Creativity in the Time of COVID-19

Creativity in the Time of COVID-19 was an exhibition created between 2021 and 2023 and displayed around the Greater Lansing, Michigan area.

The pieces featured in the exhibition underwent an inclusive selection process, which included input from students, staff, faculty members of Michigan State University, as well as members of the Greater Lansing community and beyond. In order to be chosen for the exhibit, each piece had to tell a powerful story about the artist’s inner truth regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlight the impact of the pandemic on artists who were disproportionately affected. The art on display emphasizes the importance of advocacy through creativity, showcasing the power of art to inspire and spark change in the world.

To gather the pieces and connect with artists from all over the world, a survey was created and made available in English and four other languages, including options for sign language and Braille, ensuring that artists from all backgrounds could participate. Grassroots efforts were made by reaching out to art organizations to distribute the survey. The survey provided an opportunity for artists to submit their work and be a part of the exhibit, allowing for a diverse range of art forms to be showcased in the project. At the Lansing physical and digital exhibits, labels and other additional materials help to tell the stories heard from people whose work was selected for the exhibits.

From the project's mission statement: "Our mission is to give artists a platform to assert agency in the face of oppressive social systems, to tell stories that elevate equity and social justice. We envision a society in which creative acts of knowledge-making open new spaces for equity and social justice.

Our goal for Creativity in the Time of COVID-19: Art for Equity and Social Justice is to open public spaces that make room for the voices of people disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and in some cases people who work with those populations. We are also creating materials that invite people who come to the exhibit to respond to the work and to help build compassion and solutions for the inequities and social injustices made visible by the pandemic. We are actively making sure that members of the greater Lansing community have opportunities to attend and to add their voices to the stories told by the exhibit through free workshops and other interactive event surprises.

We have learned so much about the ways creative activities are used by people in their everyday contexts as they have been affected by COVID-19. Working with organizations like DisArt, STQRY, Capital City Film Festival, and our other community partners has shown us the true value of collaborating with people and organizations who have shared goals for inclusion, equity, and social justice. We are all inspired to know there are others who are working toward these goals and whose approaches to collaboration are compassionate and focused on uplifting us all."

For more information about the exhibit, see the Creativity in the Time of COVID-19 Exhibit Background video.

The project was led by Nancy DeJoy, Fatima Konare, Ben Lash, and Kelsey Abner.