I’ve read a lot of craft books this year. At the start of each year I set myself a target of books I’d like to read, and looking back over the year the majority are craft books. I was delighted to receive a copy of Let’s Move the Needle: An Activism Handbook for Artists, Crafters, Creatives, and Makers; Build Community and Make Change! by Shannon Downey to review.

Let’s Move the Needle by Shannon Downey

I came across Shannon Downey a few years ago on Instagram. She has a great website called Badass Cross Stitch with some great free patterns amongst other things. She recently wrote a book, how to create change in the world with her inspiring guide to social activism.

Craftivism, or the space where art and activism meet, is a powerful, ever-evolving social justice movement that continues to grow and diversify as more voices and mediums take part in it. In Let’s Move the Needle, Shannon Downey, an outspoken voice in the craftivist movement for over a decade, provides a roadmap and accessible toolkit for burgeoning art activists.

Filled with self-reflective activities, exercises, prompts, and stories, Let’s Move the Needle educates and empowers creatives to center their art around collective action in service of political, social or community issues they are most passionate about; affirming that everyone can be a changemaker and that change-making can be generative, enjoyable, and a bit sassy!

Thanks to NetGalley for a ARC of Let’s Move the Needle by Shannon Downey.