ARTSTRIKE: How Artists are Responding to the "Fiscal Cliff"

Fellow artists, and all people who care about fairness and the future of our communities. We want to give you a sneak peak at ARTSTRIKE, an arts and culture effort to expose the so-called “Fiscal Cliff.” We are taking a stand against the kinds of budget cuts that will hurt everyday people and our families.

ARTSTRIKE is coming December 17. If you’re an artist, we ask you to help.

Right now our political leaders are considering drastic cuts to vital programs that could devastate our communities—cuts to education, health services, transportation, food assistance programs, FEMA, school lunches, the arts, Medicare, Social Security, the list goes on and on.

By now you have probably heard about the political game called the “Fiscal Cliff.” This political dance has serious repercussions. This "Fiscal Cliff" is actually a Fiscal Bluff—a made-up crisis that makes us think our government is out of money and out of time. The truth is, our country is not broke. Our country is being robbed. You are being robbed. The worst of the 1 percent—Big Oil, war profiteers like Halliburton, Wall Street, and corporate tax dodgers—have manufactured this crisis to force cuts to key programs our communities need, while refusing to share any of the burden themselves.

As cultural activists and artists, we want to expose this political game and create a critical mass of culture to fight back against this false fiscal cliff and save potential program cuts.

We're partnering with Van Jones and Rebuild the Dream Innovation Fund for ARTSTRIKE on December 17, a day of action to put amazing art and design in front of millions of people.

Art is a powerful way to inspire hearts and minds, and ultimately to build an energy to change the course of the tired debate played out by politicians. Diverse artists of conscience have already produced some amazing work, but we hope you'll add your voice, and we need everyone's help in sharing it with their friends and family.

Here's a sneak peek of the amazing work we've already received in support of the cause:

The Fiscal Cliff Is a Hoax, by Art Hazelwood

"People Crying," a song by Dorothy Bell

Artists, we still need your help. Please bring your creative talent to this fight. Help us highlight the problem and drive energy to the solution and to remind us why we fight.

We are taking your submissions through Monday, December 17. Then, we hope you and everyone check back here on GOOD.is on December 17 (or go to artstrike.tumblr.com) to experience the awesome work—and share it on your social media channels, print out your favorite piece, put it up in your neighborhood, and send it to everyone you know.

Text by Favianna Rodriguez and Mike Molina

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This project is a collaboration between CultureStrike, 5D Stories, & Rebuild the Dream Innovation Fund.

CultureStrike (Favianna Rodriguez) aims to cultivate innovative and urgent collaborations between artists, writers, musicians, and other cultural workers and organizers to build public support for immigrant rights and other social issues shaping the country.

5D Stories (Michael Molina) produces, publishes, and distributes multi-media art that increases human understanding and catalyzes human potential.

Rebuild the Dream Innovation Fund is a platform for bottom-up, people-powered innovation in the areas of policy, economics, and media. Our 600,000 members live in every community across the country, and are united by a bold promise: to defend, reinvent, and advance the American Dream.