The Michaëlle Jean Foundation (FMJF), the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and Youth Art Connection (YAC) are excited to launch the second edition of their Justice, Art & Youth initiative. The project invites young people aged 15-30 to create a high profile exhibition at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. It addresses justice issues, including the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools, the overrepresentation of Indigenous and African Canadian youth in the criminal justice system, intimate partner violence, and bullying of LGBTQ youth. on view through June 19, 2016.
JUSTICE, ART & YOUTH IN ACTION
The exhibition will serve as a starting point for a public forum held on Saturday, May 7 (visit the Facebook event page here). There, underserved youth will work with a variety of stakeholders to hammer out a province-wide action plan offering concrete solutions to issues raised by the artwork. Starting in 2017, a special fund will be created for local youth and community organizations to implement the action plan over a three-year period.
In its third year, this groundbreaking project has already seen hundreds of young people use arts to raise awareness about of issues of restorative justice, public safety, rehabilitation and incarceration. Thanks to a generous grant from TD Bank Group and Fred and Elizabeth Fountain, an exhibition was hosted by the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, in partnership with the Michaëlle Jean Foundation, from September 2014 through January 2015, enabling over 15,000 Canadians to obtain a unique youth perspective on justice and reconciliation.
The 2016 exhibition includes the following 11 artists selected following a call to submissions and juried process:
- Beyon wren moor
- Felipe Bonilla
- Johnathan Hiles
- Killa Mitchell-Atencio
- Martha Mutale
- Stephanie Young
- Paige Cameron (with contributions by Brittany Wilson, Sarah Paynter and Isabella LaRiviere)
- Carla McAfree
- Max Janes
- Bria Miller
4th Wall: Justice, Art & Youth is on view at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia’s Halifax location through June 19, 2016.
