IMPACT ON THE ECOSYSTEM OF SOCIAL CHANGE ARTISTS IN THE PHILADELPHIA AREA Stronger ecosystem of social change artists We asked interviewees if they thought that the ecosystem of social change artists in the Philadelphia area was stronger and more sustainable because of Leeway’s work. While they acknowledged that there are many variables at play that influence this ecosystem, almost everyone affirmed that the ecosystem is stronger and more sustainable. “I’d say that the conversation here [in Philadelphia] is more inflected with an acknowledgment of social justice values than other cities where other people practice art on social issues and social interaction, but it isn’t necessarily about justice. Leeway’s process really asserts and makes space for that orientation, which has a ripple effect on the way that other organizations and individuals talk about what they do and why they do it.” (local partner)
Celebrating 25 years of Leeway We asked artists, cultural producers and local partners to reflect on Leeway’s 25th anniversary celebrations held during the fall of 2018, including their exhibition of Leeway’s artists at Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia. The celebrations aimed to tell Leeway’s story of an organization grounded in the founder’s feminist principles, one that explores the intersection of art, culture, community and change, and one that has been through tumultuous transitions — initially funding womenidentified artists, then expanding its criteria to embrace women, trans, and gendernonconforming artists with a vision for social change, and confirming a focus on racial justice, all toward a mature point in its life cycle. The 25th anniversary exhibition highlighted the kind of work Leeway exists to support: the intersection of art, culture, community and change, as well as the artists, cultural producers, activists, scholars and organizations who have carried the organization along the way. Everyone we talked to who went to the 25th anniversary exhibition loved it. They thought it was an incredible expression of Leeway’s commitment to women and trans artists and artists of color; that it showed the breadth and depth of the work of those artists, their commitment to social change and the communities in which they’re embedded; that it was beautiful and moving; and that it embodied the community that Leeway has created over 25 years.
Amplifying a cultural community: Leeway’s impact | Leeway’s impact
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