Fostering positive social change through support for the arts

Echoing Dr. Martin Luther King’s belief that service is essential for strong communities, at Citizens, we serve our communities by fostering inclusion and belonging through the arts by partnering with local nonprofit museums and institutions, honoring King’s legacy on MLK Day and throughout the year.

The power of art for social change

Art has long served as a catalyst for social change, with visual art, music, theater, exhibitions, dance and cultural gatherings playing crucial roles in social justice movements.

Classic songs such as Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On? and Nina Simone’s Young, Gifted and Black unite people through shared understanding. From playwrights like Lorraine Hansberry and Ossie Davis, to dance activists like Alvin Ailey and Josephine Baker, and artists like Hank Willis Thomas, who sculpted The Embrace monument in Boston, artistic expressions have powerfully raised awareness of political and socioeconomic issues.

Creativity and expression are among the many peaceful forms of social activism used to mobilize justice and change. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. exemplified these concepts, with his message of temperance, love, and service that has propelled efforts toward inclusion and social change through empathy and expression.

As one of America’s foremost civil rights activists, King’s commitment to social change earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. His dedication to social activism and equality, coupled with peaceful protest, continues to influence U.S. history.

Across the country, museums and art institutions memorialize King’s legacy, demonstrating that art has always been, and will continue to be, a unifying force.

Fostering strong communities

Citizens invests in partnerships with museums and arts organizations dedicated to building strong communities and fostering inclusion, and proudly sponsor events that help bring communities together around art.

In Boston, we participate in the annual celebrations at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and elsewhere — in New Haven at the Yale Peabody Museum, in Detroit at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History and in Philadelphia at the African American Museum.

Throughout the year, Citizens creates impact by deepening relationships in our communities that bring people together for learning, growth and fellowship. We champion King’s legacy through year-round volunteerism and support of programs such as Champions in Action, Education Design Lab, and Year Up, and actively give back to communities in need by promoting financial literacy and economic opportunity.

Our culture of inclusion

By investing in the arts, promoting social upliftment and engaging within our communities, we are committed to the power of inclusion on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and every day.