December 1 is World AIDS Day.
In 1989, artists and curators in New York City created Day Without Art as a national day of action and mourning in response to the AIDS crisis. To make the public aware that AIDS can touch everyone, to mark the premature death of so many artists, designers and art industry workers, and to motivate the public to demand more action from government and industry, eight hundred U.S. art and AIDS groups participated in the first Day Without Art. Museums voluntarily closed for a day, or covered up works of art. Staff volunteered at AIDS service organizations or sponsored exhibitions of work about AIDS.

Day Without Art is the brainchild of the non-governmental organization VisualAIDS. The group is best known for creating the red ribbon campaign to heighten awareness of AIDS and encourage the public to talk about it.

Since then, Day Without Art has expanded around the world. It has grown into a collaborative project in which an estimated 8,000 museums, galleries, art centers, AIDS service organizations, libraries, high schools and colleges around the world.
This year the Cer Modern Art Center is proud to be part of the first commemoration of Day Without Art in Turkey.

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