Friday, April 29, 2016

Institute for Prophetic Activism

The Institute for prophetic activism will act as a center for non-violent social transformation, founded on the belief that we live in a time of tremendous individual possibility.  Focusing strongly, though not exclusively, on the power of art to inspire social progress, the center will focus the energy of activists across a variety of fields, who use the ideals of prophetic activism to underpin their projects. 
·      WORKSHOPS: Run workshops in the home institute and around the country to introduce students and activists to the specific philosophy behind and possibility of prophetic activism.  At these events, as well, interventions will be developed and seeded into activist communities.
·      SEMINARS: Through a series of seminars, classes and residencies, help develop and support individual prophetic activist projects in the fields of art, policy and society.
·      CONFERENCES: Hold conferences of artists and activists concerned with specific issues, thereby galvanizing the energy working toward the betterment of society in human, economic and education rights; respect between different religious and ethnic communities; the flowering appreciation that the general population must rise up and provide the moral center lacking from the American political process and a series of other specific, vital issues.
·      JOURNAL: Produce a semi-annual journal which will offer the latest ideas and possibilities of seeding transformative energy into the general society using the ideals of prophetic activism.
·      BOOKS: Support the writing and publication of books which continue to develop and disseminate specific activist strategies within the prophetic activist tradition.
·      PARTNERSHIPS: Partner with non profit organizations, matching activist artists and thinkers with specific NGOs to develop and implement specific activist interventions.
·      CLEARINGHOUSE: Develop a clearinghouse of activist artists to help match them with social thinkers, political leaders and non profit organizations across a wide range of fields and issues.
·      MORAL OMBUDSMAN: Run the Moral Ombudsman think tank, based on my “Response to Machiavelli” concept, to insert a specific moral center into the public square.
·      SHALOM/SALAAM/PAX: Act as a center for galvanizing positive energy between the three Abrahamic Faiths to counteract the political necessity of hatreds, through art, writing and social prophetic activist interventions.
·      HUMAN RIGHTS ART FESTIVAL BIENNALE: A bi-yearly event bringing together the most potent human rights art in all media and addressing all issues.  The Olympics of activist art.

·      DEVELOPMENT: Continue to develop and support projects (like these three above) to be supported and run from the Institute.