Creative expression continues to shape political and social movements. Two workshops at the Global Artivism Convening highlighted how art can preserve history,  build visibility, and challenge injustice.

Global artivism is a movement shaped by artists, activists, and allies who use creative expression to drive social and systemic change. Art and culture harness the power to shape narratives and shift collective understanding that can lead to social and political transformation.

The Second Global Artivism Convening took place last week in Salvador, Brazil. More than 1,000 cultural leaders, artists, and activists came together ahead of COP 30 to amplify cultural power and collective action in struggles for justice.

The convening was grounded by various keynote speakers, notably Shahidul Alam and Erika Hilton. Alam, a Bangladeshi activist and photojournalist, spoke on the role of art and imagery in the critique of power. His history of activism includes participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla that attempted to break the Israeli siege of Gaza.

“We knew we wouldn’t be let in and set foot in Gaza but by attempting to do so, we were challenging the illegal siege… 

That act of defiance was a challenge to the force that world leaders are too scared to confront.”

Hilton, a Brazilian politician and activist for Black and LGBT rights, highlighted the ongoing struggle for representation and safety for the trans community. She is the first woman to be elected to Brazil’s national congress.

At the convening I attended two workshops remotely: Films for Change: Design Your Own Impact Strategy, hosted by Kehinde Adegboyega, and Decolonising Queer Creative Expression: Tales from Kenya & Uganda, hosted by Stephen Okwany.

Global Artivism Workshop: Films for Change

This workshop brought participants from Palestine, Greece, Sudan, and other regions into conversation. Each person shared a word of resistance and the meaning that connects to identity and language. One word that stood out was Wantam, a protest chant that emerged from the 2024 Gen Z demonstrations in Kenya. It expresses refusal and collective dissent.

The discussion of designing and producing your film for change was focused on understanding what impact means and how it can be built. Participants described impact as emotional movement, collaboration, and visibility. The workshop detailed three practical steps for designing creative work that aims for change:

  • Know your audience.
  • Choose your distribution channels.
  • Define the change you want to create.

Activists Without Borders supports film making for change via AWBFF; contributing to the power and impact of this important work through an annual film festival, fostering opportunities for visibility and collaboration.

Global Artivism Workshop: Decolonising Queer Creative Expression

The second workshop was a shift to focus on the art of queer creative expression from Kenyan and Ugandan contexts. In both countries, criminalisation of same-sex conduct persists. Despite this, creative expression has become a tool to document histories and challenge erasure.

Stephan Okwany explained how indigenous knowledge and queer histories have been erased and archived out of public memory. He stressed the need for inscription through literature and cultural documentation, so future queer activists have material to use in their resistance.

The Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 set the precedent for penalising and criminalising homosexual conduct and contributed to the rise of anti LGBT sentiment. Kenya followed, and proposed the Family Protection Bill, imposing harsher restrictions on same-sex conduct, LGBTQ+ inclusive education, and freedom of expression.

Okwany argued that cultural identity is being weaponised to suppress authentic queer expression; a strategic effort to erase their community. This has led to the rise of writivism, a literary movement championing contemporary African literature. Writivism aims to use literature to counter harmful narratives and develop digital repositories of queer stories.

Film has also become a form of visibility. Works such as I Am Samuel and All of the Colours of the World Are Between Black and White challenged the idea that queer stories are included only for Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion representation. They serve to deconstruct barriers as testimony and presence.

Okwany pointed to collective action in Kenya’s End Femicide protests, where young people challenged gender-based violence and discrimination. These actions show the power of standing in solidarity and participating in ongoing movements. He stated:

“If your presence provokes them, keep showing up! They will move and create space.”

Resistance was a central theme throughout the convening. Resistance can mean challenging dominant narratives through storytelling. It can mean writing, filming, archiving, and sharing. It can also mean standing in community spaces; to amplify, document, and simply be present in the struggle.

Activists Without Borders honours these movements and stands in solidarity with  LGBTQ+ communities. Violence and discrimination against them are a violation of human rights. We commit to amplifying their voices, supporting their visibility, and contributing to a collective struggle for justice.