Celebrating Independence through Art and Activism
In 2014, people around the world will celebrate the Independence Days of 59 countries through a series of simply executed celebrations that convey a great appreciation for cultures other than their own. It is part of a community based project created by artists and activists Heather Layton and Brian Bailey ‘09W (PhD).
Layton, an artist and senior lecturer in Art and Art History at the University of Rochester, and Bailey, associate professor of Adolescence Education at Nazareth College, have a long history of creating socially engaging art that benefits the community.
ON VIDEO: Heather Layton and Brian Bailey discuss the 59 Days of Independence project.
Through their latest project, 59 Days of Independence, they are inviting people of all ages, professions, and nationalities to celebrate the independence days of 59 countries that gained freedom from British colonization.
So far, the grassroots effort has grabbed the attention of people on six continents who have participated in more than 30 celebrations, including a city-wide poetry contest, flying flags, elementary school sporting events, and calls to prayer.
“By recognizing someone else’s independence, you’re showing that you care about his or her well-being in the same way you care about your own,” says Layton, who adds that the idea behind the project is to promote “freedom for all, not just for me.”
Layton and Bailey see the project as a stance against colonization in all forms, including that which is based upon race, class, religion, gender, and nationality.
Their previous projects include Home Drone, a multimedia exhibit that challenged the U.S. government’s drone program.
“You don’t have to be an artist to participate and no act is too great or too small,” says Bailey. “Whether it’s wearing another country’s colors to work or taking time out to cook a traditional meal from another country.”
According to Bailey, plans are currently underway for celebrations like a dart tournament in Nagaland in honor of Egypt, and an arts festival in Fullerton, California, in honor of Pakistan.
As of July 1, 40 of the 59 independence days, including the U.S., Canada, Egypt, and Pakistan have yet to take place. And there’s no limit as to how many people can celebrate a country.
In 2012, Layton and Bailey were named “citizen diplomats” by the U.S. Department of State for their body of work, which includes art installations designed to challenge assumptions about urban gun violence, fear of other cultures, and the prevalence of consumer culture.
Right now they are continuing to spread the word and are looking for more people to take part in the project. Celebrations began in January of this year and will continue through December 2014.
To participate, read the guidelines accompanying the adjacent list of countries. Contact Layton or Bailey with questions or for more information.
Join in! Pick a country (not your own), plan any type of celebration for that country on its Independence Day, and document it on the project’s Facebook page.
January
1st Australia
1st Sudan (now Sudan + South Sudan)
4th Myanmar/Burma
31st Nauru
February
4th Sri Lanka
7th Grenada
18th The Gambia
22nd Saint Lucia
23rd Brunei
25th Kuwait
March
6th Ghana
12th Mauritius
April
18th Zimbabwe
27th Sierra Leone
27th South Africa
May
25th Jordan
26th Guyana
June
4th Tonga
29th Seychelles
July
1st Canada
1st Somalia
4th United States
6th Malawi
7th Solomon Islands
10th Bahamas
12th Kiribati
22nd Maldives
23rd Egypt
30th Vanuatu
August
6th Jamaica
14th Pakistan
15th India
19th Afghanistan
31st Malaysia
31st Trinidad & Tobago
September
6th Swaziland
19th Saint Kitts and Nevis
21st Belize
21st Malta
30th Botswana
October
1st Cyprus
1st Nigeria
1st Tuvalu
3rd Iraq (from the League of Nations under British)
4th Lesotho
9th Uganda
10th Fiji
24th Zambia
27th Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
November
1st Antigua and Barbuda
3rd Dominica
30th Barbados
30th Yemen
December
2nd United Arab Emirates
6th Ireland
9th Tanzania
12th Kenya
16th Bahrain
18th Qatar
