Politics and art have always been messy roommates. But during the 2024 presidential cycle, that relationship basically went into overdrive. You’ve probably seen the posters or heard the soundtracks at rallies, but the actual Artists for Kamala Harris movement was way more than just a few celebrities posting on Instagram. It was a massive, coordinated effort involving over 160 of the biggest names in the contemporary art world, raising millions of dollars through a series of high-stakes auctions and public murals.
Honestly, people tend to think these endorsements are just about "vibes" or a quick photo op. They aren't. This was a literal infrastructure of creative fundraising. From Shepard Fairey’s "FORWARD" posters to Amy Sherald’s screenprints, the art world wasn't just watching from the sidelines—they were bankrolling a significant portion of the cultural outreach.
The Massive Benefit Auction You Probably Missed
Back in late September 2024, a group called Artists for Kamala launched what turned out to be one of the most successful political art fundraisers in recent memory. We’re talking about a joint effort with the Harris Victory Fund and Artsy.
It wasn't just a handful of local painters. The list was a "who's who" of the blue-chip art world. Names like Jeff Koons, Simone Leigh, and Ed Ruscha donated works. Simone Leigh, who was the first Black woman to represent the U.S. at the Venice Biennale, didn’t just give a piece of art; she became a sort of spokesperson for why artists were flocking to the Harris-Walz ticket. She talked a lot about reproductive rights and economic inequality—the heavy stuff that usually doesn't come up at a gallery opening.
The numbers were staggering.
The auction raised over $1.5 million.
Bidding was frantic.
Lots included:
💡 You might also like: Why Love Island Season 7 Episode 23 Still Feels Like a Fever Dream
- Amy Sherald’s "As Soft as She Is..."
- George Condo’s "Women Are Beautiful"
- Rashid Johnson’s "Untitled Large Bruise"
- Pieces by Jenny Holzer and Sheila Hicks
Some items were sold at fixed prices to be more "accessible" (though in the art world, "accessible" still means thousands of dollars), while others went through an intense bidding war that closed on October 8, 2024.
That Shepard Fairey Poster (No, Not the Obama One)
You can't talk about artists for Kamala Harris without mentioning Shepard Fairey. Everyone remembers the 2008 "HOPE" poster. It’s iconic. But for Harris, Fairey released a new design called "FORWARD." It wasn't just for digital downloads. Fairey and cultural organizer Wyatt Closs went old-school. They hit battleground states with massive wheatpaste murals. If you were walking through downtown Durham, North Carolina, or driving through parts of Pennsylvania, you might have run into a multi-story Kamala Harris staring stoically into the distance.
The "FORWARD" campaign was strategically placed. In Durham, they put the mural on the historic Black Wall Street. They didn't just slap it on a wall; they held "Kamala Day" events with local DJs and letter-writing campaigns to get people to the polls. It was street art used as a literal roadmap for grassroots activism.
Why the Celebrity Support Felt Different This Time
The "Artists for Kamala Harris" umbrella sort of blended into the broader celebrity endorsement machine, but there was a distinct flavor to it.
📖 Related: When Was Kai Cenat Born? What You Didn't Know About His Early Life
Think about the Philadelphia Museum of Art rally on the night before Election Day. It wasn’t just a speech. It was a full-blown production featuring Lady Gaga, The Roots, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. Then you had Beyoncé showing up in Houston. She didn't even sing. She just stood there and spoke as a mother, which, if you think about it, is a pretty bold artistic choice for a global superstar whose voice is her primary tool.
But here is the nuance: while the "A-list" star power was blinding, the "Artists for Kamala" group was doing the quieter work of engaging the intellectual and academic art communities.
- AGMA (American Guild of Musical Artists) endorsed her, focusing on union rights.
- Thelma Golden, the director of the Studio Museum in Harlem, was seen at the campaign launch.
- Photographers like Annie Leibovitz and Lawrence Jackson (who documented the Obama years) were in the mix.
The Misconceptions About "Hollywood Elite"
There’s this common gripe that these artists are "out of touch." Honestly, maybe some are. But the 165+ artists who joined the fundraising auction included many whose work deals specifically with the American working class and civil rights.
When Jaune Quick-to-See Smith or Kay WalkingStick—legendary Indigenous artists—donate work to a campaign, it’s not for a tax break or a "cool" factor. It’s a political statement about land rights and representation. The diversity of the group was actually one of its strongest selling points, moving the needle beyond just "Hollywood" and into the galleries of New York, Chicago, and LA.
👉 See also: Anjelica Huston in The Addams Family: What You Didn't Know About Morticia
The Tactical Side: How They Used the Art
The campaign was smart about how they deployed these visuals. They didn't just keep the art in fancy catalogs.
- Digital "Brat" Summer: When Charli XCX tweeted "Kamala IS brat," the campaign’s creative team leaned into that aesthetic immediately. It was a bridge between high-concept pop art and meme culture.
- Limited Edition Merchandise: They turned fixed-price art into shirts and posters that people could actually afford, moving the campaign from the auction house to the street.
- Mural Events: Using murals in battleground states as "voter hubs" where people could get "I Voted" stickers and copies of the Fairey posters.
What We Learned From the 2024 Push
So, what’s the takeaway? If you’re an artist or someone interested in how these movements work, the 2024 Artists for Kamala Harris initiative showed that collective action beats individual posts. One celebrity tweet is a news cycle; 165 artists donating millions of dollars worth of inventory is a financial engine.
It also showed that art has a shelf life. The "Brat" energy was huge in July, but by October, the campaign had to shift to the more "serious" blue-chip art world to maintain momentum with older, wealthier donors.
Practical Steps for Supporting Political Art Movements:
- Look for the Multi-Artist Portals: Platforms like Artsy often host these auctions. If you want to see who’s actually putting their money where their mouth is, check the donation lists of these benefit auctions.
- Support Local Cultural Organizers: Many of the murals you see are funded by groups like People For the American Way or Big Bowl of Ideas. These are the folks connecting the big-name artists with local communities.
- Check the "Buy Now" Options: You don't always have to be a millionaire to own a piece of political history. Many campaigns offer limited-run prints for under $100 during election cycles.
The intersection of art and the Harris campaign wasn't just about making things look pretty. It was a high-stakes play to turn cultural capital into literal capital. Whether it shifted the final vote is a debate for the historians, but as a feat of organizational creativity, it was pretty much unprecedented.
To stay engaged with how these artists continue their advocacy, follow the Harris Victory Fund archives or the individual social feeds of the "Artists for Kamala" collective members. Many of them are still active in local initiatives and reproductive rights advocacy through their work.