ARC Exhibit Notice 3/00

TO: The Public & the Press

January 1st, 2000

For Immediate Release: Contact Chris Drew 773/561-7676

Arts Group Asks for Help
in Fighting Hatred

"Art of the T-shirt" artists invite Chicagoans to help spark an international discussion supporting cultural diversity and an examination of racism through an on-line art exhibit and contest. Throw-out those Y2K jitters and real-time over to the ARC Gallery, 1040 W. Huron, Friday January 7^th, 5:00-8:00pm. There, the "Art of the T-shirt" artists will preview ART-ACT, an on-line international Anti-Racist T-shirt Art Contest Tour. You can help jump-start a planetary discussion of the value of cultural diversity and issues of racism as inspired by the artwork displayed.

The Uptown Multi-Cultural Art Center built the "Art of the T-shirt" exhibit series by showing in public libraries throughout the 1990's. It became Chicago's most diverse community artist group exhibiting regularly because it is un-juried. This exhibit series enters its twelfth year. The "Screen Print Workshop for Artists" that grew out of the "Art of the T-shirt" has introduced many local artists to an affordable means of printing their art on T-shirts. Now, through ART-ACT, we can with the public's help, extend our program world-wide on our website.

Art exhibited at ARC's B2 Gallery will show a sampling of the diversity of artists shown in the "Art of the T-shirt" over the years. The visitor will see both traditional artwork and T-shirt art by the artists. Over the years - due to the diversity of artists participating - many designs printed by artists in our "Screen Print Workshop for Artists" relate to ART-ACT's anti-racist/pro-diversity theme. This work will be featured.

This body of work is the starting collection for ART-ACT to which we invite artists world-wide to add their designs. Artists may send their designs by e-mail or by traditional mail. On-line at www.art-teez.org/x_racist.htm further details on this contest can be found along with links to the art already submitted. Below each artwork on-line is a comment section where we publish comments by viewers with the goal of building a discussion of the issues presented in the art. At the ARC exhibit the public will be encouraged to jump-start these discussions by adding their comments on return mailers sporting ART-ACT images that are intended to ignite their thoughts. Those comments returned will be published below the art they refer to on our website. When viewers see others break the ice by discussing issues of racism and diversity below the artwork - they will join in.

Start the Millennium out on a positive note. Help Chicago lead the fight against hatred and support diversity with a visit to ARC Gallery on Friday. Publish your thoughts on-line and have fun Gallery hopping at a time when many art shows are opening at the same time.