Quilt for Change – What We Do

Inspiring social change through the art of quilting

One World Hand in Hand by Paulette Peters

Quilt for Change raises awareness on global issues that affect women and empowers American quilters to become agents for social change. Working with the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva and partner organizations we create themed quilt challenge exhibitions which are displayed at the United Nations and tour major quilt festivals in the U.S. The exhibitions are a forum for fiber artists not only from the U.S. and Canada but also around the world. Our partnership with The Advocacy Project in our latest exhibition included quilts from Bosnia and the Democratic Republic of Congo – highlighting their phenomenal global work to use quilting as a therapy tool and as a means to give a voice to the voiceless.

Siempre Esperanza by Jennifer Day

In 2011 Quilt for Change partnered with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to create a quilt challenge on Women, Peace and Security. The exhibit includes 20 art quilts from the U.S., Canada and Iran and represents a call for solidarity of the women of the world to defend and protect women in times of conflict and to empower women to be active agents in the peace process. Under the sponsorship of the UNFPA and the United States Mission to the UN in Geneva the exhibit opened at the United Nations in Geneva in March 2011 and will debut in the American quilt world at the International Quilt Market and Festival in Houston in the fall of 2012 and then travel with Mancuso Quilt Festivals. To learn more about this exhibit click here.

Stop Malaria Now by Chieko McDowell

In our first international quilt challenge we partnered with the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. The theme was the battle against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. After an exhibition at the U.N. in Geneva in 2009, the 17 quilts toured with Mancuso Quilt Festivals at seven regional quilt shows across the U.S. in 2010. The quilts will be auctioned online in July 2012 with the proceeds going to the Global Fund. Watch this site for more info on how to donate a quilt to the auction. To learn more about the exhibit click here.

To view quilts and artist statement from both exhibits, click on the link “Women, Peace and Security Quilts” or “Global Fund Quilts” in the upper right hand corner of this web site.

Quilt for Change keeps a list of national and international charity quilt projects. If you or your guild are looking for a project to help make the world a better place, go to Quilt for Social Change (above). If you would like to suggest a project or organization for inclusion in our list, please email us at quiltforchange@me.com.

Watch this space for announcements of new quilt challenges!


 

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