What does activism mean to you? How can art be used as a tool of activism in the face of oppression? If art can create change, what would you advocate for with your work?
Elizabeth Catlett
Printmaker and sculptor Elizabeth Catlett believed art making is activism. Through her work, she advocated for racial equality and the rights of working class people. What do you think art should advocate for?
In the spirit of the exhibition Elizabeth Catlett: “A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies,” we invite Chicago-area teens of all cultures and backgrounds, ages 13–19, to create a work of art that reflects the change they want to see in society. Selected works will be displayed in the museum or online for our 2026 Teen Art Showcase, Art as Resistance.
Your artwork can be made using photography, graphic design, digital poster design, collage, or mixed media.
As you think about what you might create, we encourage you to look through the virtual gallery of work from last year’s showcase, The Culture We Carry, and consider the following prompts written by the Art Institute’s Teen Council:
- How can art be used as a tool of resistance in the face of oppression? How can you create a work that helps viewers stand strong in their values?
- Think about struggles faced by people in the past compared to struggles we face now. What has changed? What has stayed the same? How can you create artwork that draws connections across history?
- Whose voices have been silenced throughout history or in our communities today? How can you use your art to highlight those perspectives and show why they matter? How can you use your art to uplift marginalized communities?
- In the late 1960s, activists in Chile began chanting, “The people united will never be defeated” during their protests. How can you create an artwork that shows the strength of people coming together in solidarity?
To submit your work, complete this form before 5 p.m. CST on Friday, January 16, 2026. For additional information and submission guidelines, please see the menu below.
