Artivists

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who blend artistic expression with activism to advocate for social or political change
2. Creators who use their art as a tool to raise awareness and inspire action on critical issues
3. Artists engaged in promoting social justice through their creative work and public engagement

Etymology: "Artivists" is the plural of "artivist," a blend of "art" and "activist." The word joins the two parts of its meaning in one compact form: the artist who works as an activist, using creative work such as painting, performance, music or film to push for political or social change. Blends of this kind are a common way for English to coin a term for a combined role. Rather than describing someone as an artist who is also an activist, speakers merged the two nouns, letting the overlap in their sounds do the work. The result names a single figure whose art is itself the means of campaigning.

Synonyms: artist-activists, creative activists, art activists

Antonyms: apolitical artists, passive artists