Freedom to Create has always been a touchstone of MacDowell’s core vision and values. We stand in solidarity with our artist Fellows against any form of the censorship of art, including violence against art or artists. Among frequently banned and targeted titles written by MacDowell Fellows and Medalists are works of art such as Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Lois Lowry’s The Giver, Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones, James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain, and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye and Beloved.
There have always existed fearful individuals with power who have sought to destroy, suppress, edit or sanitize the creative imagination. At MacDowell we champion and uplift the creative impulse and celebrate works of art in their formative stages before entering the public realm. Artists – as imaginative risk-takers – illuminate a path forward for a society. We extol and champion their courage and talent.
Additional Links:
Go to Pen America’s research and resources page
Go to Pen America’s Tip Sheet for Students
Go to The National Coalition Against Censorship web page
