T H E A R T P A R T Y

a b o u t !    ~    a r t !    ~    i s s u e s !    ~    p r o p a g a n d a !    ~    j o i n !    ~    e v e n t s !    ~    c o n t a c t !

ABOUT THE ART PARTY Founded in post-Katrina New Orleans, the Art Party is a non-profit, progressive organization/political party which strives to highlight the importance of art in the day to day existence of humanity. Art is a necessary function of society and is good for the soul, whether one is called to create or to appreciate art. Art takes on many forms, all of which are equally valid. The following tenets clearly explain our mission and what we do as members of the Art Party. 1! Stay up late making art for hours. 2! Explore, explore, explore. If you are not learning, you are not living. 3! Document your existence through art, poetry, photography, music, anything. Make your mark. 4! Respect and offer constructive criticism. 5! Respect the greatest work of art of all: our world. Gather in parks and forests, and embrace nature and one another. 6! Love all you can. 7! Create. Collaborate. Connect. Communicate. The Art Party began before we even knew it. Art is an inherent function of humanity, and it can happen instantly when you get the right group of people (e.g. friends) together. For the Party, all it took was a box of crayons, a coloring book, and a hurricane party. During the apocalyptic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we holed up, scattered about the country, and created. The Art Wall (just that, a large wall entirely covered with art) was born as New Orleans filled with toxic soup, and was added to for many months to come. The wall formed in a Baton Rouge apartment, boasting over 20 artists of varying abilities, each one unique with its own style and thought. Realizing that people come together and create something greater than the sum of their parts, the Party was founded to bring together artists and to build a community. Art is how an individual interprets life and the surrounding world. Just as every person is unique, so is each mind, the thoughts it holds, and the pieces it produces. Art is honesty; a sincere and unmasked view into the psyche of an indidual creator. All people can be artists if given the opportunity. Give someone the right tools, and you will receive a glimpse into his/her mind. Although degrees of training or skill vary among different people, each person is still an equal outlet for the transmission of ideas and the creation of art. Every individual is important and powerful, each holding the ability to affect our world and make a difference. We believe that all people should be allowed equal opportunities and equal rights, in order for everyone to better explore the world and themselves. We believe that life holds endless opportunity for the creation of art. The planet Earth provides us with everything we need to live, including inspiration from its boundless wonders. The Art Party supports the preservation of our beautiful world and takes a strong stand on environmental issues. All we have is what we have been given, and we should treat it with the utmost care. Like the pluralists of ancient Greece, we see links between love and creation, as well as between strife and destruction. We believe that it is important to feel and express love whenever possible. The act of creating itself promotes the idea of love, despite the subject matter of the creation. The Art Party encourages all people to function as they feel rightly, to the best of their abilities, and with the best interests of their fellow people and their world in mind. You know yourself better than any other person will ever be able to know you; you have more of an understanding of your own mind. Although you may not always know what is best for yourself, you should be free to make your own choices about how to live. You are also part of a community, which watches after and takes care of its members. Everyone lives in their own world, conducted by the laws of their personal reality, and yet we all must share the same space and cope here together on Earth. The thoughts of many different minds are pushing against each other constantly, searching for the truth. No one individual is right, but at the same time, everyone is right. Art helps an individual to share his or her or its own vision of the world, and perhaps helps people to understand each other and get along better. We are not asking for money. We do not subscribe to capitalist ventures. We don't believe that our success will come through your dollars. And so, friends, we are here for you! We want to know what you do and how we can help you to share it. We want to promote a message of kindness, peace, love, and equality, and we want our members to spread this to the world through their actions. We hope that everyone who joins and follows our tenets will feel that she/he is getting the most out of life and is reaching his/her full potential. Join the Party! Start a chapter in your town. Host art parties, for creating as a group and sharing individual work. Nominate Art Party candidates for office, even as ballot write-ins. Submit your art to our website and others, journals, galleries; hang it on your wall or show it in the streets. Get going! Sing! Sketch! Paint! Write! Dance! Capture! Play! Speak! Breathe! Act! Feel! Think! Create!