On Friday, Ctrl.Alt.Shift hit the BALTIC to cast an eye over the art created by Graham Hudson, Matthew Stone and 12 students and recent graduates from Newcastle University's LifeWorkArt programme, around conflict.

Having been set the challenge by Ctrl.Alt.Shift and BALTIC, Newcastle University's LifeWorkArt programme have embarked on a five month project working with high-profile artists and emerging talent from the contemporary art scene. Through workshops, seminars and specialist talks they have gained insight into extreme conflict in Colombia and begun a creative journey which has produced a challenging new exhibition at BALTIC, which will run for six weeks.

As well as the Ctrl.Alt.Shift team, ambassador David Shrigley, mentors T-Magic, Benjamin Wachenje, Matthew Stone and 350 art fans were in attendance at the launch. Held in the Riverside Bar area, over-looking the river Tyne, music was supplied by Road to Rimini.

Even if you can't make it to the exhibition, there's still something you can do.

Ctrl.Alt.Shift are petitioning Colombia to defend human rights. Colombia is suffering one of the worst humanitarian and human rights crises in the world, finding its clearest expression in the continuation of the world’s second worst internal displacement crisis (after Sudan).
 
Colombians are forced to flee by armed groups seeking to establish territorial and economic control, or are simply caught up in the violence. Between 3 and 4 million people have fled their homes in the past two decades and Colombians make up the third largest refugee population in the world. In 2008 there was a sharp increase in forced displacement. Those who have been displaced are very unlikely to see any significant compensation, let alone the return of their lands.
 
Civil society organisations, trade unionists and journalists seeking to expose crimes and human rights violations, or calling for different development policies, do so at the risk of violence or death at the hands of the police, the army, the guerrilla, or a new generation of paramilitary groups. Though there have been some advances in high profile cases following international pressure, impunity for these crimes remain the norm in Colombia. The only sustainable way to reduce levels of threats and violence is to bring the perpetrators to justice.
 
One of the most troubling aspects of the Colombian human rights crisis is the premeditated murder by soldiers of young people or community leaders outside combat (extrajudicial executions). Another is the stigmatisation campaign against human rights defenders being carried out by government representatives.

To sign our petition and make your voice heard, click HERE or log onto www.gopetition.com/petitions/human-rights-defenders.html

Photography: Flickr User El Ronzo