This has been a momentous year. 2017 has put our institutions to the test and demanded action in the streets. Making meaning in the midst of the turmoil, we have been reimagining what civic action looks like. Working in collaboration with government and individual citizens, ZERO1 has supported artists across the globe who are applying their creativity to the challenges their communities face.

This year ZERO1 artists made art that mattered: addressing homelessness in San Jose; improving disability inclusion in Moscow; championing economic equity in Guatemala City; probing water quality in Bangkok; cultivating peace in Medellín; promoting environmental health in Phnom Penh. More than ever before, we see the importance of connecting communities directly so that we may share approaches and align our efforts.

Our work is no longer just about enhancing our capacity with technology, exploring new truths with science, and representing beauty with art. We must now also repurpose our tools, apply our knowledge, and demonstrate how art can help us envision a sustainable future. To that end, here’s what we’ve been up to, by the numbers:

6 countries were sites of creative collaboration

32 projects applied art, science, and technology to social and environmental challenges

$20,000 in small grants awarded to community led-projects

$42,300 in fees paid directly to artists

$60,480 in artist travel expenses covered

68,456 miles flown to connect artists face-to-face

28.2 tons of carbon offsets purchased

5,964 people interacted with art that opened their awareness

We’re grateful to be supported by a growing community that cares deeply about using creative tools to build engaged and vibrant communities. As we step up to new challenges in the year to come, we ask that you stand with us, and renew your commitment to art that expands our vision for what is possible.

Best,

Barbara Goldstein

Board Chair and President, ZERO1