Belmont Showcases "Stand Up and Vote!" Art Exhibition

Gallery displays work from Ronnie Steine’s private collection, encourages community to participate in democratic process

Belmont University's Leu Center for the Visual Arts is hosting its "Stand Up and Vote!" exhibition from Aug. 19 through Oct. 4. The showcase, featuring political posters from former Metro Councilman Ronnie Steine's private collection, aims to inspire civic engagement and highlight the importance of voter participation. 

The exhibition, on display in the lobby of the Leu Center for the Visual Arts, presents a curated selection of posters spanning 60 years of political history.  

"This exhibit is pretty unusual because it's both a show of the aesthetics of the posters and a historical archive," Steine explained. "But what really makes it different is that it's also a call to action. Most exhibits aren't calling people to do something, but this one specifically is hopefully going to motivate people to think, then to register and then to go vote." 

The collection showcases a diverse range of political posters, including grassroots-oriented pieces, candidate and party-specific materials and works from various causes and independent organizations. 

Steine highlighted several notable pieces: 

• A historically significant 1963 poster from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) with the slogan "One Man, One Vote." 

• A 1972 Republican National Committee poster with the phrase "Do It," designed to appeal to youth voters during Richard Nixon's re-election campaign. 

• A Ronald Reagan poster featuring Albert Einstein, stating "Voting for him is the smart thing to do." 

• Five works by renowned artist Shepard Fairey, known for his iconic Barack Obama "Hope" poster. 

This marks the third time Steine has shared parts of his collection at Belmont, with previous exhibitions in 2014 and 2020. The 2020 show coincided with the presidential debate held on campus. 

The gallery reception event Sept. 12 included a voter registration component, a collaboration between the library and Watkins College of Art. The University is utilizing BruinVote through MyBelmont to assist students with the registration process.  

Sue Mazaros, Belmont's director of library services, emphasized the University's commitment to fostering democratic participation. "We believe that libraries are not just important but essential to a thriving democracy. As librarians, we see it as our responsibility to educate and empower our communities by providing vital information on democratic processes such as voting." 

In conjunction with the exhibition, Watkins College of Art also organized a student poster competition and an engaging panel discussion earlier in the week featuring Steine alongside Celene Aubry, director and print shop manager of Hatch Show Print; Dan Brawner, associate professor of design & illustration; and Dr. Nathan Griffith, professor of political science. 

The winners of the poster competition included:

• Voice of Democracy Award Winner – Anna Ford
• Honorable Mention – Jessica Arp
• Honorable Mention –  Nate Krammerer

The poster competition led to a great opening reception turnout of more than 100 that far exceeded expectations. "We had some 50 students that all created vote posters," Steine shared. The competition entries are displayed in the student gallery, with a winner and two runners-up selected by a panel of judges, including Steine and representatives from Hatch Show Print. 

As the nation heads into election season, Belmont continues to demonstrate its dedication to encouraging campus-wide participation in the democratic process. Through initiatives like "Stand Up and Vote!" and its affiliated events, the University aims to educate and empower the campus community, underscoring the significance of every individual's voice in shaping our shared future. 

"I hope it makes them think," Steine said of the exhibit's impact on the Belmont community. "And if they're thinking about it, then the chances of action or acting is far greater."