The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) is inviting artists worldwide to participate in the international exhibition, “The Art of Equality: A Journey to Justice”, that will be hosted at the United Nations Office in Geneva in October 2023. The event aims to create a unique and immersive experience to raise awareness and inspire action on equality and social justice through the lens of visual art and the Institute’s 60 years of research for social change.

Artists are encouraged to submit visual artwork that invokes deep reflection on topics related to gender, climate, social and economic justice. Our aim is to showcase artwork that stimulates the mind and prompts viewers to engage in thoughtful consideration of these important issues to inspire positive change for more equal, just and sustainable societies.

“Imagine a world where your art has the power to inspire social change”

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In celebration of the Institute’s 60th anniversary, UNRISD launched the #ImagineEquality campaign in April 2023, encouraging people to reflect on new imaginaries for achieving gender, climate, social and economic justice. The campaign is built on the premise that if we want a just and equal world, we must first imagine it.

As part of this campaign, we call on artists to share their visions of a more equal future through visual art. We are asking visual artists from all over the world to submit artwork that illustrates key issues and themes of equity, justice, and progressive social change. We welcome submissions in various media, including digital, painting, photography and mixed techniques. We are committed to promoting inclusivity and diversity and invite artists of all ages, genders, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds to participate.

Our goal is to bring together a diverse group of artists from around the world to create a one-of-a-kind artistic journey that celebrates the power of art to inspire social change.

Enter now to imagine a better world together!

How to participate

Post your artwork on your social media profile (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn) with the hashtag #ImagineEquality and tag @unrisd

Write in the caption your artistic vision and fill in the gap “Imagine a world (where) ________” to tell us what equality means to you

Submit before the deadline on 30 June 2023

Categories

2D digital art; Painting; Photography;Mixed

Please note that we will require a high-quality photograph of your artwork for the exhibition, and that only reproductions of the artworks will be displayed for logistical and accessibility reasons.

Due to space constraints, sculptures and installations cannot be accommodated in the exhibition. For this reason, only two-dimensional pieces will be eligible.

Keywords: Equality, Justice, Gender Justice, Climate Justice, Social Justice, Economic Justice

Selection criteria

Each entry will be selected by an international jury based on the following criteria:

Uniqueness and originality; Technique and aesthetics; Message and significance

Timeline

Call for submissions opens: 21 April 2023; Deadline for submissions: 30 June 2023; Jury review: July 2023; Selected artists notified: August 2023; Exhibition: October 2023, exact dates to be confirmed