Rust Belt Artists Against Genocide is a multimedia project to benefit organizations providing emergency aid to those suffering in Gaza, and/or working toward a permanent ceasefire and an end to apartheid. The project consists of a compilation album featuring 24 new tracks by regional musicians, a digital/physical booklet featuring visual art and writing by 18 regional artists, and a short film featuring a dozen artists expressing solidarity with Palestine through their creative work. All profits from the record will go to the Doctors without Borders Emergency Relief Fund and the Palestinian Youth Movement.
The two dozen tracks on the album represent a variety of genres, including free jazz, ambient, chamber music, noise, field recording, spoken word, synth pop, and traditional Palestinian songs. The musicians included are based in cities across the Rust Belt: Buffalo, Erie, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and even Toronto. The album features four traditional Palestinian songs by Erie-based vocalist Nibal Abd El Karim.
The accompanying booklet (available as a PDF with digital downloads of the album, and as a paperback volume), contains a collection of digital art, poetry, photography, essays, and text scores, most created specially for this release. Finally, the project will also feature an eponymous short film by Erie-based filmmaker, Luis Carlos Garcia.
Created in collaboration with over 40 regional artists, Rust Belt Artists Against Genocide is meant to raise resources for organizations supporting Gaza. It is also a means for regional culture workers to speak together against genocide and for the full liberation of Palestine.