Get out, get art, get informed–then, vote!

This Thursday kicks off the Voting Machine, “a multimedia collaboration of Houston-based arts organizations seeking to ignite healthy debate and mobilize the city towards participation in democracy and voting. This series of art programs explores issues of globalization, alternate economies, immigration, marginalized communities, and voting trends.”

Whether you’re politically liberal, conservative, or somewhere in-between, these events are for you. The point isn’t to slam you with rhetoric or convince you to vote for a certain party or candidate–it’s to get you to THINK, to DISCUSS, and to VOTE. Houston’s most cutting-edge arts organizations have come together for this, and it promises to be impressive and entertaining as well as political and educational.

Thursday’s (9/16) events include openings at DiverseWorks for activist artists Margaret Crane, Jon Winet, Carrie Moyer, and Karen Giusti. Get in on the action from 6:00-9:00 p.m.. It’s free and open to the public.

On Friday (9/17), “We the Video” juror Doug Ashford will give a lecture and screen several political PSAs made by Texans, as well as opening a discussion of activist art. The event begins at 8:00 p.m. at the Eleanor and Frank Freed Auditorium at the Glassell School of Art (that’s the building with the sculpture garden across the street from the MFAH, y’all). This event is being co-sponsored by the Glassell Core Program, Lawndale Art Center, and the Aurora Picture Show. Again, this event is free and open to the public.

Events continue through the end of October, and include an appearance by the illustrious performance artist Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping!

For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit The Voting Machine – www.votingmachine.org