Creativity with Purpose Toolkit: Step 4, Amplify

In the fourth and final step of our Creativity with Purpose Toolkit, we invite you to amplify and share the voices and perspectives of others. Learn from some of Nikkolas Smith’s favorite artivists, and activate your own creativity with free downloadable coloring pages and prints from Robert Generette III and Sophia Yeshi. At any time, head back to find all of our creative resources. Ready to create some change with us?

Art has the power to be loud if many voices get behind a message. In this stage, we learn how to amplify.

At this stage in the toolkit, we hope you’ve had a chance to learn about creative activism, read the words of our friends Yasmine Cheyenne and Christopher Griffin, and listen to podcasts curated by Yasmine or music curated by Temi Coker. Maybe you’ve made your own illustration, under the guidance of Nikkolas Smith.

You might find that in this moment, you’re asking yourself: what now?

Creating with purpose isn’t something with a definite ending; we’d argue there is no ending at all. You learn, you listen, you make, and then you do it all over again. We hope that in this journey, you have found moments to pause and reflect on the power of art to contribute to and move the conversation and policies of anti-racism. In that reflection, we encourage you to make the last step before starting all over again: to amplify.

Amplifying means raising the voices and perspectives of others. It means dedicating time and space wherever you have influence to elevating the work of those who may not have access to your platforms and your influence.

Amplify the voices of BIPOC creators. Amplify anti-racist messages. Amplify the experiences of the marginalized. Amplify the artwork that speaks to you, and that, most importantly, moves the conversation forward. 

That starts with making this work more visible to your community, and then committing to creating for change. Below, Nikkolas Smith curates his list of artivists to follow (and share!), and we’ve included some downloadable coloring pages from Skillshare teachers Rob Generette III and Sophia Yeshi as a helpful place to start.

Commit to Creating for Change

Skillshare teachers Robert Generette III and Sophia Yeshi have lent their incredible talents to an artivist activity that you can do right at home. Enjoy these downloadable prints, or even better: download them as coloring pages and challenge yourself to create your own special message for change. Turn it into a fun group activity, a family get together, or a solo mindful practice. Post them in your windows, print them out and give them to a friend, or take a photo and share with us at @skillshare. We can’t wait to see what you make. 

Follow Artivists and Share Their Work

@classroomofcompassion: Noah and Dave started Classroom of Compassion, a Los Angeles-based floral and creative arts organization, aimed at “teaching and sharing the restorative and artistic practice of compassion and self compassion.” Their Instagram feed is a testament to their uplifting, intersectional, supportive, and empathetic work, as their “mission is to remind each and every person that they are loved and worthy of compassion and care.”

@shirien.creates: Shirien Damrea is a Chicago-based, Palestinian-American illustrator and designer, whose Instagram feed is filled with powerful original illustrations and statements for human rights. Covering everything from collective action to essential workers, to indigenous struggles, and anti-racism, her work is definition artivism: making a visual and human impact at the heart of art and action.

@ohhappydani: Danielle Coke’s recent illustrated quote captures so much in one sentence. She illustrates and writes: “with every painful blow of injustice, the question should no longer be ‘what easy thing can I do to help now,’ but ‘what hard things must I do to help for a lifetime?’” So much of her work is in the impactful way she illustrates, distilling complex concepts into digestible and resonant imagery and messages, and prioritizing action, not rewarding performative activism.