Quick Overview:
- Submit one piece of artwork – image, writing, or video
- Label your artwork with your name as you want it to appear, an underscore, and the number of years with severe ME
Example: Lastname_FirstName_14
FirstNameOnly_ - No copyrighted material
- If you are submitting a video, it must be under two minutes.
- Submission due by July 25th
***If you need help submitting your work, please email [email protected]***
Please review the full article for more details!
#MEAction thrilled to announce our Severe ME Artists Project 2024 that will feature work from those within the severe ME community and will be in recognition of Severe ME Day on August 8th! This project will be an opportunity for those with severe ME to showcase your artwork, whether it be writing, photography, drawing, or any other way that illustrates their talents. You can also submit past artwork created before you got sick.
The Severe ME Artists Project 2024 will feature a video compilation and an online gallery of submitted work. This project will be shared with the community around Severe ME Day with the goal that people can watch the video and/or scroll through the gallery when it is best for them.
The same as previous years, we are asking that people only submit ONE piece of work to be featured in the video and the gallery. Over the past few years, we have received so much participation that in order to make this project feasible, we can only handle one piece of work per person.
To participate in the project, please read through these instructions carefully as they have changed from previous years.
- How to label the file of your piece–very important step:
Each submission must be labeled as you want your names to appear (in the video, on our site, etc.) and the number of years you have lived with Severe ME. It’s fine if you just want to use your first name, list yourself as anonymous, or use a screen name, but the labeling convention remains the same. (Note that the numbers in the examples below are simply meant to indicate where you should put the number of years you’ve had severe ME.)
The files should all look like one of these options:
LastName_FirstName_27
FirstName_11
LastName_2.5
Anonymous_32
GamerTag_4
If you have had Severe ME for months rather than years, here is the labeling convention to use:
LastName_FirstName_8months.
If you don’t properly label your file, you will just be listed as Anonymous.
- Videos: If you would like to submit a video of a song you have written, it must be 2 minutes or shorter.
- Absolutely NO copyrighted material or the submission will not be used. This includes lip syncing, performing a cover, or AI generated work. These must be original works and you need to own the rights to what you are sharing/performing/presenting.
4. Here are the places where you will upload your work, that has been labeled correctly using the guide is step #1. Use the first option for any piece that is not a video and the SmugMug link if sharing a video:
Upload your ONE non-video file here.
You will get a screen that says “Thank you for submitting your art piece” and you will know the file was uploaded successfully.
Upload your ONE VIDEO file here.
You will get a screen that says “Hooray!” and you will know the video was uploaded successfully.
**If you need help submitting your work or labeling your file, please email [email protected] for help. In your email, please attached your art piece and provide how you would like to be identified (referenced in step #1) and how many years/months you have been living with severe ME. Thanks!**
Things to keep in mind:
Anything submitted after the deadline, Thursday, JULY 25th, will not be used. Again, you can only submit ONE piece. One piece of writing, one image, or one video. No mixing and matching. If you submit more than 1 piece, we will only pick one. Also, NO changes will be made to the collection video after we post it. It is important to know you will be featured in that collection video for as long as it lives on the internet, so be sure to label your files properly to ensure that your names and years with ME will appear on screen correctly. And only submit work that you are comfortable sharing with the full community.
Wondering how to know if participating in the Severe ME Artist Project is for you? Here are two things to consider:
1. Anyone who identifies as having severe ME can participate. We are not requiring specific criteria.
2. Still not sure, then we ask that you consider if you need accommodations to share your work beyond our other Artist Salons we host throughout the year. Those are live events where most artist participate and share their work virtually but by live video. This Project is set up to accommodate those too severely ill for that option. So if you need those accommodations, please join in. If you can safely manage the other events and are not sure you identify as severe, maybe sit this one out.
Please submit your ONE piece of work by Thursday, JULY 25th. Watch out for the video and online gallery to be released near Severe ME Day!
Art is foundational to activism. It provides a way to tell a story that connects us on a deeper level. It goes beyond the rational and connects on the emotional. We also want to acknowledge the grief that happens for those unable to practice their art or have had to change their methods due to illness. We are holding space for you and keep you at the center of all we do at #MEAction, all year long.
Severe ME Day was created by the 25% M.E. Group and you can learn more about their work here.
We look forward to seeing all the work submitted!
