September 2016 5 3
D
epressing as the US election may be for pro-
gressives at least it's spawning some
spirited political art from which the rest of
us can learn.
For example ‘Indecline’ went viral when it
erected guerrilla statues overnight of a naked Donald
Trump, in several US cities. Each bore the title, ‘The
Emperor has no Balls’. Though that much is clear from
the works (see right).
Arts and culture grasped an immediate relevance in
offering a provocative perspective on electoral politics.
Less noticed, but still indicative of a desire to heal the
splintered resistance, and broker the solidarity that an
effective civil society must embody, is the ‘United
States Department of Arts and Culture’ (USDAC). It ini-
tiated a ‘Super PAC’ for the forthcoming election.
In mainstream US politics, Super Political Action
Committees (PACs) are used to funnel millions of dol-
lars into election campaigns. These PACs can’t make
direct contributions to candidate campaigns or parties.
However, they can engage in unlimited political spend-
ing independently of the campaigns. They can raise
funds from individuals, corporations, unions, and other
groups without any legal limit on donation size.
The ‘United States Department of Arts and Culture’
(USDAC) plays with the rhetoric of a Federal agency or
think tank. It is the engine room for a grassroots action
network. Its work is about inciting creativity and social
imagination to shape a culture of empathy, equity and
belonging. It organises at local and national levels and
works with artists and community members to address
social issues. It seeks to promote programmes and poli-
cies that move art and culture from the margins to the
centre of civil society.
USDAC aims to power democracy with mass artistic
creativity. It has garnered cross-community and cross-
generation traction. Over 170 communities signed up
to host events and share stories online in a collective
national self-portrait. Cultural Agents are recruited to
organize and host ‘Imaginings’, art-steeped community
events that have included more than 3000 people. Vol-
unteers come from a pool of 4,500 Citizen Artists. Over
10,000 people have been part of USDAC events in 40
states since late 2013.
The USDAC ‘Super PAC’ doesn’t have anything to do
with the political spending of the PACs. Its ‘Super PAC’
is a Super Participatory Arts Coalition that nurtures
high-impact, low-infrastructure models for building a
creative community. It promotes participatory public
projects that activate agency, inspire meaningful dia-
logue, and embody community and equity. These
projects could disrupt narratives of hatred. In the midst
of a hugely volatile election cycle, they serve as a
reminder of what democracy looks like.
One of ten models chosen for the Super PAC came
from a proposal by 'Les Agents Provocateurs' which
choreographs flash-mobs to challenge consumerism
and reclaim public space. Their plan is to create the
same flash-mob performance simultaneously in twenty
different cities worldwide. The performance is dancing
riot police – they assemble in a public space in riot for-
mation and break into a kind of ‘Chorus Line’ movement,
something that resonates for many in our fractious
world. Broadway meets the official use of force.
Another is ‘Democracy Uncut: A Hearable Dialogue
on Race and Social Justice’, a filmmaking technique was
used to create meaningful media channels to deal with
traditionally polarising topics. This is built on the idea
that democracy works best with conversation, which is
preferable to riots or tank warfare. It tries to take some
of the toughest topics and find ways to bridge the gap
between two starkly opposing groups.
It has adopted a technique called ‘Question Bridge’
to pose questions, videoing one group at a time, and
then letting the opposing group view those questions
and reply on video. You take out the noise, the clutter
that happens when you get two opposing groups talk-
ing at the same time. It ends up with a dialogue you can
clearly hear.
Finally Sara Taliaferro’s ‘Buffalo Commons Un-Voting
Fair’, again for USDAC, is a playful pop-up fair with mes-
sages for public officials, historic re-enactments, hugs,
zines, and more. There is an ‘un-voting booth’ where
you can talk, write, or make art about why you do or
don’t vote.
The anatomy of democracy in the US has congealed
and encrusted. Old mechanisms for participation and
meaningful discourse are no longer available. Creativ-
ity, arts and culture are evoking new ways to engage.
Ireland should emulate.
Ed Carroll is the Blue Drum convenor
The Emperor
has no balls
The arts incite an exciting and
participative politics in the US
The ‘United States
Department of
Arts and Culture’
aims to power
democracy with
mass artistic
creativity
by Ed Carroll
No balls

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