You Are Beautiful

We found this photo pool on flickr recently, and through it learned about the Chicago Art Collective You Are Beautiful, a group a hundred or so people who use advertising techniques to spread positive messages. For a few years, they have been installing the simple phrase “You Are Beautiful” on abandoned buildings, street posts, on roadsides. Then they began printing out stickers with this phrase on it, and sending it out free of charge to anyone who wanted to put some up.

The bigger idea, according to the group, “is to create activism instead of consumerism,” but its essence is using small acts to create positive messages. It has been so popular that it has now spread literally around the world. You may even have seen some stickers up.

You can order your own stickers if you send a stamped and self-addressed envelope to this address . Take a picture of it, and  post your submission to the You Are Beautiful website or send it to the collective, as they are posting an image from every city.
—Lori Fredrickson
Assistant Editor

Photo Credit 1 (Chicago): Nelson Kahakina
Photo Credit 2 (Antwerp): Lansu