MEDIA ADVISORY FOR: Saturday, December 12, 2015

CONTACT: Michele Setteducato, 732-614-3818, michele@fitzgibbonmedia.com

Kayla Keller, 281-682-6212, kayla@fitzgibbonmedia.com

Amnesty International USA’s Art for Amnesty Hosts Innovative Human Rights Art Exhibit

Artists Paint Murals to Highlight Human Rights Abuses

NEW ORLEANS, LA - On Saturday, December 12, thousands of people are expected to join Amnesty International USA’s Art for Amnesty for Art for Rights – a one-day, free, pop-up art event, in New Orleans, to bring attention to human rights abuses happening all over the world.

Through a partnership with New Orleans artist Brandan "BMike" Odums, 12 artists will highlight the stories of 12 different human rights cases around the world through art and creative installations. Each artist will be creating a mural that represents a human rights case selected by Amnesty International, calling attention to issues such as prolonged solitary confinement, torture, forced marriage, forced eviction, imprisonment for a miscarriage, LGBTI rights, the death penalty, enforced disappearance and prisoners of conscience. One of the murals will feature Albert Woodfox, the Louisiana native who has been held in solitary confinement for more than 40 years.

Alongside the murals, installations are also planned as well as programs featuring musical and spoken word performances, children’s activities and New Orleans style food trucks.

WHAT: An art cultivation and exhibit hosted by Art for Amnesty and Amnesty International USA

WHO: Artists Brandan "BMike" Odums, Alexandre Keto, Bayunga Kialeuka, Brian "BK" Kirhagis,, Douglas Miles, Hebru Brantley, Jessica "J Hand" Strahan, Jerome Lagarrigue, Katie Yamasaki, Kristy Sandoval, Ricky Lee Gordon, Sophia Dawson, Baz Dreisinger, Hank Willis Thomas, Jesse Krimes, Ron Therin

WHEN:

Media Preview: Friday, December 11^th, 2015

Art for Rights: Saturday December 12^th, 2015, 10am – 6pm CST

WHERE: Studio Be, 2925-2999 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA

Art for Rights is part of Amnesty’s Write for Rights campaign, which runs from December 4 - 18.  During that time hundreds of thousands of Amnesty International members and supporters around the world will send letters, emails and tweets supporting individuals who are facing human rights abuses.

In 2014, hundreds of thousands of people in more than 200 countries and territories participated in Write for Rights, sending 3,245,565 messages offering support or calling for action on the cases of 12 individuals and communities experiencing human rights abuses. More than a million messages have been sent in support of jailed Saudi Arabian blogger Raif Badawi since the campaign first raised his case. This year, Raif Badawi’s lawyer, Waleed Abu al-Khair, is one of the 12 cases.

If you would like to speak with any of the artists, AIUSA Executive Director Steven W. Hawkins or National Director of Art for Amnesty at Amnesty International USA, Marvin Bing, please contact Michele Setteducato at michele@fitzgibbonmedia.com or Kayla Keller at kayla@fitzgibbonmedia.com.

For more information on Art for Rights, go to: http://write.amnestyusa.org/artforrights

To learn more about Art for Amnesty, go to: http://www.amnestyusa.org/about-us/art-for-amnesty

Follow Art for Amnesty on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook  and Tumblr.

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