloria Steinem, journalist, activist, and bestselling author
“Grossinger's arguments are a corrective to the clichéeacute;eacute;eacute; of ‘art for art's sake.' It is a rare manual for those who devote themselves to social changes in times of crises, a reference book about our political reality, and an insightful signpost.”
—Ai WeiWei, artist and activist
“Ken Grossinger’s new book offers proof of what teachers instinctively know—ideas and information gain power when they tap into culture to touch hearts as well as minds. This book is essential reading for organizers and activists who work every day to create a better world.”
—Randi Weingarten, president, American Federation of Teachers
“We all know that driving change requires touching people’s minds and hearts, changing both policy and culture—and now, finally, we have a guidebook on how to do just that. Art Works is my new required reading for everyone working for a better world.”
—Annie Leonard, co-executive director, Greenpeace USA
“Compelling and thoroughly researched . . . an informative analysis of the times we are living in.”
—Farah Nayeri, author of Takedown: Art and Power in the Digital Age
“Art Works tells the complicated and fascinating story of the recent history of activism and the arts and points to new ways in which the arts, pop culture, and institutions are aligning themselves to address issues of violence, beauty, capitalism, and justice. Challenging and inspiring, the book raises many fundamental questions about the purpose of art and its relationship to societal change.”
—Laurie Anderson, artist and activist
“Art Works, or it can with the right allies, the right audiences, and the right amounts of love and anger. Coming from outside the mainstream art world, Ken Grossinger’s book is an invaluable source for activist artists looking to increase their social impact.”
—Lucy R. Lippard, author of Get the Message? A Decade of Art for Social Change
“President Kennedy spoke of the role of art to ‘nourish the soul.’ In this new book, Ken Grossinger shows us how the arts can inspire, ennoble, challenge, and sustain the soul of our
