Artivists (artist + activist) use their artistic talents to fight against HIV stigma and discrimination – by any medium necessary. For HIV Stigmafighter, arts is a vehicle for social change. Through arts we are not only able to capture what matters in our HIV community, we are also able to influences it by building experiences, changing opinions, and instilling values.
Many of our arts projects merge our commitment to fight HIV stigma with our voice, body, lens, brush, and our imagination. Over the years we have engaged in many projects as the lead or co-creator. Below you will find a selection of arts-based social impacts projects:
In 2020, we started a series of HIV Pozcards as another way to encourage PLWHIV and our allies to fight HIV stigma and discrimination. The series has now grown into a sizeable collection of inspiring pictures and poems.
Dreaming of and realising new things in live will help us to feel positive, stay motivated and inspired. What if we would capture these exciting thoughts, dreams and desires? And display them as a daily reminder of our goals in life to grow up positively with HIV?
Through our dragtivism as Eric The Dragking we inspire and empower people living with HIV and our HIV allies to help us in our fight against HIV stigma and discrimination. Dragtivism allows Eric the Dragking to dance HIV and AIDS stigma away so we can grow up positively and embrace who we are, and show that we are much stronger than the tiny virus.
PrEP for all is a powerful pathway towards an HIV and AIDS free World. Yet, how can we dream of ending HIV & AIDS by 2030 when women, especially those with a migrant background, are still ignored in prevention programs? PrEP diversity is our answer to making sure that we bring PreP to the people that need it most!
We are the proud initiators and co-creators of Stories of Hope. This is an on-going journey together with the global HIV community to capture the moving stories of PLWHIV with a migrant background about their struggle to overcome HIV stigma and how their talents helped them to open up and grow into the HIV community icons that they are today.
We transformed HIV stigmafighter’s story of living over twenty years with HIV into a bespoke performance called ‘Urugendo – a HIV journey’. The performance is tailored to various audiences, from online forum intermezzos and short videos to live performances for (HIV and health) conference crowds. For an example see an online performance for the HIV2020 conference in Mexico.
We are founding partners of Inyambo Stars, a registered local youth group in Gihanga, Burundi. The group aims to develop their talents and work with the community to break stigma. Each year on World AIDS day we help to provide a platform to Inyambo Stars and other young talents to show their amazing skills whilst raising awareness about HIV and stigma. In 2023 we proudly supported the fourth edition of their ‘fight HIV stigma talent show’.
Join us!
If you are a person living with HIV or an artist and passionate to work with and advocate for the HIV community, or if you are an organisation that would like to learn more about HIV artivism, get in touch with us!
We are always looking for collabs with other creative people. If you are interested to work with us or provide resources for our team, we are happy to discuss collaboration possibilities with you.
HIV stigmafighter 