ART for FREEDOM
As America recognizes its 250th anniversary, Art for Freedom is deploying powerful images created by renowned artist Shepard Fairey to celebrate the First Amendment freedoms that shape and uphold our democracy.
Through bold imagery and public participation, we invite people across the country to reflect on what freedom means to them and why protecting our shared rights matters.
DEFEND YOUR
FREEDOMS
Three original works by Shepard Fairey, each honor a First Amendment freedom. Download a poster, share across your channels, and add your voice.
Freedom of the Press
The impactful visuals of the power of the pen and printing press recognize the importance of a free press that seeks the truth and shares the stories of American life to inform our citizens, and strengthen our democracy. Together, these symbols seek to honor the journalists who write the first draft of our nation’s history and serve as reminders of the enduring value of the written word.
Freedom of Speech
The Statue of Liberty, one of our nation’s most iconic landmarks, stands tall to raise her voice and embrace our nation’s flag. This globally recognized image, paired with a megaphone and patriotic imagery, calls on the audience to exercise their right to speak out and uphold the freedoms that sustain civic life. Democracy requires a multitude of voices and perspectives which are only truly enabled when free speech is protected.
Freedom of Assembly
To celebrate American leaders who bring our nation together, the Freedom of Assembly artwork draws inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech during the 1963 March on Washington. This image seeks to inspire ordinary citizens to see themselves as active participants, not just spectators, who hold the power to uphold our freedoms and strengthen our democracy. Peaceful assembly is a critical demonstration of power to the people and a physical manifestation of commitment to a cause.
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ART IN ACTION
Art for Freedom is using art to help spark reflection, conversation, and civic engagement around the freedoms that allow communities to exercise our rights.
We invite individuals, organizations, and communities to join us by sharing the artwork to convey why these freedoms matter and what they make possible in their lives and across our nation. Join us by sharing the art and reflect: what does freedom mean to you?
SHEPARD FAIREY
For more than three decades, Shepard Fairey has used art to explore the relationship between power, civic engagement, and public life from his iconic OBEY GIANT campaign to the widely recognized HOPE poster and the “We the People” series that debuted at the 2017 Women’s March creating images that encourage people to look more closely at the ideas, institutions, and values that shape society, with work appearing in museums and public spaces around the world, reflecting a career dedicated to making art accessible beyond traditional galleries and bringing important civic conversations into everyday life.
Created in recognition of America’s 250th anniversary, this series examines the enduring significance of the freedoms of speech, press, and assembly in a democratic society, drawing on both national symbols and contemporary civic themes to highlight the people who exercise these rights every day, and at a moment when many Americans feel divided from one another and disconnected from public institutions, the series uses art as a unifying force, inviting audiences to consider how these freedoms connect us, how they shape our shared future, and why each generation has a responsibility to uphold them.
