In this episode, Dr. Miranda Melcher sits down with Bora Un, the Managing Director, and Anne Schroeter, the Impact Consultant, from Art Works Project (AWP), a nonprofit dedicated to visual advocacy and human rights storytelling. Bora and Anne share their passion for visual storytelling as a tool for change and provide insights into how AWP works on various impactful projects.

Key Highlights::

• Introduction to Art Works Project (AWP): Bora and Anne explain the mission of AWP, which produces high-impact human rights campaigns through various forms of visual storytelling, including photography exhibitions, interactive websites, and large-scale public installations.

• Human Rights Through Visual Storytelling: Bora discusses how AWP’s storytelling campaigns tackle global human rights issues such as forced displacement, immigration, and migration, with particular focus on the U.S. context and sanctuary cities.

• Emerging Lens Fellowship Program: Bora explains how AWP fosters emerging storytellers from within the communities they aim to highlight, creating opportunities for long-term partnerships and professional development in the documentary field.

• Current and Future Projects: Bora and Anne give an overview of AWP’s ongoing projects, including collaborations with photographers like Oscar Castillo and Will Sands on deportation and migration, as well as a cultural preservation project by rising star Astrig Agopian.

• Strategic Decision-Making at AWP: Bora elaborates on AWP’s decision-making process when selecting project focuses, balancing thematic relevance, social impact, and resource capacity. She also discusses how AWP measures impact through collaboration with communities, photographers, and global networks.

• The Role of Impact Assessment: Anne delves into AWP’s approach to assessing the impact of its projects, using tools like surveys, community feedback, and the mentorship of emerging photographers to ensure both the personal and social benefits of their work.

Key Takeaways:

   •   AWP emphasizes long-term relationships with collaborators, photographers, and affected communities.

   •   Visual storytelling can be a powerful tool for raising awareness and creating change in human rights issues.

   •   AWP’s work goes beyond traditional documentary filmmaking to include mentorship, field guides, and best practices for other storytellers.

   •   Impact is not just about how the audience receives the work, but also how it contributes to the careers of photographers and the communities involved.

In the next episode, we’ll continue our conversation with Bora and Anne, diving deeper into specific projects and how AWP’s approach to collaboration and storytelling is improving access to justice worldwide.

Links & Resources:

   •   Art Works Project: https://www.artworksprojects.org/

   •   The Prosecutors Documentary: https://www.artworksprojects.org/our-work/the-prosecutors/

   •   Emerging Lens Fellowship Program: https://www.artworksprojects.org/emerging-lens/

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