Writing

Essays, articles, criticism, and other writing.

Center for Artistic Activism Campaign Toolkits
The Center for Artistic Activism has created two all-purpose toolkits. They guide activists and advocates in building and implementing creative…
Art and Fear of Propaganda
Yes, you should worry about art becoming propaganda – but probably not for the reasons you’d imagine. Our ideas about…
Letter to University of California Regents re: Open COVID Pledge
The University of California Regents are accepting public comment and Free the Vaccine for COVID-19 is asking them to sign…
Co-operatives as a tool to fight economic inequality
Ok, full transparency: this is a failed funding proposal. I wrote it as a long-shot for an RFP calling for…
Art as Social Action
Stephen Duncombe and I contributed a chapter for Art as Social Action, edited by Gregory Sholette and Chloe Bass. Our…
Chapter in Routledge Companion to Media and Activism
Stephen Duncombe and I published a chapter called Artistic Activism in the Routledge Companion to Media and Activism edited by…
Artnet Op-Ed: Why Facebook Is a Waste of Time – and Money – for Arts Nonprofits
I published a short Op-Ed for Artnet based on writing I did at the C4AA.org site and the C4AA Facebook…
Chapter in Artist as Cultural Producer
I contributed a chapter to The Artist as Cultural Producer: Living and Sustaining a Creative Life (amazon, library). The book…
And what do I do now?
Using Data Visualization for Social Change Those who visualize data can be reluctant to sully themselves in the messy world…
No One Wants To Watch a Drum Circle (and something for the letters section of The Sun magazine)
Back in 2011 I wrote a short piece called “No One Wants to Watch a Drum Circle” for the Beautiful…
“An Artist Reflects on When to Walk Away” Creative Time Reports
Published on Creative Time Reports The maker of “Capitalism Works for Me” on corporate philanthropy’s role in the art world,…
No Thanks ArtPrize (UPDATED)
I’m not keeping the money. Last week I learned I was a jury pick for ArtPrize in Grand Rapids. Shortly…
On Utopia for Keri Smith’s The Imaginary World Of…
An essay on Utopia written for Keri Smith’s new book.
Creative Time Reports: Is Capitalism Working for You?
From Creative Time Reports: Capitalism works if you’re willing to work hard. Or so I’ve been told by countless people…
Introductory Essay for Truth is Concrete Book
Stephen Duncombe and I were invited to write an introductory essay for this book, “Truth is Concrete: A Handbook for…
No Longer Interested
Originally published on A Blade of Grass’ Growing Dialogue. PDF Download I’ve worked to strike the phrase “I am interested…
Is there a place for satire and comedy within socially engaged art?
I wrote this essay for Open Engagement’s “The Questions We Ask Together.” It’s published in a book of other essays…
Activist Art: Does it Work? | open!
Stephen Duncombe and I published a column called “Activist Art: Does it Work?” for Open! Magazine. It begins like this:…
Activist Art: Does it Work?
Stephen Duncombe and Steve Lambert Originally published in Open!: Platform for Art, Culture and the Public Domain, Fall 2013 Download…
On Fucking the System
This was written as an introduction to Abbie Hoffman’s pamphlet, Fuck The System for WoodenLeg Press. On Fucking the System…