1. Timeline
- The What's Worth Protecting series will run from August 11 to November 1, 2025.
- Nominations, discussions, and public sharing will all take place during this period.
- Recognized works will be announced shortly after the close of the series.
2. Who Can Participate
Anyone is welcome — whether you're an artist, admirer, neighbor, or community member. You can nominate artwork, join a salon conversation, or both.
3. What You Can Nominate
- You may nominate up to three works of art.
- Art can be visual, musical, written, or performed—but must be viewable online.
- Each piece should reflect something that matters deeply to you: a value, belief, or connection you feel is worth protecting in a divided world.
- You do not need to be the artist to nominate.
- Artists are encouraged to submit their own work.
4. How to Nominate Artwork
- Create a free account at WithCommunity.org.
- Fill out the nomination form for each piece.
- Share a few sentences about why the piece moved you.
- Once submitted, you’ll receive an email with:
- A link to your nomination’s public entry page
- Prompts and suggestions for how to start discussion around the artwork
- You are encouraged (but not required) to share your nomination on social media using #WhatsWorthProtecting and #DepolarizationInstitute.
5. How to Join a Salon Discussion
- Anyone may request to join a small-group Zoom salon.
- To participate, you must complete all three forms:
- Participant Interest Form
- Meeting Preferences Form
- Contact Info Form
- Our community organizing team curates each salon group, matching participants based on shared interests, availability, and conversational fit.
- Once a group is curated, we notify participants by email and coordinate timing using a schedule voting tool.
- Salons are welcoming spaces for open dialogue—not performances or debates.
- Conversations explore nominated art and the themes of loneliness, connection, and belonging.
6. Art Recognition & Selection
- Every accepted nomination will receive a dedicated public web page on the Community Heals Us website.
- These pages will include:
- The nominated artwork (linked)
- The nominator’s reflection
- (If applicable) A reflection from the artist
- A number of works will be selected for recognition and awarded prizes.
- Selections will be made by a Selection Team using a specialized approach to engagement tracking.
- Consideration will be based on
- Emotional resonance
- Quality of reflections and conversations
- Thoughtful public engagement, including salon participation and social sharing
- Cash and in-kind prizes will be awarded to selected artists and nominators.
7. Nominator Recognition & Consent
We believe in celebrating the contributions of nominators — but only if that’s something you’re comfortable with.
- Public recognition is entirely optional.
- If you give consent, we may share your name, your nomination statement, and the nominated work on:
- The WithCommunity website
- The Depolarization Institute website
- Other affiliated platforms or social media channels
You’ll be able to indicate your preferences when submitting your nomination.
8. Content Guidelines
- Nominations must follow community standards.
- No hateful, explicit, or violent content.
- We reserve the right to decline or remove entries that do not align with the values of Shared Light.
9. Terms & Eligibility
- Eligibility: Anyone is welcome to participate. If a selected participant is under 18, a parent or guardian must accept the prize on their behalf.
- No purchase or payment is required to participate or be eligible for recognition or awards.
- Award delivery is subject to availability. Cash and in-kind awards may be substituted at the organizers’ discretion.
- Selection is not based on chance. All recognitions are determined through a curated review of engagement, reflection quality, and conversation impact.
- Accepted nominations must comply with community guidelines and be appropriate for public display.
