Cincinnati Art Museum Taking on Global Hunger Crisis

The Cincinnati Art Museum's summer long exhibit DRAW: Here, There and Everywhereis to get people thinking about global hunger... and to take action.

There are nearly 1 billion people worldwide who are hungry and cannot access basic foods. It is through art that the hungry and suffering have an ally. This alliance transcends time.

During World War IIshortages of food and other supplies arose in countries occupied by the Nazis. Relief efforts were started. Funds were collected. Awareness of the plight of the hungry children was raised.

American Relief for Norway was one charity that turned to artists for help. Some raised relief funds through the sale of their paintings and crafts.Other artists went to work on drawings to depict the suffering. A picture could tell the grim tale facing many thousands.

Thework of artists and others helped get school mealsto children in occupied Norway. American Relief for Norway saidthey"gave the Norwegian children more than18 million large glasses of good milk. And nothing is better than milk for undernourished children."

This same fundraising and advocacy also meant food packages for the hungry in the northern region of Finnmark after the Nazi retreat leveled the area in 1944. Incidentally, Howard Kershner of the charity Save the Children visited Cincinnati to help build support for the reconstruction of Finnmark.

The Cincinnati Art Museum is continuing this humanitarian tradition today with its exhibit, and also through new technology. The museum has set up a dedicated terminal so visitors can play the award-winning game Free Rice. This is a computer game where for every correct answer 10 grains of rice are donated to the UN World Food Programme, paid for by advertisers.

The Cincinnati Art Museum has also formed its own Free Rice team. You can view a complete list of exhibit events at the World Food Program USA blog.

Article first published as Cincinnati Art Museum Taking on Global Hunger Crisis on Blogcritics.