Art as Advocacy: Guest Artist

About the Program

MSC's Art as Advocacy Program is a pilot program that empowers individuals in immigration detention to create and share original artwork and personal narratives. Art supplies and optional prompts are provided to support reflection, healing, and self-expression. This program responds to the cultural erasure and emotional isolation of detention by positioning creativity as a powerful form of resistance, and by centering the voices of LGBTQ+ migrants. Art becomes both testimony and vision, exposing the lived realities of detention while affirming the humanity, dreams, and resilience of those inside.

Submitted work will be featured in October during our Community Action Month and preserved in a digital archive on our website, encouraging participants to become active contributors to advocacy efforts on the outside and using art to move our community toward action.

Guest Artist Role

To conclude the first year of our Art as Advocacy Program, we are inviting one guest artist from the community to contribute their own voice to the collective by:

• Creating an original artwork or small series inspired by the program and our members
• Writing a statement reflecting on their artwork and its connection to the program and our mission
• Attending MSC's final Community Action Month event on October 24th at the Center on Halsted in Chicago where all artwork will be showcased to the public
• Granting MSC permission to feature their artwork at in-person events and in our online exhibit, share it on our public platforms, and create art prints in celebration of our inaugural exhibit with full credit to the artist
• Playing a meaningful role in shaping the look, feel, and narrative of our culminating exhibit

Priority will be given to

• LGBTQ+ artists based in Chicago, IL
• Those that have been directly impacted by detention
• Align with MSC's abolitionist values and work closely with the communities we center (LGBTQ+, migrant, formerly incarcerated)

Benefits

• $1,500 honorarium
• Art supplies will be provided (we will provide a small assortment of traditional art supplies, but artists are welcome to use or supplement with their own materials)
• Promotion on all of MSC's platforms, as well as in publicity related to the event
• Opportunity to sell or promote your work and merch at our in-person events
• Play a meaningful role in shaping our first ever art exhibit and community showcase

Applications due on Monday, 8/31 by 5pm CT

Please email info@migrantsupportcollective.org and include the following:

• Portfolio or examples of recent work
• Short bio (5-7 sentences)
• Brief statement on why you're interested in the guest artist role (5-7 sentences)