Inauguration: Acts of Resistance, Acts of Kindness and the Launch of The Civility Project

Minneapolis, MN, January 05, 2017 --(PR.com)-- Susan Hensel Gallery Re-Opens January 20 for a One Night Community Event:
Inauguration: Acts of Resistance, Acts of Kindness and the launch of The Civility Project

Susan Hensel Gallery, 3441 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, is re-opening for the evening of the presidential inauguration, January 20, for Inauguration: Acts of Resistance, Acts of Kindness, from 6-10pm.

The history of Susan Hensel Gallery is one of community-based events that tend toward political activism. The gallery opened in the election year of 2004 with shows that dealt with electoral politics, the war in Iraq, dreams for peace. Susan retired from gallery work several years ago to return to studio practice.

Artists, such as Susan Hensel herself, Kurt Seaburg and Patricia Olson, among others, were invited to exhibit any artwork that they believed spoke to the times. Poets, musicians and dancers were also invited.

The evening is planned to be a wide ranging, family friendly event, that will include the opportunity to exhibit protest art; make and take yard signs that support a more positive focus; make and take buttons to remind people to "remember another way" that does not include misogyny, xenophobia and bigotry and, of course, there will be food. It is a potluck!

Civility Project

This evening is the first community action and the launch of The Civility Project.

The Civility Project, a nascent, national initiative, is artfully designed to help build communities and restore civil discourse.

Community building and civil response, regardless of political belief, will be encouraged through:

•Local and national distribution of artwork that encourages non-violent communication
•Opportunities for gathering and conversation
•Networking across the United States with others who long for peace and civility in their neighborhoods and governmental units.

The Civility Project is designed to support free speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, the unfettered right to vote and encourages non-violent language especially in areas of disagreement.

The Civility Project promotes understanding between opposing groups through the encouragement of story sharing and deep listening.

The Civility Project will produce new initiatives approximately every two months or as needed. It will create local events for community building and will create distribution networks to distribute tools that will support a return to civil conversation. The Civility Project says, "Let's Talk. Across tribal lines. Let's talk, even in frustration, without name calling. Let's talk and let's really listen. If we can hear each other, understand each other, recognize each other's needs, we might be able to live in harmony again. We would no longer be winners or losers, haters or lovers. We would be just people who share a common humanity, who agree and disagree, but are willing to build communities of understanding."