Art Forces

INTERFAITH PILGRIMAGE FOR PALESTINE Photos from todays final art-making build to. prepare. SILWAN EYES: This year our signs are made with an image from Silwan murals in occupied Jerusalem; the Eyes of the Blind Man Who Consented to be Given Sight by Jesus. I Witness Silwan (iwitnesssilwan.org) is a public art project in support of the resistance to the expulsion of the Palestinian residents of Silwan, occupied Jerusalem. Murals depicting the eyes of local and international leaders, activists, workers, and more, are scattered across the hills of Silwan and can be seen from miles away. “The staring eyes say to people that we see them and they should see us too…we want to say that we are here — we love our land and our home.”- Jawad Siyam, Director of Madaa-Silwan Creative Center Many hands made 500 hand sewn, screenprinted and painted prayer scarves for those walking in the Pilgrimage.  Join us May 9 for a 12-mile pilgrimage through Oakland — walking in public to call for an end to military cargo shipments from Oakland to Israel. Across faith traditions, we proclaim: Divest from war. Invest in life. Step by step, we carry our grief, our prayers, and our hope. This pilgrimage builds on the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages of 2024 and Oakland’s Right of Return Pilgrimage in 2025. In year three, we renew our call for an immediate arms embargo — locally and nationally. May 9, 2026 8AM - 7PM Oakland, CA 12 miles (join for any leg of the journey or all 12 miles--schedule-route and registration at im4humanintegrity.org

“Redefining Home: Where the Memory Lies,” a multimedia art installation exploring the connection to land and home in Palestine and beyond, will open to the public at 3 PM in the Art Forces Peacemaker Gallery (upstairs in the Labor Temple - 119 ½ Capitol Way N. Olympia, WA). From 4-7 PM there will be a chance to chat with the artists and connect with local organizations at The Brotherhood Lounge (downstairs from the Peacemaker Gallery), with more art, music, and beverage specials to enjoy! 50% of all Brotherhood sales between 4 - 7 PM will benefit Gaza relief projects organized by The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice. @artforces @thebrotherhoodlounge

Spring Arts Walk 2025 Last weekend, The Rachel Corrie Foundation, Art Forces and the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project (ORSMP) hosted a celebration of solidarity, perseverance and coalition-building with support from a broad range of organizations represented in the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural. The Palestinian concept of صمود (sumud or “steadfastness”) was the weekend’s underlying theme. Throughout Arts Walk weekend, Visions of Grief and Hope, an interactive art installation by Diana Fakhoury and Brady Black, was displayed in front of the mural. In their words, “This collaborative work is an expression of collective grief and hope—a journey moving through tragedy and remembrance to hope and resilience.” The community was invited to contribute messages of their own to the installation.

This Spring Arts Walk, the Art Forces Peacemaker Gallery in Olympia will be exhibiting a series of original darkroom photographs of children in Jenin, c.1990.

LECTURE: Dr. Susan Greene, International Muralist & Psychologist From Palestine to Turtle Island: Murals as Cultural Resistance in Critical Times Thursday. April 24, 12 – 1:30 p.m. Evergreen State College, Purce Hall 1 In this presentation Susan Greene will discuss Art Forces' projects including the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project in Olympia WA and I Witness Silwan in occupied Jerusalem. Her artwork can be found at  and

Join the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice (RCF), Art Forces, and the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project (ORSMP), during Arts Walk weekend for a celebration of solidarity, perseverance, and coalition-building. With support from the broad range of organizations represented in the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural, we will reflect on the Palestinian concept صمود (sumud or “steadfastness”), and how artistic expression can foster resilience within our communities. Throughout Arts Walk weekend, Visions of Grief and Hope, an interactive art installation by Diana Fakhoury and Brady Black, will be displayed in front of the mural. In their words, “This collaborative work is an expression of collective grief and hope—a journey moving through tragedy and remembrance to hope and resilience.” The community will be invited to contribute messages of their own to the installation. On the second floor of the adjacent Labor Temple building, RCF and the Art Forces Peacemaker Gallery will be exhibiting Shoshana Cohen’s original collection of photographs depicting the day-to-day lives of youth living under occupation in the West Bank during the 1980s and 90s. Palestinian crafts and Artisan olive oil from Canaan Palestine will be available for purchase. #artswalk #olympiadowntown

“We Will Remain” Mural, painted by @witness_silwan and @artforces , in conjunction with @palestinianyouthmovement . “It is dedicated to the 6 freedom fighters who escaped from the heavily fortified Gilboa prison after digging a tunnel from their cell to outside the prison wall.” @iwitness_silwan #art #artgallery #artist #mural #murals #graffiti #graffitiart #flower

🚨2 DAYS LEFT TO BID ON ART FOR GAZA🚨 @artforces virtual Art 4 Gaza Auction ends THIS WEDNESDAY! There are a variety of pieces you can choose from, including those shown above. The art ranges from prints to jewelry to ceramics and beyond. You can bid NOW until January 15th at bit.ly/ART4GAZA (link in bio). All proceeds from the sale of the auctioned art pieces benefit the Middle East Children’s Alliance, a nonprofit organization currently supporting emergency assistance, medical supplies, and children’s programming for families in Gaza.

🖼️ART 4 GAZA AUCTION EXTENDED🖼️
 @artforces has extended their Art 4 Gaza Auction until January 15! You can bid on the pieces above and many more at bit.ly/ART4GAZA (Link in Bio)! All proceeds from the sale of the auctioned art pieces benefit the Middle East Children’s Alliance, a nonprofit organization currently supporting emergency assistance, medical supplies, and children’s programming for families in Gaza. The auction will be held virtually and you can bid on pieces NOW! The donated art includes paintings, prints, jewelry, ceramics, and more.
 If you are an artist and would like to donate to this auction, do so at bit.ly/ART4GAZA-donate.

🚨 THE FINAL STRETCH TO ONE MILLION: Art 4 Gaza Virtual Auction is now OPEN! Bid on original pieces of art by December 15th: bit.ly/ ARTAGAZA This auction is part of “The People Stand with Gaza” fundraising campaign for MECA- The Middle East Children’s Alliance. So far, 971,000 USD has been raised towards the $1million goal! Our goal is to raise $25,000 through this auction by December 15th. All proceeds go to the fundraising campaign. Can you help us get there? 🚨 PARTICIPATE HERE: bit.ly/ART4GAZA Are you an artist and would like to DONATE a piece of artwork in any and all mediums to be auctioned? 🚨 DONATE ART TO THE AUCTION HERE: bit.ly/ ART4GAZA-donate

Help raise $100,000,000 for Gaza! The Art 4 Gaza Virtual Auction is now OPEN! Bid on original pieces of art by December 15th: bit.ly/ART4GAZA [link in bio] This auction is part of “The People Stand with Gaza” fundraising campaign for MECA- The Middle East Children’s Alliance. So far, $521,756.74 has been raised towards the $1million goal! Our goal is to raise $25,000 through this auction by December 15th. All proceeds go to the fundraising campaign. Can you help us get there? bit.ly/ART4GAZA [link in bio] Are you an artist and would like to DONATE a piece of artwork in any and all mediums to be auctioned? Donate here: bit.ly/ART4GAZA-donate [link in bio] 
More information about the campaign and the Middle East Children’s Alliance: We have passed the one-year mark for genocide in Gaza. A coalition of Palestinian and solidarity organizations has launched The People Stand with Gaza, an international fundraiser in partnership with MECA. The campaign aims to provide the people of Gaza with daily essentials like hot meals, drinkable water, hygiene kits, and warm clothes. MECA has already been on the ground working with local teams for the past 12 months, successfully delivering tons of aid to the people of Gaza. Learn more at . Each work of art in the auction has been donated, and 100% of the proceeds go to the Middle East Children’s Alliance for The People Stand With Gaza Campaign. The People Stand with Gaza fundraising campaign was launched by a wide coalition of organizations, including the Palestinian Youth Movement, US Palestinian Community Network, Palestinian Feminist Collective, National Students for Justice in Palestine, Al Awda PRRC, The People’s Forum, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Palestinian Assembly for the Liberation of Palestine, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, Arab Resource and Organizing Center, and the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network.

Decades in the making, months of painting, hundreds of volunteer hours and The Sumud Mural Project is complete! Please join us Sunday 13 October to celebrate the completion of the mural project and the grand opening of the new community space it adorns.