Art Is an Act of Activism.
Art has the power to challenge what we believe, reveal what we've overlooked, and change the way we see one another.
At Bader + Simon, we believe contemporary art is more than something to admire. It's a way to question the status quo, amplify voices too often unheard, and start conversations that move us toward a more just and equitable world.
Because sometimes, changing the world begins with changing how we see it.
Art Doesn't Have to Be Comfortable to Be Powerful.
Art can challenge assumptions, confront difficult subjects, and bring greater attention to issues that are often overlooked.
At Bader + Simon, we view activist art as a way to examine complex social and political issues, including racial equity, identity, incarceration, representation, and human rights. Through artistic expression, these works encourage critical engagement with perspectives and experiences beyond our own.
Art does not need to provide answers to be meaningful. It can raise important questions, challenge established narratives, and create opportunities for dialogue.
We support artists whose work challenges assumptions, expands perspectives, and reminds us that art can be both deeply personal and advance public understanding and social change.
The Artist Is More Than the Art.
Every perspective has a story. Every story deserves to be heard. Whose stories get told? Whose work gets seen? And who decides what belongs in a gallery? These questions shape the way we approach art at Bader + Simon.
We seek to elevate emerging and underrepresented artists, including justice-impacted artists whose experiences with the justice system inform their creative expression.
No artist should be defined by a single experience, identity, or label. We believe in seeing the whole person, honoring their creative voice, and creating opportunities for their work to reach new audiences.
Where Art Meets Action.
The conversation shouldn't end at the gallery door. We believe the transformative power of art extends beyond exhibitions and collections. It lives in classrooms, communities, and the unexpected connections that happen when people come together to create, learn, and share.
Our commitment to social justice takes shape through the art we champion and the community programs we support.
Art Beyond Barriers
Art can create opportunities for expression, reflection, and connection in places where those opportunities may be limited. Through the Prison Graduate Initiative at Cal State LA, Bader + Simon founder Tamara White brings conversations about art, identity, and creative expression into classrooms in California correctional facilities.
These experiences reflect our belief that artistic voices matter, regardless of circumstance.
Adopt-a-Class
Creativity grows when young people have opportunities to explore it.
Through our Adopt-a-Class initiative, we support arts engagement and help introduce students to new ideas, creative possibilities, and ways of seeing the world.
Art in the Community
Art belongs to everyone.
From community murals to collaborative creative projects, we believe public art can bring people together, spark dialogue, and create a shared sense of connection.
These projects take art beyond traditional gallery walls and into the places where people live, work, and gather
A Collection With a Point of View.
The art we collect reflects the conversations we believe are worth having.
Bader + Simon grew from a belief that art could do more than fill a room. It could make people think differently about the world and the people who inhabit it. Our Permanent Collection brings together works by artists whose perspectives, experiences, and creative practices challenge conventional narratives.
Through explorations of identity, social justice, cultural norms, and the complexities of the human experience, these artists offer new ways of understanding the world around us. Together, they invite us to look closer, think deeper, and remain curious.
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