Jodie Foster, Chelsea Clinton and Ava DuVernay speak at the inaugural Making Their Mark Forum in Washington, D.C. to help commemorate Women’s History Month
The program, which runs from March 5th to 7th, will coincide with the Making Their Mark Foundation’s exhibition “Making Their Mark: Works from the Shah Garg Collection” at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA).
The Forum will open its exhibition behind closed doors on March 5 at NMWA.
The next day will feature panel discussions, keynotes, and poetry readings, including a performance by artist and activist Samia Halaby and a discussion with Clinton, DuVernay, and Foster.
The keynote speech for Visionary Voices will feature a conversation between Mr. Foster and Rajendra Roy, chief curator of the Celeste Bartos Film Department at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. DuVernay will be speaking with curator Adrienne Edwards.
Mr. Clinton’s conversation with Dr. Sarah Lewis explores how culture influences policy, how personal stories can galvanize collective action, and how the arts remain essential to movements for gender equality and justice.
“Too often, what we think about history and art reflects a partial record based on who was seen, supported, and then remembered,” Clinton said Thursday. “The Making Their Mark forum and exhibition is important because it creates the conditions for lasting change, not just by expanding the frame to include and center women, but by bringing artists, organizations, and leaders into the conversation and rethinking the systems that shape culture, opportunity, and heritage.”
The Making Their Mark Foundation supports scholarship and public engagement to highlight the accomplishments and innovations of women artists. Through a wide range of projects and partnerships with educational institutions, arts organizations, and arts leaders, the Foundation works to increase the visibility of art by women and redress the underrepresentation of women in public collections, exhibitions, and art historical narratives.
“Ava, Chelsea, and Jody each bring unparalleled depth to the Making There Mark Forum as visionary champions for women not only in the arts, but in the broader culture,” said Komal Shah, founder of the Making There Mark Foundation. “Having their voices heard alongside key representatives of the art world further expands the diverse perspectives needed to drive important change and celebrate women’s excellence.”
For more information, visit maketheirmark.org or Making Their Mark on Instagram.
