The Power of Arts in Shaping Social Justice Movements
Celebrating Three Years of Artist Changemakers Program
In 2021, amid the challenges of a global pandemic, Global Fund for Women launched the Artist Changemaker Program—a bold initiative rooted in feminist values to support artists using their creativity to drive social justice movements worldwide. Over the past three years, this program has supported 29 artists from over 20 countries across Central, South, and East Asia, the Pacific, the Caribbean, the Middle East, East Africa, and Latin America. By receiving an one-time, unrestricted grants, these changemakers are continuing their vital work or creating bold new projects that amplify the fight for gender and social justice.
As the only queer person in my family, I rarely get support from my family, and I live apart from them. Financial independence and support are the most important thing. Also, thanks to the funds, I was able to collect information to conduct a small study on the culture of Kazakhstan. Now I am preparing an article for a collaboration with Babalar.press where I will talk about the history of queer folklore in Kazakhstan.Illustrator from KazakhstanArtist Changemaker
Art gives us tools to pursue change and write our own stories.Artist Changemaker, Cohort 4
I believe that through storytelling, we may gain the freedom we desire. Coming from a place like Palestine, where your voice is constantly silenced, and your history is under an active threat of erasure, storytelling becomes one of the most effective tools of resistance.Artist Changemaker, Cohort 2
While the arts are increasingly recognized in activism, they are still too often viewed as a supplementary layer—something that enhances rather than drives social movements. This perspective diminishes the profound impact arts and cultural work have in mobilizing people, especially in times of crisis, conflict, and rising authoritarianism.
From the bustling streets of São Paulo to the serene landscapes of Fiji, the Artist Changemakers work in mediums as varied as their geographies—painting, sculpture, music, and digital installations. They are not just creating art; they are reclaiming narratives, challenging oppressive systems, and providing a roadmap for futures that don’t yet exist, offering visions of freedom, safety, equality, and peace.
With a rotating advisory council of 15 members—cultural workers and creative leaders deeply rooted in gender and social justice movements— the Artist Changemakers program has built a global database of more than 55 artists connected to social justice movements.
“This award came out of nowhere in time when I needed to get equipment and I couldn’t afford it. It encouraged me to find more ways to shed light on the causes I care for.” - Filmmaker from Iraq/LebanonFilmmaker from Iraq/LebanonArtist Changemaker
The award has helped me in everyday life to concentrate on my work without having to worry too much about basic financial matters. I've been able to continue my work in Algeria. It's also an international recognition that reinforces the importance of my work and encourage me to continue my projectsArtist Changemaker Filmmaker
With this award, I feel I have been given precious time, which is one of the most valuable things an artist can be provided with.Artist Changemaker, Cohort 6
As we celebrate three years of the program, we invite you to join us in this journey—to reimagine, strategize, and collectively build a future where the power of arts and artists is fully recognized and harnessed in our movements for justice.
If you are attending the AWID International Forum in Bangkok in December 2024, stay tuned and follow Global Fund for Women on social media for upcoming information about our Artist Changemakers panel and exhibition.
Art can make social change possible by sharing personal and intimate viewpoints on what can be difficult topics. Shedding light through a specific perspective can challenge us to see something that in a drier setting we might not allow ourselves to see or feel.Artist Changemaker, Cohort 5
I didn't distance myself from my ethnic and queer identities. And because of that, each drawing that united these two parts of me became a manifesto in itself.Artist Changemaker, Cohort 3
Featured Artist Changemakers Work
Set in Trinidad, this interdisciplinary, social practice work uses tattooing, performance, and storytelling to facilitate healing and to explore the impact of colonialism and slavery on the Black diaspora’s relationship to the land. By Gesiye, Multi-disciplinary artist
(Photo credit: Lewis Allan Gibson-Grainger)
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