#ArtAgainstAtrocities is a student-led campaign to raise awareness of atrocities past and present and to inspire collective action to make “never again” a reality. We believe in the power of art to open hearts and minds, foster historical truth, and transform trauma into change. As artist-activists on the rise, we intend to realize our potential not just as students of history, but also as shapers of history.
To counter rising hate and the isolation of the pandemic, we are calling on youth worldwide to participate in a global arts competition like no other. Discover a diverse array of art that assigns words and images to the countless intense emotions brought on by identity-based violence. Join us virtually this April in honor of Genocide Awareness Month, as we remember humanity at its worst and demonstrate what humanity can be at its best.
This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There’s no time for despair, no place for self pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. This is how civilizations heal.
- Toni Morrison
Our Story
What began as an idea at the start of the pandemic by students at Montour High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA), has blossomed into a global project uniting students, educators, and other allies. With the support of the TWR Coalition’s Youth Action Network and the LIGHT Education Initiative, we launched our first ever virtual art competition during Genocide Awareness Month in April 2020. Then in August 2020, we hosted our first virtual art showcase, which shined an urgent light on the atrocities of the world and activists advocating to end them. What happens next is where you come in.
About the Competition
Between March 15 - April 18, students aged 12 - 22 are invited to submit a work of art inspired by the Art Against Atrocities mission. Potential artistic mediums include writing, medium-based art (e.g. drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture), performance (e.g. singing, dancing, instrument, slam poetry), and photography and videography.
Students’ art will be evaluated by a diverse panel of judges from across the world, made up of artists, educators, and activists. Cash prizes will be awarded to competition winners in different age groups. All students are encouraged to post their art on social media with the #ArtAgainstAtrocities hashtag, which includes eligibility for an additional cash prize.
Qualifying participants will be featured in our digital art gallery online while competition winners and honorable mentions will be invited to share their work in a live virtual art showcase during the TWR Coalition’s 24-hour Virtual Global Vigil on April 29, 2021.
Suggested Mediums & Topics
We welcome all student artists to explore different mediums for their artwork. Below are several mediums that we encourage you to consider. Click on each medium type below to learn more about formatting expectations (e.g. word limits, performance length, video length, etc.).
Below is a list of historical and current issues to reflect on; however, participants are not limited to the options below. They are provided as a starting point for creative learning and advocacy in alignment with our mission. Further below, additional resources can be found related to these topics.
Past atrocities such as the Genocide of Indigenous Peoples, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, the Holocaust, the Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda
Ongoing and emerging conflicts such as the Genocide of the Rohingya in Burma, the Genocide of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, the racial justice uprising sparked by the murder of George Floyd, the January 6 Riot at the US Capitol
ISMs and phobias such as racism, antisemitism, white nationalism, sexism, and xenophobia
Prizes and awards
One winner will be chosen from each age category from any submitted medium. In addition to the awards listed below, outstanding pieces will be recognized as honorable mentions.
All qualifying entries that adhere to the theme will be featured in a digital portfolio. Participants will indicate whether they would like their name publicly displayed with the piece.
Competition winners and honorable mentions will be invited to share their work in a live virtual art showcase during the TWR Coalition’s 24-hour Virtual Global Vigil on April 29, 2021.
Prizes will be awarded as follows:
$250 for 1st place in the 19 - 22 age group
$250 for 1st place in the 16 - 18 age group
$250 for 1st place in 12 - 15 age group
Participants who post their submission on their social media with the #ArtAgainstAtrocities hashtag will be eligible for a $25 prize.
Prize money and support for the program is made possible by grant funding and support from the LIGHT Education Initiative, Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh, Allegheny Intermediate Unit, Heinz Endowments, and Together We Remember Coalition.
Competition Eligibility
You must be between the the ages of 12 and 22
Have parent/legal guardian’s consent to enter the contest if under the age of 18
Students on the Art Against Atrocities team, including those involved in development and promotion, are ineligible to receive awards or prize money; however, their pieces may be submitted for display.
competition timeline
MARCH 15, 2021: The contest begins and students may submit their artistic piece. The submission form will go live at 12:01 AM ET.
APRIL 18, 2021: The submission period closes. Judging begins. The submission form will deactivate at 11:59 PM ET.
APRIL 26, 2021: Competition participants are informed of the results.
APRIL 29, 2021: The winners and those who receive honorable mentions are featured in a live virtual art showcase during a 24-hour virtual global vigil hosted by the TWR Coalition to conclude Genocide Awareness Month.
competition Rules
Complete the entry form via Google Forms. *Be sure that all documents have the necessary permissions to be viewed by any domain.
Limit one (1) entry per eligible participant.
Entries must:
Adhere to the contest theme: artistically interpret humanity at its worst to inspire humanity to be its best
Be your original work of art
Follow the US Copyright Office Fair Use Policy
Not include material that glorifies symbols of hate or perpetrators of hate
Be free of any personal identifying information. DO NOT include your name, school, teacher, etc. on the artwork submitted. This ensures unbiased judging.
Evaluation Rubric
Each work of art will be scored based on specific criteria by our judges through a blind process. See here to review the evaluation rubric.
Inspiration from the Next Generation
In August 2020, celebrated the incredible artist-activists and artwork featured in their first-ever showcase! Artists and attendees interacted while experiencing a virtual art gallery that shined a light on the atrocities of the world and activists fighting to end them. Check out the replay to get a sense of how and why we do what we do.
RESOURCES for students and educators
Below are a variety of resources to get better informed about atrocities past and present and ways to counter identity-based violence. We will continue to add to this list so feel free to check back in regularly. If you have resources to recommend, email us.
Meet the Creative youth Activists Behind the campaign
Art Against Atrocities is made with love by a group of students at Montour High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Our community is growing rapidly across the world and we welcome the opportunity to collaborate and create together, wherever you are.
