Artistic activism: Can aesthetic reception reduce adverse effects of disruptive protest?

Abstract

Activists face a dilemma: The more disruptive their protest, the more attention they will get – but they will also be perceived more negatively. Can aesthetic tactics alleviate such adverse effects? In two experiments (N1 = 828; N2 = 1203; German access panel), we investigate whether artistic activism (e.g., performance art during protests) is judged more positively than non-artistic activism at similar levels of disruption regarding participants’ perceptions of (extremity, immorality), attitudes towards (emotional connection, identification), and support for the protesters. We observe clear evidence that the more disruptive a protest, the more negative its perception. Effects of artistic activism, however, were mixed and small: Artistic actions might even increase extremity perceptions of non- disruptive, peaceful protests; but, at medium levels of disruption (i.e., disobedient, yet non- violent), they might slightly improve protest perceptions. Thus, we find rather weak support for the notion that artistic activism alleviates adverse effects of disruptive protests.