Evaluating art for social change: the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project and the Los Angeles Poverty Department in relationship to Tania Bruguera’s concept of Arte Útil; Evaluating art for social change: the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project and the Los Angeles Poverty Department in relationship to Tania Bruguera’s concept of Arte Util

This thesis analyzes Tania Brugueria's concept of Arte Útil, a framework for identifying and evaluating artwork that creates socio-political change. In the nascent field of social practice, Bruguera's concept offers a valuable framework that addresses the social, ethical, and practical issues associated with this particular sub-genre of art. This thesis critiques Arte Útil's eight criteria as identified by the Asociación de Arte Útil, and applies the framework to artwork created by the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project and the Los Angeles Poverty Department. The Anti-Eviction Mapping Project and the Los Angeles Poverty Department are community-based arts collectives using art to advocate for affordable housing and homeless services. The Los Angeles Poverty Department is a theater group comprised of resident living in Skid Row, and the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project develops interactive digital maps. Both collectives incorporate storytelling into their practices in an effort to reshape dominant cultural narratives about homelessness and displacement.