Chicago Activist Art Initiative Selected to Present at 2016 United Nations

It is an honor to be involved in a compelling panel discussion: Change Artists - Using the Arts to Leverage Positive Change that will take place at the 2016 United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW), Thursday, March 17, 2:30 PM, at the Thai Cultural Center, 310 E. 44th Street, Room 2 in New York City.

Panelists include: Breaking Criminal Traditions (BCT) executive producer/TED speaker Cheryl Jefferson, BCT curator/painter Professor Charles Gniech, Columbia College-Chicago art professor/BCT painter Richard Laurent and Andrea Harris.  The panel will teach participants how to translate the arts into social action, strategies for community engagement, engaging artists and more based on the BCT model. 

©2016 Andrea Harris, Cultural Mosaic, Oil & Cold wax on Canvas

©2016 Richard Laurent, Small Change, Oil on Canvas

Begun in 2013, BCT uses fine art to raise awareness of honor killing, child/forced marriage, female genital mutilation, acid violence, child military conscription, and other criminal traditions that harm millions of females each year, yet globally are not considered crimes.  "The beauty of fine art helps people access these difficult topics," says Jefferson, "and that consciousness is the first step toward changing these human rights violations worldwide." 

Under curator Gniech, BCT has exhibited in five major Chicago area venues including Chicago-Kent College of Law, the Beverly Arts Center, The Art Center - Highland Park, North Central College and the Bridgeport Art Center.  Each exhibit features new work and is accompanied by in-depth community and educational outreach including panels, artists' workshops, screenings, dance performances, high profile speakers and more.  "The UN CSW allows us to take this work to an international level," says Gniech.

©2016 Andrea Harris, Beyond Boundaries, Oil & Cold Wax on Canvas

Running from March 14 to March 24, 2016, the UN Commission on the Status of Women is attended by thousands of policy makers, legal influencers, educators, and activists from around the world. Panels are free and open to the public.

For more information please contact:

Cheryl Jefferson, Executive Producer, The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions, Office 312.939.7130 • Mobile 312.953.8102