2023 Exhibition, Left: Best of Show Award, Jerry Weems, "Driving While Black", Right: Merit Award: Jo Cosme, "Amor(es) Combativo Love (is) Activism", Below left: Kristin Power Nowlin, "Sweets to the Sweet: Tempting Morsels", Below right: Stephanie Walz Baker, "Watch"

Jan. 28 - March 7, 2025 college of the sequoias, California (Reception Feb. 6, noon-2:00)​​



SUPPORT THE EXHIBITION

If you would like to help support our continued efforts to educate and engage our community and viewers in human rights, social justice and environmental issues by being a sponsor you can make a monetary donation to the College of the Sequoias Foundation.  ​

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You can also contact the exhibit coordinator Richard Lubben to discuss how you can help.
Email: richardl@cos.edu
Fine Arts Dean's Office, College of the Sequoias:

Tel. (559) 730-3735

2023 Human Rights, Social Justice and Environmental Art Exhibition, College of the Sequoias, Visalia, California 

Our History and Purpose

The inaugural exhibit took place in 2006 in McAllen, Texas as a collaboration between local artists, and the Women's Studies Committee's conference at South Texas College.  The conference and artwork addressed the topic of women in war and provided an opportunity for scholars, artists, students and the community to examine the topic from various points of view and media.  The following year In 2007 the conference and art exhibition focused on sex trafficking, then human trafficking in 2008.  In 2010, exhibit coordinator made the decision to broaden the exhibit topic to "human rights" in order to include more artists who's work examine and advocate for issues relating to human rights.


The purpose of the Human Rights Art Exhibit is to serve as an educational event, as well as providing a creative outlet for artists to address global and regional human rights, social justice and environmental issues.  From 2006-2015 the juried annual exhibit was based at South Texas College.  However, the exhibition or permanent collection has also traveled for exhibits to the University of Texas Pan American, Texas Tech University, the International Museum of Art and Science, the University of Ottawa, Canada, the Universidad de Monterrey, and the Progreso Art Gallery, Mexico. The last "annual" exhibit took place in spring 2015 and coincided with the Human Trafficking/Labor Conference that was held at South Texas College. This important conference was an essential part of the exhibit‘s planning for the first 10 years, whereas both venues collaborated to bring awareness to human rights issues and encourage contemplation, refection and activism.


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