Interference Archive exhibition series

The mission of Interference Archive is to explore the relationship between cultural production and social movements. This work manifests in an open stacks archival collection, publications, a study center, and public programs including as exhibitions, workshops, talks, and screenings, all of which encourage critical and creative engagement with the rich history of social movements.
The goal of our public exhibition and event series is to encourage community engagement with the visual culture of social movements, and to strengthen connections between communities organizing today, by providing better access to materials generated by social movements and more resources for people who visit and use our space. Many of these stories go untold in mainstream venues, whether because of lack of awareness, perceived lack of interest, or lack of support from traditional institutional decision-making bodies. At Interference Archive, we aim to re-activate history from below, engaging people in alternative narratives about themselves and the communities they live in.

We engage the public with social histories through these exhibitions by hosting related public events — film screenings, discussions, tours, and slide shows — and by inviting high school and university classes to visit the Archive and view the exhibitions.

Reflecting on our mission to empower people to understand their histories in relationship to social movements, our exhibitions allow people to see their own place within the histories depicted through the artistic production displayed on the walls, and to interact with our extensive collection of social movement culture.