16 years

advocating for

human rights

Image: A CITY IN LIMBO by Brittany Greeson

emerging lens

Now Accepting Submissions

Applications for the 2023-2024 Emerging Lens Fellowship are now being accepted. The Emerging Lens Fellowship is ART WORKS Projects’ signature program that awards project support including a $5,000 unrestricted grant and professional mentorship to emerging photographers working to document social justice and human rights issues in their own backyards and around the world. Learn more about the Emerging Lens Fellowship and this year’s open call: Climate, Pollution, and Environmental Justice.
Children in Flint brushing their teeth with bottled water
Brittany Greeson, 2021 Emerging Lens Fellow

Rachel Woolf for Deported: An American Division/A Family Divided

On view

Deported at Pueblo Unido Gallery

ART WORKS Projects and Pueblo Unido Gallery are honored to present Deported: A Family Divided. This exhibition presents work from an ongoing project by Colorado-based photographer Rachel Woolf on her time with Lourdes Salazar-Bautista and her family as they navigate the U.S. federal immigration system and the joys and sorrows of life between the United States and Mexico. 

Deported: A Family Divided is on view at Pueblo Unido Gallery 6216 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60660 from July 29 – September 23, 2023. Saturdays 12-4pm and by appointment.

Recent Exhibition

Borderscruzadas: A collaborative story

AWP presents BordersCruzadas: A Collaborative Story, an exhibition in development from photojournalists Wil Sands, Oscar B. Castillo, that compiles documentary photography, research, and conversations in an effort to present both the physical and the symbolic boundaries that form America’s borders.

BordersCruzadas was on view at 625 N Kingsbury St. from April 12 – June 1.

BordersCruzadas in an ongoing project and we need your help to meet our goal of unlocking a $10K grant match in support of this project. Donate at the button below, all gifts will go directly towards the continued development of the BordersCruzadas project. 

Featured Event

Storytelling that informs Policy

On June 7, AWP, in partnership with The Refugee and Forced Displacement Initiative (RAFDI) at The Wilson Center hosted a symposium titled: Storytelling that Informs Policy: Addressing Refugees and Forced Displacement.

This event took place at The Hague Humanity Hub as part of The Hague’s Justice Week events across the city.

Guests at the event had a chance to view AWP’s exhibition, Stories Across Borders, which is on view at the Hague Humanity Hub through June 23.

You can watch a video recording of the event and learn more on our event page.

16 Years, 30+ Projects

ART WORKS Projects leverages the power of photography and documentary film to raise awareness and educate the public about some of the most pervasive and grave human rights violations.

Since ART WORKS launched 16 years ago, we’ve supported more than 30 projects documenting stories around the world.

Person standing in the center surrounded by a group, all looking towards the camera.

Jean Chung for Women between Peace and War: Afghanistan

our timeline

Congo Women show by Addario, Bleasdale, Haviv, Nachtwey at the Russell Senate building.

Congo/Women at the Russell Senate building

Bring an Exhibit to Your Community

All of our exhibitions are designed to tour and can be adapted to a broad spectrum of venue types and sizes.

We are happy to provide step-by-step support for hosting one of our exhibitions or other projects.

Contact us to learn more about bringing an ART WORKS Projects exhibit to your community.

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Stay up-to-date on everything happening at ART WORKS Projects — new installations, artist talks, international advocacy, and more.

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Support Our Work

Help ART WORKS unlock $50,000 in our year-end donor challenge. Any gift, at any amount will be matched dollar-per-dollar up to $50,000.

Since we launched as a human rights arts advocacy organization in Chicago sixteen years ago, we have made strides in establishing a significant global footprint. Using art to reach hundreds of thousands of viewers, AWP has inspired audience members on five continents to support an end to grave human rights abuses. While we are proud of our impact, we know more essential works needs to be done.