This year, the political science one credit courses taught by Dr. Niall Michelsen are teaming up with Professor Marie Cochran and Julia Boisseau of the School of Art and Design to make Art the Vote posters. The top three posters will be displayed in the library through the month of October where students can go and vote on their favorite.
Art the Vote will hopefully motivate students to go to the polls on Election Day. Art the Vote is non-partisan, student-produced posters on issues ranging from women’s rights, racism, AIDS, environmental and health concerns to literacy, civil justice and tolerance.
The goal is to draw people in, get them interested in an issue and vote. Art the Vote posters are in no way trying to influence liberal or conservative political agendas but are merely used as encouragement to do research regarding controversial topics. The advocacy posters are used to inspire, fuel and ultimately bring about social change.
Critics may say posters are ineffective due to the far reaching impacts of multimedia, but one could argue that there is no better way to voice an opinion about a topic than an in-your-face, artfully crafted poster. Televisions and radios can be tuned out or shut off. E-mails are generally not made public, and internet ads can and will be ignored. Advocacy posters have succeed in triggering emotions for decades, and they are here to stay. The eye-catching posters can be made using any form of graphic art available; this way, even the artist least skilled in traditional forms of art can participate.
Art the Vote only has two restrictions: only a single issue is to be addressed on the poster, and that all symbols must be non-partisan.
The most popular poster will be selected from the three finalists on display at the Hunter Library entrance through Nov. 6. Viewers are invited to send a text message to cast their vote.
Have you registered to vote today? If not, you can register at the Western Carolina University Public Policy Institute.