Hands Up Atlanta: Art & Activism

A free series of virtual conversations and performances exploring the role of artistic expression as a tool for activism.

As part of the art and civic engagement program, the Alliance Theatre is presenting a series of conversations and performances on the topic of ART & ACTIVISM for our spring production of Hands Up.

Originally commissioned by the New Black Fest in response to the 2015 events in Ferguson, MO, where a police officer fatally shot Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager, Hands Up is comprised of separate monologues written by seven Black playwrights. The play depicts the realities of Black America from the perspective of varying genders, sexual orientations, skin tones, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The series will center on local voices from Atlanta and the South and feature artists, activists, and community perspectives on art as a tool to reframe discourse, activate people to confront bias, and promote healing from the trauma of racism. Each event will begin with a film short that provokes conversation around themes in the monologues from Hands Up. Discussion topics will address Black image, identity, and allyship.
Community Partners for this series include:      

Plus, Spelman College Department of Theatre, Compassionate ATL, Black Men Smile, B.L.A.C.T,  CREAT ATL, IDEA ATL, Atlanta Theatre Artists for Justice, and Out of Hand.

A link to access the streams will be emailed on the day of the events.

Check out the Hands Up Atlanta Community Resources.