A collaboration between CEA and ERUA

The 2023 Critical Edge Alliance conference is set for July 5-7, and will be hosted by Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco.

The CEA’s sixth annual conference will discuss the role and the implementation of values in and for universities through the critical
lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and invites proposals broadly
but not exclusively in the following areas :

• Human rights and social justice through the fight against any discrimination on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, religion,
  ability, and other critical aspects of identity
• Environmental justice through the fight against climate change and for sustainable development
• Peace for and international solidarity with oppressed populations, refugees and asylum seekers, and other marginalized groups

Inspired by the theme of this year’s conference, the CEAand ERUAstudent groups decided to organize a collaborative exhibition, which will give artists from all over the world a unique platform to share their art and enhance their voices on global issues.

The goal of the exhibition is to showcase different perspectives on human rights, social justice, and experiences both of inclusion and exclusion on campus. By displaying a diverse range of artworks from artists of various backgrounds, we hope to promote history and culture, challenge discrimination, and create a platform for marginalized groups to express themselves. Artworks from members of all universities in CEA and ERUA will be presented in a hybrid format. All submitted artworks will be displayed in virtual format online, while a few specially curated pieces will be displayes in physical form during the conference.

To help make the theme of the conference within the exhibition cleared, in the modern understanding of art today, we are calling for the artistic submissions under the following four sub-themes :

Art for Peace and Solidarity - Voices of the Marginalized

Across the world, countless communities are facing oppression, displacement and marginalization. And to represent and support them we are looking for artwork that shows experiences of refugees, asylum seekers, people of color, indigenous communities and other marginalized groups.

Social Justice - at universities and beyond

Education is a right that every person must have access to, regardless of their background, gender or wealth. Universities play an important role in this but do they actually take their responsability seriously and provide social justice ? We want to collect pieces of art that tackle these questions, propose solutions or reflect individual experiences with social (in)justice at universities.

Art for community

We are looking for art pieces showcasing your feelings and unique understanding of what community means to you and how it helps you feel included within your immediate proximity (e.g., friends, colleagues or fellow students).

Diversity and identity

Diversity and identify within the topic of art includes a broad spectrum of themes based on how the artists perceive themselves, allowing the viewer to gain a better understanding of other peoples’ experiences. On this note we urge you tu submit pieces of art that showcases the complexities of identity regarding the way you view yourself in terms of beingness and societal roles, within everyday experience or under the circumstances of a specific situation.

How to submit artwork and the requirements ?

We will accept every artwork that can be photographed and displayed in a digital form, such as poems, videos, paintings, songs, sculptures etc, as the exhibition will be displayed both online and offline. All of the artwork will be displayed on the Artsteps website, and after the conference the art will still be accessible through the CEA and ERUA websites. The artists must submit their own CV and the story behind their art, bot of which will be displayed in the exhibition with their art piece. All of which will be assessed by the CEA and ERUA committees. The deadline for submissions is 11th of June

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following factors :

• CEA and ERUA values : Creativity, Execution, and Aesthetic, Engagement, Relevance, Uniqueness, and Authenticity values ;
• Relevance to the exhibition’s theme and specific topics ;
• Originality and artistic merit ;
• Adherence to submission guidelines ;
• Artist CV ;
• Artwork Submission ;
• Consent Form.

Submit your artwork here : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc1a8IGc3Y3NGMUzkPtmAgWBVIfhZjriqmVvgVi2Dmp3u3dWg/viewform