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"In the months and days leading up to the transition of presidents, people all over the country shared the experience of the campaign, election, and inauguration through art."

During the campaign, election graffiti appeared all over the country and several websites celebrated art inspired by the contest. The Art of Obama website creators "seek to archive the vast amount of art works being created for/about Barack Obama." And the Obama Art Report reported daily "on the world of Barack Obama artwork, prints and auctions."

There is even a flickr group tracking election street art.

Inaugural week in DC, street vendors and small shop owners offered specialty items created by artists for the occasion: miniature paintings featuring the phrase "Be the Change", Obama-likeness felt finger puppets and refrigerator magnets, 'bama blooms, and specialty pins -- including my personal favorite: "Jump for Joy".

We're wondering – what was it about this election that generated so much creativity?

On the Monday afternoon before the inaugural ceremony, we made our way through the crowds in the streets of Georgetown to experience the MANIFESTHOPE:DC Exhibit. The exhibit's partners hosted a contest for visual artists inviting submissions of any "… creation that uses positive messaging to convey the urgency and importance of encouraging a national dialogue" about the contest's three policy themes—health care, workers' rights, and the green economy.

MANIFESTHOPE's leaders recognize the power of visual art to influence policy:

"Art plays a pivotal role in creating cultural momentum. The MANIFESTHOPE:DC Gallery celebrates that role and shines a spotlight on artists who use their voices to amplify and motivate the grassroots movement that carried President-Elect Barack Obama to victory."

And the effort is expected to continue utilizing a visual art call-to-action and working with artists to impact specific policies in the coming years. (Supporters kicked off the action with the exhibit and a party the weekend before the election.)

Other visual art exhibits took place across the country, including "Can & Did" in New York City, which opened on inauguration day and included this note in the announcement of the show:

"…the visuals connected to the Obama campaign seemed on a higher level than the political norm. Clearly the candidate and his message motivated artists and designers to do inspired work. Not surprisingly, the Obama campaign, well known for its fundraising prowess, was an active agent in the commissioning and disseminating of work."

Of course, the inaugural ceremony itself included a performance of new chamber music played by four talented classical musicians -- featuring Anthony McGill who was in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra early in his career and returns next month to play on the Linton Chamber Music Series.

New York Times music reporter Anthony Tommasini noted in a recent blog post:

"President Obama's administration was ushered in with a new chamber music work by a living American composer. Classical singers have performed for inaugurations in recent decades. But to have a new instrumental piece played was most unusual, something that should gratify classical music lovers."

Apparently, John Williams – the composer of the new music – was aware of the President's fondness for the works of American composer Aaron Copland – and the piece reflects that awareness. (Got that? Our new President has opinions about American classical music.)

Another New York Times reporter, Robin Pogrebin, pointed out in a news article:

"Much of the clamor [among arts supporters] arises from anticipation stirred by Mr. Obama's campaign remarks about the importance of the arts. One of the few candidates with an arts platform, he called for a young "artist corps" to work in low-income schools and neighborhoods; affordable health care and tax benefits for artists; and efforts at cultural diplomacy, like dispatching artist-ambassadors to other countries."
 
What will this election art mean for broader public support of the arts and new policy in the coming years? That's a good topic for future posts.