Civic Studies:The University as Civic Catalyst, an International Research Conference (2021) Convened with the Support of the American Educational Research Association (AERA)—Art Activism as a Civic Catalyst

The article considers two examples of civic agency. The first is the example of Artist Proof Studio (APS), a community arts and printmaking organization based in Johannesburg, South Africa. APS aims to enable students to co-create their education for personal flourishing and broader public purposes and models itself as an “active citizen” in its institutional mission. The second example of civic agency is a community engagement project based at the University of Johannesburg in partnership with an informal settlement community and a group of waste reclaimers who established a childcare center from reclaimed materials. I argue that civic partnerships require more than service-learning and collaboration to embed a socially and environmentally responsible mission. Higher education and training requires closer links to livelihoods, combining commitment to civically engaged work and leadership that supports just, democratic and sustainable communities.