Yes, we are in an unusual time.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world as we know it has changed. Despite the challenges we have faced running an online festival, it's also been a great opportunity.
One of the most resilient groups that will come out of these challenging times is the creatives. We will create. We will problem solve. We will find purpose in all of this. We will forge a new path for a greater world.
It's with that understanding that we have decided to move forward by pivoting our ARTS x SDGS Festival online. We believe that we need a festival of this focus on social good, to boost morale, create community and document the historical narrative of this time through art.
The ARTS x SDGS Online Festival is a one-of-a-kind gathering bringing together members of the growing creative economy and influential UN/NGO actors to promote arts, creativity and storytelling to elevate the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.)
A combination of creative arts programming, workshop facilitation and unique networking opportunities, the ARTS x SDGS Online Festival invests in the development of artists and storytellers who want to forge a career path or produce creative content around social good issues such as gender equality, climate change, sustainable production and consumption, health, education, peace and security and more.
We, therefore are opening up this Call for Submissions for a variety of creative content (documentary/narrative films, music, spoken word poetry, dance, visual arts) on the following SDGs:
GOAL 1: No Poverty
GOAL 2: Zero Hunger
GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being
GOAL 4: Quality Education
GOAL 5: Gender Equality
GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality
GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
GOAL 13: Climate Action
GOAL 14: Life Below Water
GOAL 15: Life on Land
GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
GOAL 17: Partnerships to Achieve the Goals
The ARTS x SDGS Online Festival will include showcasing of the most powerful, moving and informative content submitted. Creative workshops will include those focused on developing sustainable partnerships and securing contracted work with UN/NGO agencies, grant writing/fundraising, curating high-quality arts and storytelling into policy and programming events, and more.
The ARTS x SDGS OnlineFestival is a festival by and for artists. It is founded and curated by Create2030 Founder, Lisa Russell, MPH who is an Emmy-winning filmmaker with 15+ years producing films and creative projects for UN/NGO agencies. She has also been the curator for the Women Deliver Film Festival since 2010. The festival is co-founded by Chesney Snow. Chesney is an award-winning, New York-based theater artist, poet, songwriter, educator, life-long student, and one of NYC’s premiere human beatbox/vocal percussionists and a pioneering figure in American beatbox culture.
For the Oct 22-29, 2020 version of the festival, we will be focusing on SDGs #10 (Reduced Inequalities) and #16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) with a special day focused on UN Day (October 24, 2020.)
Guest speakers and participating creative professionals will be announced on a rolling basis.
For more information, visit www.artsx.co.
Every artist accepted to the ARTS x SDGS Festival will receive a letter of acceptance,a VIP festival pass and a festival laurel for the 2020 ARTS x SDGS Festival.