The term artivism in US English has its roots in a 1997 gathering of Chicano artists from East Los Angeles and the Zapatistas in Chiapas, Mexico.
In many cases artivists attempt to push political agendas by the means of art, but a focus on raising awareness of social, environmental, and technological problems is also common.
[citation needed] Besides using traditional mediums like film and music to raise awareness or push for change, an artivist can also be involved in culture jamming, subvertising, street art, spoken word, protesting, and activism.
The artivist knows that to make an observation is to have an obligation.The impact of artivism vs. conventional activism was tested in a public scientific experiment in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2018.
[9] The Inaugural Global Artivism Conference took place in Tshwane, South Africa, from September 5-8, 2024. Notable artivists and self-identified artist-activists include: Artivists often work in interdisciplinary collectives that are stand-alone' or operate as a creative part of the greater activist groups, such as Gran Fury of AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP).