Students have established the “ReliefArtists” website that features numerous pieces for sale. Artists donate their work that varies from pottery to paintings.
“It provides a way for students to use their artistic talents to benefit the people of Darfur and Northern Uganda,” says Dave Johnson, who is leading the campaign. In addition to selling their work online, the students show their work from 7-11 p.m. Fridays at the Mars Gallery in Chicago.
Online buyers can purchase the art using a credit card or the online Paypal system. Students hope to raise $20,000 by the end of 2006, Johnson says. The campaign is being conducted under the auspices of University Ministries. All sales proceeds will be sent to relief organizations.
Students began organizing ReliefArtists earlier this year, says Johnson. He adds they also will host concerts and show films to raise additional money as well as public awareness of the needs and concerns in Darfur and Northern Uganda.
Johnson hopes to work with professors so that student projects can be used for ReliefArtists. He also will share the idea and encourage participation from professors at other schools. The students are encouraging other organizations to link to ReliefArtists on their MySpace, Xanga and Facebook websites.
According to the United Nations, 3.5 million people in Darfur, Sudan, are now hungry. An estimated 2.5 million have been displaced due to violence, and 400,000 people have died. In Uganda, almost two million people have been displaced with 25,000 children abducted during 20 years of civil war. One quarter of the children in northern Uganda over ten years of age have lost one or both parents, statistics show.
To visit the art website, please see ReliefArtists. To learn more about the initiative, contact Johnson by email at djohnson5@northpark.edu.
