On December 1, the Austin Peay State University Gay-Straight Alliance will sponsor Day Without Art 2006. The event will be held in front of Trahern Gallery in the Trahern Building at Austin Peay State University. The community at large is welcome to attend. Day Without Art coincides with World AIDS Day and launches each year on the first day of December. Day Without Art culminates in an annual observance that publicly unites individuals and organizations around the world on the impact of HIV/AIDS, while simultaneously fostering AIDS awareness.
A day without the art work that one is used to viewing on campus on a daily basis is a silent, yet poignant vigil to those who have died, or been infected from the disease. World AIDS Day bills itself as “one of the most successful international days with activities taking place in almost all countries at the national and local levels.” The theme for 2006, according to www.worldaidsday.org, will be: “Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise.”
In memory of those who have died from the disease, the Gay-Straight Alliance will distribute literature on AIDS and HIV awareness with current statistics readily available. Inside the gallery, a volunteer will ring a bell every ten seconds to signify when another person dies of the virus. Recent 2006 statistics for the United States from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, www.unfpa.org, indicate that while AIDS related deaths were near a low 16,000 last year, there were a landmark 1.2 million persons living with AIDS and HIV, the most ever recorded.
Complacency has spawned further apathy in recent years, especially in the Southern U.S. There has never been a greater need for Day Without Art. The goal this year: to jolt people out of their apathy and into a heightened state of action. AIDS is neither “just a gay disease,” nor is it “something that doesn’t affect us.” AIDS affects everyone, and is on the rise worldwide.
People can help by wearing AIDS ribbons, spreading the word, and supporting Nashville Cares, a lifeline for AIDS/HIV patients and awareness. This event provides an exemplary opportunity for Austin Peay students, the university community, and the Clarksville community at large to unite against the spread of HIV, and AIDS.
| IF YOU GO: | |
|---|---|
| When: | Day Without Art; Friday December 1st, from 9:00a.m. to 4:30p.m. |
| Where: | In the Trahern Building, the Art & Theater Depts., in front of Trahern Gallery, across from Trahern Theater. |
| Contact: | For more information, please contact Bruce Childs, G.S.A. Advisor at 931-221-7333; Curt Davis, G.S.A. President and Sandy Shirley, G.S.A. Treasurer. |
