Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation: Recent Episodes
Creative Generation
We bring listeners around the globe to learn how arts, culture, and creativity — as applied by young people — can change the world, one community at a time. Produced by Creative Generation, the hosts share timely news and dive deep into the work of young creatives who catalyze social change and those who are committed to cultivating their creativity. Listeners are invited each week to learn and laugh while envisioning new futures through the question, “why change?” Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss their approach to the fall and winter of harvesting and rest. Jeff shares his discussion with Natlie Elam and Bronwyn Mauldin about their new report “Agents of Change: Young Adult Advisory Councils at Arts and Culture Nonprofits.” The discussion covers diverse topics of intergenerationality, intentionality, and our commitments to evolution.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- The findings of a new report about young adult advisory councils in arts and culture organizations;
- How intergenerational research can be conducted successfully; and
- Why evolutionary practice must be embedded throughout knowledge exchange in the arts and culture sector.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Agents of Change: Young Adult Advisory Councils at Arts and Culture Nonprofits
- Democratize Your Data zine by Bronwyn Mauldin
- Practicing Equitable Intergenerational Collaboration by Jeff M. Poulin
- https://www.lacountyarts.org/learning/research-evaluation/research-lab and
- http://www.bronwynmauldin.com
About Natalie Elam & Bronwyn Mauldin
Bronwyn Mauldin is Director of Research and Evaluation at the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture where she leads a team that utilizes data and research methods to strengthen the arts ecology and ensure all residents have equitable access to the arts. She has conducted studies on salaries, benefits, and volunteers in local arts nonprofits. She co-led creation of the Arts Ed Profile, collecting K-12 arts education data from all 80 public school districts in LA County and making it publicly available through an online interactive tool. She was a key instigator of the annual Arts Datathon, and she is adjunct faculty in the arts administration master’s program at Claremont Graduate University. Ms. Mauldin has spent her career conducting applied research and evaluation for nonprofits, philanthropies, and government. She has evaluated farmworker programs, studied employment conditions for truck drivers, analyzed apprenticeship opportunities in healthcare, and researched villager organizing in rural northeast Thailand. Ms. Mauldin is a novelist, poet, and zine maker, and has been a writer in residence at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, Denali National Park in Alaska, and Kulturni Centar REX in Belgrade, Serbia.
Natalie Elam is a research consultant at the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture and Annual Giving Communications Manager at Santa Clara University.
Natalie holds a Masters of Arts in Arts Management from the Center For Business & Management of the Arts at Claremont Graduate University, where she graduated in December 2021. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from Santa Clara University in June 2019.
Outside of the professional sphere, Natalie enjoys traveling, volunteering, cooking, creating art, and reading.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss their latest news and how we remain connected as colleagues. Jeff shares his conversation with Dr. Peter O‘Connor from the Centre for the Arts and Social Transformation at the University of Auckland. They discuss the role of the arts in human development, recovery, and wellbeing. Ashraf and Jeff conclude their thoughts and intergenerationality, the role of the arts in schools, and the social responsibility of evolving our communities.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the role of the arts in social transformation;
- How teaching artists can build and impact communities; and
- The ways in which artists and academics can integrate their work to advance discourses for our sector.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- The Centre for the Arts and Social Transformation at the University of Auckland
- Te Rito Toi
- International Teaching Artists Conference 7
- Allison Russell: The transmogrification of trauma into art
ABOUT PETER O’CONNOR:
Professor O’Connor is the Director of the Centre for Arts and Social Transformation, The Centre researches on the possibilities for the arts to create more socially just and equitable worlds. He is an internationally recognised expert in making and researching applied theatre and drama education. He has made theatre in prisons, psychiatric hospitals, earthquake zones and with the homeless. . His work in Christchurch schools following the series of earthquakes led to UNESCO funded research and programme development and the development of the Teaspoon of Light Theatre Company which then worked in Mexico City after major earthquakes in 2017. Peter's most recent research includes multi and interdisciplinary studies on the creative pedagogies and the arts, the nature of embodied learning and the pedagogy of surprise. In 2019 the play he directed with the Hobson Street Theatre Company, New Zealand's only theatre company for people who are or have been homeless, won the Arts Access Creative New Zealand Community Arts Award. He continued his theatre making with the homeless at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles in conjunction with the Skid Row Housing Trust. In 2020 He was presented with the President's Award by Drama New Zealand for his life long contribution to Drama education and social justice. He led the development of Te Rito Toi, an on line resource to support the return to schools during COVID 19 by using an arts and well being approach. Used in 120 countries around the world, the site had over 280,000 page views in its first month of use. He leads the University of Auckland team working alongside the Sir John Kirwan Foundation on a mental health education approach for Primary schools.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss their change of personal and professional seasons, including Madeleine’s cross-sector work. Jeff shares his interview with Lisa Donovan which covers a broad array of topics from arts integration to community development, network building, and even professional learning. Madeleine and Jeff discuss the asset-based approaches of cross-sector work, the strength of practitioners at the intersections, and inherent knowledge of rural communities.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- The expansive role of the arts intersecting with numerous sectors of community life;
- How arts education and arts management practices lead the way in cross-sector dialogues; and
- The multitude of ways cultural practitioners can advance dialogues about social change through multi-sector advocacy.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Voices from the field: Teachers’ views on the relevance of arts integration
- Shell Education books on Arts Integration by Lisa Donovan
- Teacher as Curator: Formative Assessment and Arts-Based Strategies
- Leveraging Change—Increasing Access to Arts Education in Rural Areas
- The Berkshire County Blueprint for Arts Integration and Education
- Berkshire Regional Arts Integration Network (BRAINworks)
- Berkshire Cultural Asset Network (BCAN)
- Think Like A Region TED Talk
ABOUT LISA DONOVAN:
Lisa Donovan, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Fine and Performing Arts Department at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. A theater artist, educator, administrator and researcher. Before joining MCLA Lisa was the Director of the Creative Arts in Learning Division at Lesley University. She has a broad range of experience in a variety of arts organizations including: Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, the Berkshire Opera Company, Barrington Stage Company, University of Massachusetts Department of Theater, as well as Boston University's Theater, Visual Arts, and Tanglewood Institutes. She was formerly the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance for Arts Education, has served as co-principal investigator of a research project funded by the Ford Foundation that focused on teachers' perspectives on the relevance of arts integration. Lisa has taught internationally in Japan and Israel, and throughout the United States. She is co-editor of a new book series on arts integration published by Shell Education including Integrating the Arts Across the Content Areas (2012), Strategies to Integrate the Arts in Mathematics (2013) and Strategies to Integrate the Arts in English Language Arts (2013)
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? Jeff shares some reflections about the resilience of the creative community in his home state of Maine in the wake of recent tragedy. He interviews longtime arts education leader and advocate, Argy Nestor, who shares reflections on changemaking at the local, state, and international levels. They reflect on working together, perseverance, and a commitment to investing in people and relationships.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How the arts are naturally integrated into our teaching, learning, and ways of life;
- Ways to center relationships in cultivating the next generation of leaders and changemakers; and
- Why committing to creative and education practices can make the difference in our work.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Argy’s Point of View: Maine Arts Ed blog
- Maine Arts Education Partners in Leadership
- HundrED
- Teaching and Learning in Malawi Argy Nestor & Lindsay Pinchbeck
- Catching Fireflies book
- Enough. Plays to End Gun Violence
- Supporting Victims and Families of the Tragedy in Lewiston
ABOUT ARGY NESTOR:
Argy Nestor has been passionate about education for 40 years. She started her career as a visual arts teacher (30 years), served as the visual and performing arts specialist at the Maine Department of Education (7 years) and was the Director of Arts Education at the Maine Arts Commission since 2013. Argy serves on the Arts Education Advisory Council with the Americans for the Arts. Argy received her master’s degree in education from the University of Maine, Orono and Bachelor of Arts in Arts Education from Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.
Argy is most proud of the collaborative accomplishments of the Maine Arts Leadership Initiative (MALI). She is deeply committed to facilitating learning opportunities for educators knowing that it will impact the achievement of all students. The arts education community in Maine is strong and many teachers have been invited to the table at the local level due to their involvement in MALI. Argy has a popular blog at meartsed.wordpress.com/ where she makes daily posts with a plethora of information and the stories of educators, students, and arts organizations.
Argy is the 1995 Maine Teacher of the Year. In 2014 she was the recipient of the National Art Education Association Distinguished Service Award. She was named the 2013 Maine Art Educator Advocate of the Year and the 2012 Art in the Heart Advocate. Argy was presented the Maine Middle Level Association Outstanding Middle Level Educator of the Year Award in 2005. She traveled with the Fulbright Memorial Fund Teachers program to Japan in 2000.
During Argy’s career she has presented at the regional, state, and national level on curriculum integration, literacy, assessment, gifted and talented, advocacy, and the value of arts education at the heart of all curriculum. In July 2016 Argy had an amazing opportunity to travel to Malawi, Africa where she worked with teachers providing a 10 - day arts integration workshop. In 2023, Argy co-authored “Catching Firelies” with poet Jean Feldeisen.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff discuss their recent work and draw connections to Jeff’s interview. Jeff shares his conversation with Jean Hendrickson, a champion for arts integration in her community and around the world. They discuss the opportunities and challenge of scaling and the bravery needed to achieve it. Rachael and Jeff share their hopes and frustrations with adoption of permission practices in education reform.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About a model of whole school arts integration and how it emerged;
- How the story of a champion of arts integration influenced the adoption of a practice; and
- Why the arts should remain at the center of all we do as educators, leaders, and advocates.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Sorgente research project
- Ireland’s Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme
- Oklahoma A+ Schools Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma
- A+ Essentials framework
- S3 Ep14: Grasping The Aerosol Of Creativity With Michael Anderson
- Preparing Educators for Arts Integration: Placing Creativity at the Center of Learning book
- The A+ Schools Program: School, Community, Teacher, and Student Effects. (Report #6 in a series of seven Policy Reports Summarizing the Four-Year Pilot of A+ Schools in North Carolina)
About Jean Hendrickson
Director emeritus of Oklahoma A+ Schools at the University of Central Oklahoma, Jean is a speaker and writer who consults with those that share her belief that all children are entitled to a rich, full, educational experience that equips them to take their rightful place in the world. She works with groups such as the National A+ Schools Consortium (www.nationalaplusschools.org), the Americans for the Arts, Crystal Bridges, and other like-minded organizations working to put the arts in their rightful place in schools and communities.
Executive director for OKA+ Schools from 2003-2014, Jean directed development across the state and fostered national and international partnerships. OKA+ Schools’ model has been cited in such works as Sir Ken Robinson’s books, Creative Schools and The Element, the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities’ landmark report Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America’s Future through Creative Schools, the latter of which launched the nationwide Turnaround Arts initiative for which she served as a member of the team that trained the schools’ cadres for the first two years. Jean authored a chapter in the book Preparing Educators for Arts Integration, a project of the Arts Education Partnership’s Higher Ed Task Force, and has contributed numerous articles and other works to such as Education Week, Americans for the Arts, and other educational organizations.
Described by Sir Ken as “one of the most impressive people I know in education,” Jean was a principal in Oklahoma City for seventeen years and named National Distinguished Principal in 2001 as well as receiving many other recognitions throughout her career.
Jean received her Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, and the “Outstanding Future Teacher” award from Oklahoma City University. She received her master’s, also summa, from the University of Central Oklahoma. She has served on numerous boards, as a founding member of Creative Oklahoma, a trustee for the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, Visionary Oklahoma Women and founding member of Harding Fine Arts Academy in Oklahoma City. She and her husband reside in Oklahoma City.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff discuss their upcoming work plans. Rachael shares her interview with theater-maker Kady Robinson. They discuss Kady’s work exploring gender fluidity in contrast with growing up in Australian military culture. Rachael and Jeff unpick the implications of challenging work with young creatives and the programs which support them.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How intersectional social identities can be explored through art-making;
- The ways programs support and protect young creatives challenging dominant narratives in their work; and
- Strategies that the education and creative sectors can hold space for socially engaged art-making.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Universal Income for Creative Workers in Ireland
- PYT Fairfield
- Stage Soldiers at PYT Fairfield
- World Pride Australia 2023
- S2 Ep21: Creativity In Conflict With Chen Alon
- “Safeguarding Artistic Freedom,” the 9th World Summit Discussion Paper
- Student Artwork in U.S. Capitol - Washington Post
For support, please visit Trans Lifeline.
ABOUT KADY ROBINSON:
Kady Robinson [working title] (she/her) is a debuting performer, writer and theatre maker from Campbelltown. They graduated from UOW with a Bachelor of Creative Arts Theatre in 2017 and joined PYT Fairfield’s Ensemble program in 2019. They have toured with youngstars2.com’s children’s performances for 4 years and have performed in many of the amateur musical productions by Campbelltown’s World Of Fine Theatre And Music (WOFTAM).
This episode was produced by Rachael Jacobs; the executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff discuss their upcoming work and big ideas. Jeff shares his interview with Antonio Cuyler, an arts administration educator, researcher, and musician focused on achieving creative justice through access, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Rachael and Jeff discuss the value of multi-hyphenated perspectives in dialogues on the topic and how we work together to advance a common racial justice agenda.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Ways that the cultural and creative sector can protect the creative justice of marginalized people;
- How practitioners can explore access, diversity, equity, and inclusion towards broader goals; and
- Strategies of collaboration to advance a common racial justice agenda through the arts and creativity.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Sorgente, a research project with refugee and migrant communities
- Mark Banks’ “Creative Justice”
- The Role of Foundations in Achieving Creative Justice by Antonio Cuyler in GIA Reader
- Making It A Movement, Not A Moment by André Solomon on Creative Generation blog
- S3 Ep16: Curiosity To Drive Equitable Funding With Porché Hardy on the Why Change? podcast
- Creativity For Good: Applying Creativity For Social Transformation by Jeff M. Poulin on Creative Generation blog
- Statement to the media by the United Nations’ Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, on the conclusion of its official visit to USA, 19-29 January 2016
- Towards An Enriched Understanding Of Arts Integration by Jeff M. Poulin on Creative Generation blog
- Practicing Equitable Intergenerational Collaboration by Vida Manalang & Jeff M. Poulin on Creative Generation blog
- Moving Beyond @operaisracist by Antonio Cuyler
- Professional Identities In Arts & Cultural Education: “Arts Hybrids” As Cultural Knowledge Brokers by Jordan Campbell on Creative Generation blog
ABOUT ANTONIO CUYLER:
Antonio C. Cuyler, Ph.D. (he/him/his) is Professor of Music in Entrepreneurship & Leadership in the School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD) at the University of Michigan. He is the author of Access, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Cultural Organizations: Insights from the Careers of Executive Opera Managers of Color in the U. S., editor of Arts Management, Cultural Policy, & the African Diaspora, and most recently co-author of Racial/Ethnic and Gender Diversity in the Orchestra Field in 2023. He also founded Cuyler Consulting, LLC, a Black-owned arts consultancy that partners with cultural organizations to maximize their performance and community relevance through access, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI).
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
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In this episode of Why Change?, co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff share their recent creative endeavors and what they’ve learned from recent podcast guests. Madeleine shares her interview with Michael Rohd about his work at the intersection of artistic and civic practice. They discuss the intersection of arts and other sectors, working in systemic change, and centering those most impacted.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Strategies to make the case for the arts engagement in the civil sector cross-sectorally;
- How to use your (and others!) practice to balance systems change while authentically engaging with social issues; and
- How to continue learning at every step of your journey.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Sojourn Theatre
- The Center for Performance and Civic Practice
- Co-Lab for Civic Imagination at the University of Montana
- 7th International Teaching Artist Conference
- Young & Emerging Leaders Forum 2023-24 Cohort Announced
ABOUT Michael Rohd
Michael is a theatre-maker, educator, process designer, writer and facilitator. His research and creative practice is focused on civic imagination. He has a 30+ year history of projects across sectors bringing cultural activity to the work of public engagement, community planning and cross-sector coalition building. In 1992 in Washington DC, Michael co-founded Hope Is Vital, an arts & public health program that, over 8 years, helped start up theatre-based public engagement/HIV prevention coalitions in over 80 communities around the US. In 1999, Michael co founded Sojourn Theatre and served as artistic director for 20 years, co-creating & directing nearly 30 devised, often site-specific and participatory theatre works. In 2012, he co-founded the Center for Performance and Civic Practice, a collective of nine artist/facilitators who work with organizations and agencies around the country on community research, transformational process and system change. He is currently Civic Collaborations Director for One Nation One Project, a national arts/municipality/public health project & research cohort in partnership with National League of Cities and he is co-designer/ co-facilitator for Art-Train, a virtual national technical assistance program in partnership with Springboard for the Arts. He recently founded the Co-Lab for Civic Imagination at the University of Montana, and he is author of the book Theatre for Community, Conflict and Dialogue (Heinemann Press).
This episode was produced by Madeleine McGirk. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss the season of change in their work. Jeff shares his interview with Porché Hardy, an arts program officer from the Wallace Foundation. They discuss the changing landscape and processes of philanthropy towards more equitable giving; primarily through humble curiosity. Ashraf and Jeff think about the implications for the broader field of arts, culture, and creativity funding in the U.S.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How funding processes can be more equitable for a variety of funders;
- Why listening, learning, and flexibility are key factors in the equitable distribution of resources; and
- The power of humility in continuous improvement.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- The Wallace Foundation
- The Foundation’s five-year initiative focused on arts organizations of color"
- S3 Ep10: Reframing Philanthropy with Nikki Kirk
ABOUT PORCHÉ HARDY:
Porché is an arts administrator and senior program officer with The Wallace Foundation who brings deep expertise and experience working with teams in both government and nonprofits to develop programs to help build a stronger arts sector and a more equitable pathway to social change through arts funding and arts education. She began her arts administration career at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center where she grew from intern to Associate Director of Arts Training before shifting to community based arts education as Assistant Director of the Institute of Music for Children. She leveraged her experience of non profit arts leadership to further improvements in arts funding as a Program Officer with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
Porché is also a performer and holds a BA in Sociology from Rutgers University. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Administration there, as well. She is an alumna of the William Esper Studio and has studied classical music (voice) at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Montclair State University, and privately with award-winning singers and coaches.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss their work related to advocacy for teaching artists and systems change. Madeleine shares her interview with Gowri Savoor, a teaching artist focused on empathy and relationship building through community arts projects, especially for climate change. The discussion connects narrative building to arts-research to advocacy strategies and how we learn them!
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How the arts can cultivate empathy in relationships between people, places, and the planet;
- The ways we can use our multihyphenate identities to strengthen our projects and their impact; and
- About our professional responsibility as practitioners to advocate for ourselves, our field, and changes to the systems which impact our work.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Gowri’s website
- Tiny Hero Tales
- A River of Light
- Teaching Artists Connect
- Teaching Artists Connect
- ITAC IMPACT: Climate
- Teaching Artistry for Social Impact: The Course
- Embedding Advocacy into Your Practice by Jeff M. Poulin (Teaching Artists Guild)
- Making Change: Teaching Artists and Their Role in Shaping a Better World by Eric Booth
- S1. E7: Anchoring in Love with Sangeeta Isvaran
ABOUT GOWRI SAVOOR:
Gowri Savoor is a visual-teaching artist whose practice includes sculpture, illustration, and writing. Born in England, she moved to the US in 2007. Savoor has been a teaching artist for over 20 years and has partnered with multiple organizations in the UK and across the US, including Community Engagement Lab (VT), Lincoln Center Education (NY), The Learning Alliance (FL), and ITAC—the International Teaching Artist Collaborative. Savoor is the instigator of A River of Light, a movement committed to bringing art to the community through participatory art events, installations, and lantern parades. She is also the co-founder of Teaching Artists Connect, an organization providing creative and inspiring professional development workshops for teaching artists and educators in North Carolina and beyond. When she isn’t making, teaching, or dreaming about art, she can be found walking through the woods with a little red dog.
This episode was produced by Madeleine McGirk; the executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss their recent work supporting arts engagements with young creatives around the world. Jeff shares his interview with Professor Michael Anderson, Co-Director of the CREATE Centre at the University of Sydney. The dialogues focus on creative transformation for pedagogy, schools, and education systems - and how we can catalyze it!
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the 4 Cs of school and education transformation;
- How interpersonal relations can drive change personally, in organizations, and systems; and
- Why we need to close the policy-pedagogy gap right now!
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- The CREATE Centre at the University of Sydney
- 4C Transformative Learning
- Transforming Schools by Michael Anderson and Miranda Jefferson
- Transforming Education by Michael Anderson and Miranda Jefferson
- Centring Creative Youth in Community Development” webinar by Jeff M. Poulin at the CREATE Centre
- The PISA 2022 Creative Thinking Assessment from the OECD
ABOUT MICHAEL ANDERSON:
Professor Michael Anderson is an internationally recognised educational leader. He has taught, researched and published in education and transformation for over 20 years including 17 books and 55 book chapters and journal articles. His international research and practice focus on how the 4Cs can be integrated using coherent frameworks to make learning meet the needs of 21st Century learners.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Karla discuss their recent collaboration. Madeleine shares her interview with Khairina Khalid who talks about her intergenerational, international collaborations. They all discuss the role of mentorship and using our artistry to drive powerful collaborations around the world.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How intergenerational mentorship can spur global dialogue;
- The ways our practice can improve by harnessing our identity as artists; and
- Why working together strengthens our process, projects, and networks.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- ITAC Innovators
- Call to Action collaboration between Scotland and Singapore
- The Living Newspaper project
- Teater Ekamatra
ABOUT KHAIRINA KHALID:
Khairina Khalid enjoys being part of productions that touch on socio-political issues, as well as projects that give a voice for the minority community. She is currently centering her work around youths and young audiences, mainly within the ethnic minority community, after having the best time producing Call To Action with Clara Bloomfield. She is also currently the Company Manager of Teater Ekamatra.
This episode was produced by Madeleine McGirk; the executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss the field building support of the Creative Youth Development (CYD) field of practice in the United states. Ashraf interviews Kaäthe Swaback from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Matt D’Arrigo from the Clare Rose Foundation and their work with the CYD Funders Forum. Ashraf and Jeff discuss definitions, multiple perspectives, power, and responsibilities to cultivate the conditions for this field to thrive!
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How the many perspectives we bring from our past work can contribute to field-building a community of practice;
- The ways that funders share knowledge and contribute to intertwined strategies; and
- Why we should invest small acts into a greater momentum of change.
Some things from the episode:
- Clare Rose Center for Creative Youth Development: https://clarerosecenterforcyd.org/
- Mass Cultural Council’s Creative Youth Development (CYD): https://massculturalcouncil.org/creative-youth-development/
- CultureRx: Social Prescription pilot: https://massculturalcouncil.org/blog/study-unveils-benefits-recommendations-for-social-prescription/
- Raw Art Works: https://www.rawartworks.org/
- The Boston Youth Arts Evaluation Project: https://massculturalcouncil.org/creative-youth-development/boston-youth-arts-evaluation-project/
- CYD National Partnership: https://www.creativeyouthdevelopment.org/
- Youth Arts Impact Network: https://youthartsimpactnetwork.weebly.com/
- 3C Data Alliance: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XYgdYZep1Xzs2n5PEx2e5vlH5gkHC5Zo/view
- Ten dimensions of powerful arts education: https://hewlett.org/powerful-arts-education-practice/
- Sign up for the CYD Funders forum by emailing katie@clarerosefoundation.org
About Käthe Swaback
Käthe Swaback is a visual artist and arts administrator with an M.A. in art therapy. In 2019, Käthe joined Mass Cultural Council’s Creative Youth Development (CYD) team where she also co-leads the arts and health initiative, CultureRx: Social Prescription pilot. Her passion for exploring the impact of the intersections of social justice, health, and community building through the arts stems from and is fueled by over 25 years of work as an art therapist and program director in CYD organizations and collaborating in CYD initiatives (Raw Art Works, The Boston Youth Arts Evaluation Project, the CYD National Partnership, and currently, the Youth Arts Impact Network, and the 3C Data Alliance).
About Matt D’Arrigo
Matt D’Arrigo has dedicated the past 20 years of his life to being a champion and advocate for the arts and young people. He is the Director of Creative Youth Development at the Clare Rose Foundation and the Co-Founder of The Clare Rose Center for Creative Youth Development (CYD) in San Diego, CA. The Center is a backbone organization and philanthropic intermediary established to ensure that CYD funders, practitioners, organizations, and young people have access to the resources, tools, opportunities, and relationships they need to thrive. With a small team, D’Arrigo oversees local, regional, and national strategy, investments, advocacy, coalition building, and field building activities.
This episode was produced by Ashraf Hasham. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff talk about working within systems to change those systems. Jeff shares his interview with Dr. Jorge Lucero focused on his book and work about “Conceptual Art’s Permissions” which can be employed in arts education. Karla and Jeff break down the ideas and think about how they can use these permissions to move towards systems of abundance.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About Conceptual Art’s Permissions in arts education;
- How our stories can inform the ways we navigate systems in culture and education; and
- Ways in which we can apply disruptive tactics to reimagine systems and our work.
Some things from the episode:
- “TEACHER AS ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE: THE MOST RADICAL FORM OF EXPRESSION TO EVER EXIST”
- Projects
- “Creative Generation: Ethnographic And Heuristic Approach To Inquiry”
- Art Education Hub
Jorge Lucero is a Mexican-American artist who currently serves as Associate Professor of Art Education in the School of Art + Design at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Sometimes he serves as the Chair of that program. Lucero received his Master degree and PhD from The Pennsylvania State University and his undergraduate degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Prior to moving into higher education Lucero happily taught art and art history at the Chicago Public School, Northside College Prep.
As part of his lifelong work to test the material and conceptual pliability of "school" Lucero participates in and around the academy in every manner possible. He has exhibited, performed, published, presented on, served as editor and reviewer, and taught through his work in galleries, schools and school districts, books, journals, conferences, workshops, museums, community organizations, performances, advisory boards, and artist residencies. Exhibitions that Lucero has participated in have been written about and covered in ArtForum; Sculpture; NewCity; the Chicago Tribune; the Sun-Times; Gaper's Block; DNAinfo, WTTW's Chicago Tonight; WGLT.org; and the PBS Digital Studio.
Lucero is the editor of the compendiums Mere and Easy: Collage as a Critical Practice in Pedagogy (2016, U of I Press)**, What Happens at the Intersection of Conceptual Art and Teaching? (2023, w/ Catalina Hernandez Cabal through the Amsterdam University of the Arts), and several other volumes. He’s also the author of Teacher as Artist-in-Residence: The Most Radical Form of Expression to Ever Exist (2020, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts).
Lucero is also Conceptual Art & Teaching, an ongoing project that is simultaneously a hub, archive, and artwork at the increasingly active intersection where conceptual art and teaching practices meet.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Ashraf discuss their perspectives on navigating work and life. Ashraf shares his interview with Nikki Kirk, a cultural equity practitioner who focuses her work on reframing the role of philanthropy in the cultural sector. Karla and Ashraf break down the throughlines of Nikki’s work through the use of linguistics, community-driven funding, and ‘radical’ approaches to systems change.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the role of language in framing the purpose of philanthropy;
- How communities can drive funding priorities towards goals of equity; and
- The ways change can be radical and productive within larger systems.
Some things from the episode:
- Indy Arts Council
- Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship
- A Look Into What Drives Changemakers From The First Season Of Why Change? The Podcast For A Creative Generation
- Why Change? Why Poetry?: Poetry Is The Language Of The People
- Making It A Movement, Not A Moment, an analysis of funder perspectives
About Nikki Kirk
Nikki Kirk (she/her) is a cultural equity practitioner who is dedicated to advocating for systemically excluded and institutionally oppressed populations. She has worked across the country centering on youth and leadership development, and supporting local, regional, and national communities. Through her work with organizations like Americans for the Arts, Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning, and El Sistema USA, she has supported individual and organizational growth. Nikki has diverse experience as a grant manager, facilitator, curriculum developer, program coordinator, project manager, mentor, and advisor. She currently serves as the Director of Community Impact & Investment with the Indy Arts Council, as well as a Project Consultant for the Aspen Institute’s Artist Endowed Foundations Initiative.
Nikki earned a Master’s degree in Arts, Festival, and Cultural Management from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she researched the impact of programming at the intersection of arts and social justice. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Linguistics from Pitzer College in southern California, where she affirmed her interests in and the significance of language and identity, human rights, and cross-cultural understanding.
This episode was produced by Ashraf Hasham. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff check in about their work advancing arts education globally. Madeleine shares her recent conversation with teaching artist, Eric Booth about his new book. Madeleine and Jeff debrief by reflecting on the field of practice, how it has evolved, and where it is going.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About Eric’s new book, “Making Change: Teaching Artists and Their Role in Shaping a Better World;”
- How the field of teaching artistry has shifted and will continue to shift; and
- Radical new ideas for the future of the work.
Some things from the episode:
- Eric’s Website
- ITAC Webpage: “Making Change: Teaching Artists and Their Role in Shaping a Better World”
- Book Webpage
- Eric's first episode on Why Change? Podcast
- “Embedding Advocacy Into Your Practice” by Jeff Poulin
About Eric Booth
As an actor, Eric Booth performed in many plays on Broadway, Off-Broadway and around the country, playing over 23 Shakespearean roles (Hamlet three times), and winning “Best Actor” awards on both coasts. Throughout 1981, he performed the American tour of Alec McCowen’s one-man play St. Mark’s Gospel. He has performed many times on television, directed five productions, and produced two plays in New York.
As a businessman, he started a small company, Alert Publishing, that in seven years became the largest of its kind in the U.S. analyzing research on trends in American lifestyles and publishing newsletters, books, and reports. He became a major figure in trend analysis, frequently quoted by the major media with interviews often appearing in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and elsewhere. He appeared as an expert on NBC News, Sunday Today, and several times on CNN. He was given a syndicated radio program on the Business Radio Network, and was a frequent speaker to business groups. He sold his company in 1991 in order to work full time on passion projects in arts learning.
As an author, he has had seven books published. His newest book (2019) is Tending the Perennials: The Art and Spirit of a Personal Religion. This is a companion book to The Everyday Work of Art which was a brief bestseller, won three awards and was a Book of the Month Club selection. He has written three dozen magazine articles, was the Founding Editor of the Teaching Artist Journal, and his book The Music Teaching Artist’s Bible was published by Oxford University Press in 2009. Playing for Their Lives (co-authored with Tricia Tunstall) (W.W. Norton, 2016) sprang from studying El Sistema-inspired programs in 25 countries around the world. His latest book Tending the Perennials: The Art and Spirit of a Personal Religion (2019) focuses on the ways art and spirituality overlap in everyday life. He has placed articles in the Harvard Education Review/Focus Issue on Arts Education, in the special creativity focus issue of Educational Leadership, in Symphony magazine, as well as the creativity chapter in the Routledge International Handbook on Arts Education (2015).
This episode was produced by Madeleine McGirk. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Jeff and Madeleine check in about recent adventures and share Madeleine’s interview with Pawel Pokutycki. Pawel works at the intersection of the arts, technology, and community dialogues about the future. They all discuss new possibilities for the future, and new projects that are leading the way.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How transcending spaces, places, and communities can foster new perspectives on our work;
- The intersection of technologies to reimagine possible futures; and
- The potential for youth and artists creating solutions to current social challenges.
About Pawel Pokutycki
Pawel Pokutycki (PL/NL) is an interaction designer, researcher and lecturer at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague and Design Academy Eindhoven, The Netherlands. In 2005 he initiated early activities of the RFID Lab, later called the AR+RFID Lab, an experimental interdisciplinary platform for research in the application of Augmented Reality (AR) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies in the field of art and design. His recent projects focus on exploring relationships between new media theory, political, social and cultural studies by concept development and prototyping for interactive media.
This episode was produced by Madeleine McGirk. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
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In this episode of Why Change? co-host Jeff M. Poulin chats with Dr. Camea Davis about poetry and education research. Through the dialogue, Camea shares her work developing an approach to critical poetic inquiry and the outcomes of using it to analyze Season 2 of this podcast! Her poetic work is embedded throughout the episode.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About poetic inquiry and how it can be used in education research;
- How poems can be used as data and artifact to expanding loved experiences; and
- Through Camea’s poetry about the common ideas shared in Season 2 of the Why Change? podcast.
Some things from the episode:
- Poetic Inquiry Blogs
- National Youth Poet Laureate Program
- First Wave Program
- Social Justice in Education Award (2015) Lecture: Gloria J. Ladson-Billings
- Dear Womb- a Love Letter book
- Camea’s Spoken Word Album
- Camea’s website
- What is poetic inquiry?
- ABER at AERA
- Tricia Hersey
- Linda Krakauers’ “Arts Integration and the Success of Disadvantaged Students: A Research Evaluation”
About Camea Davis
Dr. Camea L. Davis (she/her) serves as the Director of Knowledge with a focus on impact evaluation. In this role, she guides the collective work of producing new and honoring existing forms of knowledge and ways of knowing, while dismantling systemic barriers to sharing and learning.
Davis is a poet, educator, and educational researcher with a heart for urban youth and communities. Her research focuses on youth activism, racial justice in teacher education, critical collaborative ethnography, and critical poetic inquiry. Davis has published in Qualitative Inquiry; Equity & Excellence in Education; The Journal of Middle School Education; Art/Research International: A Transdisciplinary Journal; Ubiquity: The Journal of Literature, Literacy, and the Arts; The Journal of Hip Hop Studies; and The Journal of School and Society. Davis has authored conference papers for the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, The National Council on Teachers of English, The National Association of Multicultural Educators, The National Performance Network, The Kennedy Center, The International Symposium on Poetic Inquiry, and presented a Tedx Talk through performance poetry on the topic of language diversity in schools.
Davis earned her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction, Multicultural Education, and Educational Technology from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, a Masters in Arts of Teaching from Marian University in Indianapolis, Indiana, and a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin Madison.
She currently works from Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys reading for leisure, writing poetry, and watching stand up comedy.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss Karla’s conversation with Jasmin Cardenas, theatre director and activist from Workers Teatro. The dialogues focus on the reciprocal and multiple intersections of the arts and labor issues: how can labor improve in the arts and how can the arts contribute to systemic changes in labor?
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How theatre techniques, like Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, can contribute to dialogues about labor in Chicago;
- What the arts may learn from labor movements in other sectors; and
- The ways teaching artists can act as facilitators for important dialogues about worker’s experiences.
Some things from the episode:
- Workers TEATRO
- Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed
- Community Writing Project and Workers Teatro collaboration with University of Illinois Chicago
- Jasmine’s solo commissioned work with 1st Stage
About Jasmine Cardenas
Over the past 15 years Jasmin has taught, directed and devised with community members, adults and youth throughout the city for WorkersTEATRO (Co-Founder), Workers Resistance Theater (Co-Founder), Lookingglass Theater, Silk Road Theater Project, Adventure Stage Chicago, Lifeline Theater, Chase Elementary and at Carpenter Fine Arts, to name a few.
In 2019 she facilitated creative youth leaders from across Chicago's city and neighborhoods and organizations to create the 2019 Youth Speak: RIGHTS OF CHICAGO'S CREATIVE LEADERS. This was in partnership with Chicago Park District's Arts & Culture Culture Unit, led be Meida McNeil, and youth leaders from Albany Park Theater Project, Free Street Theater, Kumba Lynx, Move Me Soul, YOUMedia, Columbus Park Inferno Youth Media Team, Free Spirit Media & the adults who support their learning, growing and thriving. Our gatherings were held at Chicago Parks across the city.
Using Theater of the Oppressed she uses the tool of theater for social justice work. With Pastor Phil Jackson she Co-Founded Ambassadors for a United Lawndale; working towards racial reconciliation between African American and Latino Youth on the SW side of the city. Supported by The MacArthur Foundation she traveled with 20 students to Mexico to learn about the African presence in Mexico.
She served on the Board of The Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed (PTO) and was the Lead Organizer of the 2011 International PTO Conference held in Chicago. Along with her students, recipient of the 2010 Public Square (Illinois Humanities Council) Award Art Urges, Art Voyages – Looking for Democracy Film Contest. Using her specialization in Creative Drama Jasmin has been teaching children, parents and educators (across the ages 0-100) of the many literacy benefits that can be experienced in bringing stories to life.
This episode was produced by Karla Estela Rivera. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
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During this episode of Why Change? Co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss Ashraf’s conversation with Sana Jafri, from the Chicago Learning Exchange. They discuss unconventional pathways to systems change work, radical imagination, and the goal of social capital. Ashraf and Jeff debrief by thinking about the “upward spiral."
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How immersive learning opportunities can infuse new knowledge in professionals;
- The power of radical imagination in systems change; and
- How to lead to an upward spiral.
Some things from the episode:
- Chicago Learning Exchange
- Critical Network Literacy by Kira Baker-Doyle
- Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone
- The Clinton Foundation Fellowship
- Teen Arts Pass in Chicago
- Skillman Foundation
About
Sana Jafri is the Executive Director of the Chicago Learning Exchange (CLX), a nonprofit network of 200+ youth-serving organizations in Chicago's out-of-school time learning ecosystem. Sana has been with CLX for over 8 years and during this time, her accomplishments include creating the City of Chicago's first festival for experiential learning entitled Chicago Learning Days as well creating the Brother Mike Award – a $5,000 no-strings attached award for out-of-school time mentors in Chicago.
This episode was produced by Ashraf Hasham. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
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During this episode of Why Change? co-host Karla meets with Tamara Anderson who moderated an event recently—in partnership with the Teaching Artists Guild, Zinn Education Project, Black Lives Matter at School, and Creative Generation—titled, “A Day of Purpose: Decolonizing Arts Education with Black Lives Matter at School.” This event was a professional development opportunity for teaching artists that focuses on the ongoing activations and reflections from BLM at School’s Year of Purpose, which aims to uplift Black students and undo institutional racism.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About ongoing issues that teaching artists face with school districts and employers who are banning reading material in classrooms;
- Discover resources for teaching artists to use in expanding their curriculum with a lens to Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI); and
- How to start conversations with their employers about broadening the canon of artists that are represented in their programming.
Some things from the episode:
- Digital Native Land Map
- Black Lives Matter at School Curriculum
- Principles for Building Anti-Racist Theatre Systems
- "Decolonization is not a metaphor" by Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang
- Examples from Black Lives Matter at School Week in DC this year
Tamara Anderson is a multi-talented actor, singer, writer, and director. She has been featured in musicals and plays across the country and in multiple TV, film, and commercials like The Blacklist and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She is an advocate for children and teens, an anti-racist trainer, a professional artist, editor, freelance journalist, and blogger with over 24 years of experience as an educator. Tamara is currently an adjunct at West Chester University in the Education Policy Department. Her production company, The Gumbo Lab, features a virtual platform for Black female identifying and Black queer solo artists and an annual ten-minute film festival. Her BIPOC Database and Resource Guide connects BIPOC creatives to work in the industry. She is one of the founding steering committee members of the National Black Lives Matter Week of Action at Schools, a founding member of the Racial Justice Organizing Committee, a founding member of Melanated Educators Collective, a founding member of Opt-Out Philly, a previous steering committee member of the WE Caucus, a diversity consultant for the American Association of Physics Teachers, a Teach Truth organizer with Zinn Education Project, and on the National Advisory Council for Teaching Artists Guild (TAG).
This episode was produced by Karla Estela Rivera. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
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During this episode of Why Change?, co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss the change of seasons and Madeleine’s interview with José Angel Salazar Marin from El Sistema Greece. Madeleine and José discuss the role of a musician in educating youth and changing the world - and how to go about doing that! Karla and Jeff break down the dialogue into practical steps for all arts educators towards a more holistic future.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About a musician’s responsibility to the holistic development of the learner;
- How access and creating space is an essential component for music education; and
- Why action research can inform the field of music education.
Some things from the episode:
- El Sistema, as a movement
- El Sistema Greece
- Action Research for Teaching Artists (sponsored by the Academy for Impact Through Music)
- Academy for Impact Through Music
José Angel is one of the products of the highly-acclaimed and worldwide recognized model of music education known as “El Sistema” in Venezuela. Being educated and trained in performance, organization and management, José Angel has served as the Main Conductor and Artistic Director of both the regional youth orchestra and the symphony orchestra of his hometown Margarita Island, and invited as a guest conductor for different productions of prominent venezuelan orchestras. He has also taken different conducting masterclasses and seminars both as passive or active participant, such as the Italian Opera Academy by Riccardo Muti in Ravenna, the Hans Swarowsky Akademie with Manfred Huss in Vienna, among others.
José Angel has been invited as a music teacher and conductor to assist in different Sistema inspired programs around the world, such as the Fundacion Orquesta Sinfonica Juvenil del Ecuador (FOSJE) in Ecuador, the Saint Lucia School of Music, and the El Sistema Sweden Dream Orchestra, where he also worked with underprivileged youth at risk, children in extreme poverty status, refugees and migrants, using music education as a tool for social integration and human development. Jose Angel serves currently as the Artistic Director of ESG, where he is very happy to contribute reproducing the venezuelan model, adapting it to the Greek society and culture, helping children and youth from very varied backgrounds and social status.
This episode was produced by Madeleine McGirk. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
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During this episode of Why Change, Jeff provides reflection and background information on the global movement to advance arts education, including the recent World Summit of Arts Education hosted in Madeira, Portugal. Co-hosts Rachael and Madeleine join Jeff to reflect on their time together, in-person in Madeira Island, the big ideas they brought to the dialogue, and their visions for the future. Listeners are encouraged to participate in the efforts to aggregate ideas and visions for the future of the field for the UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education.
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During this episode of Why Change? Co-hosts Rachael Jacobs and Ashraf Hasham check in on their outlooks for 2023. Rachael interviews Astrid Jorgenson, the founder of Pub Choir, who focuses on community-based, collective music making. The discussions explore collaboration, inclusivity, new approaches to music-making.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Why it is important to release competition in the arts and enjoy yourself;
- How collaborative and social music-making contributed to wellness and inclusion; and
- Strategies to achieve accessibility and inclusion in local projects.
Some things from the episode:
- Astrid Jorgensen Wikipedia page
- Pub Choir on the Project (Australian TV)
- Pub Choir
- Pub Choir does Life in a Northern Town
- Failure in the Arts, check out this blog
For the transcript, please visit the episode web page.
About Astrid Jorgensen
Astrid Jorgensen (she/her) is an Australian vocalist, conductor and composer. In 2017, Jorgensen founded Pub Choir in Meanjin (Brisbane, Australia). At each Pub Choir event, Jorgensen arranges a popular song and teaches it to a non-trained audience in three-part harmony, concluding with a performance which is filmed and shared on social media. Astrid has also worked as a producer for ABC Radio Brisbane, and has performed as a keyboardist in Australian indie rock band The Grates. She was awarded the 2019 Queensland Community Foundation Emerging Philanthropist of the Year as a result of her charitable work with Pub Choir. She was also a 2020 Queensland Young Australian of The Year nominee. In 2021 she was named one of the 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians by the Asian-Australian Leadership Summit.
This episode was produced by Rachael Jacobs. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
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During this episode of Why Change? the co-hosts of the podcast - Ashraf Hasham, Rachael Jacobs, Madeleine McGirk, Jeff M. Poulin, and Karla Estela Rivera - re-introduce themselves and share their hopes and plans for Season 3. The co-hosts discuss their multi-hyphenated personal and professional identities, how they plan to use those in the coming season, and the ways we can bring more joy into our work.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- A bit more about each co-host and their unique, diverse identities they bring to the discussion;
- The questions and perspectives they hope to explore in Season 3; and
- The ways they find joy in the hard work at the intersection of culture, education, and social change.
ABOUT OUR CO-HOSTS
You can find out more about each co-host on the Why Change? web page here.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
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During this episode of Why Change? the co-hosts of the podcast - Ashraf Hasham, Rachael Jacobs, Madeleine McGirk, Jeff M. Poulin, and Karla Estela Rivera - reflect on their conversations throughout Season 2 and the myriad guests who made this season so rich and inspiring. The co-hosts revisit some of their favorite conversations, the questions that grew out of those discussions, and what they hope to bring into Season 3.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- What lingering questions our co-hosts continue to ponder;
- About the most inspiring moments to provide momentum into the new year; and
- How you can engage throughout Season 3 in 2023!
ABOUT OUR CO-HOSTS
You can find out more about each co-host on the Why Change? web page here.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss Ashraf’s journey learning from funders of color. Ashraf shares his most recent conversation with Angelique Power from the Skillman Foundation in Detroit and their discussion about shepherding youth power, the COVID-19 pandemic, and necessary changes in philanthropy. Jeff and Ashraf debrief and draw connections among many disruptive and powerful ideas.
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff reflect on disrupting the field of community foundations through Ashraf’s interview with Celeste Smith, Senior Program Manager for Arts and Culture at The Pittsburgh Foundation, and Jonathan Cunningham, Senior Program Officer at Seattle Foundation. In this episode, you’ll hear conversations about systemic change in the way community foundations fund projects and smaller, BIPOC-led organizations, as well as how some foundations are funding beyond trauma and instead focusing on joy.
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff are just back from the 2022 Arts Schools Network Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. In this episode, you’ll hear from a variety of arts education leaders and the impact their organizations and schools have on young people. Ashraf and Jeff discuss these ideas and other trends from the conference looking towards the future of arts learning.
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff welcome the Fall season and discuss Karla’s interview with Marissa Reyes. Marissa is the Chief Learning & Engagement Officer at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, where she oversees programs which democratize creative dialogues for learners of all kinds within the museum. They discuss the tangible strategies employed within art education, museum, and other settings to empower youth voice and important conversations.
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss their return to work and life after the 6th International Teaching Artists Conference in Oslo, Norway. They discuss Madeleine’s interview with Dr. Chen Alon, a theatre activist, teaching artist, and professor in Israel/Palestine. The discussion contemplates an evolution of Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, bridging polarized communities, and hope.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How theatre education activities can bridge polarized groups in a society;
- What ways teaching artists provide necessary contextualization in moments and spaces of conflict; and
- What practices cultivate hopeful actions of imagining new futures amidst conflict.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT CHEN ALON:
Dr. Chen Alon is a theatre activist, director and scholar. Alon is the head of Community Theatre and Artivism (Art & Activism) Program in the Theatre Arts Department at Tel-Aviv University. Alon is a co-founder of Combatants for Peace, a movement of Palestinian and Israeli combatants who have abandoned the way of violence and struggle together non-violently against the occupation. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, with Suleiman Khatib, Co-Founder of Combatants for Peace (2017-2018). Activism in the complicated reality in Israel/Palestine led him, as a professional actor and director, to search and create new forms of activist theatre with conflicted groups of Palestinian and Israelis, prisoners, drug addicts, homeless people and youth. Alon is the founder of Holot Theatre, a company of African asylum seekers and Israeli citizens. The 'Polarized Model of Theatre of the Oppressed' that Alon has developed in the past two decades is depicted in the documentaries Disturbing the Peace (Stephen Apkon & Andrew Young, 2015), and Between Fences (Avi Mograbi, 2016).
This episode was produced by Madeleine McGirk; the executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff check in about the change of seasons and plans for the end of the year. They discuss Jeff’s interview with Dr. Jason White, Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Arts Administration Minor in the Department of Art at Xavier University, about his new book on innovation and arts entrepreneurship. They discuss the role of applied creativity to combat racism in the arts and enabling social movements.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the role of arts education in facilitating conversations about racial justice;
- How arts entrepreneurship can apply to social change and movement building; and
- What ways arts and cultural education leaders can employ organizational attack to shift paradigms in their work.
ABOUT DR. JASON C. WHITE:
Dr. Jason C. White is Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Arts Administration Minor in the Department of Art at Xavier University, where he prepares students for diverse careers in arts administration. His research centers on identifying best practices for innovation, entrepreneurship and organizational management in creative and cultural industries. An accomplished researcher, educator and scholar, White is a published author in Artivate: A Journal of Entrepreneurship in the Arts, Journal of Arts Entrepreneurship Education, Journal of Arts Management, Law and Society, Innovative Higher Education, and Arts Education Policy Review. In addition, White is the author of the book Innovation in the Arts: Concepts, Theories and Practices, a Routledge publication in the Global Creative Economy series. In 2022, White received a Wallace foundation funded research fellowship managed by the Social Science Research Council to conduct and contribute to a national study on Arts Organizations of Color. White is one of the co-creators of the Undergraduate Standards for Arts Administration Education (AAAE), and a founding member of the Society for Arts Entrepreneurship Education (SAEE). Artistically, White is best known as the playwright, co-actor and co-director of the multi-award nominated and NAACP award-winning educational play, The Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy. Prior to receiving his PhD in Arts Administration, Education and Policy from The Ohio State University, White earned a BFA in Acting from The California Institute of the Arts and attended The University of Akron; obtaining both a Master’s degree in Arts Administration and a Master’s degree in Educational Assessment and Evaluation.
This episode was produced by executive producer, Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-host Jeff M. Poulin chats with Heleya de Barros and James Miles about their new podcast, Disrupt: Ideas to Cultivate the Creative Generation. Heleya and James discuss their histories as teaching artists, executive directors, and professors in cultivating the most impactful practice among arts educators.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the new podcast Disrupt and its goals;
- How teaching artists, arts educators, and organizational leaders can disrupt our field of practice (in good ways); and
- How we can make things easier and normalize humanity.
Check out the trailer for Disrupt: Ideas to Cultivate the Creative Generation here.
ABOUT HELEYA DE BARROS:
Heleyais an actor, teaching artist, and arts education advocate whose work focus on how to use theatre skills across disciplines and subject areas. She has worked in arts education in California, New York, and Washington with such organizations as The New School College for Performing Arts, Lincoln Center Theater, New York Theatre Workshop, The Center for Arts Education, People's Theatre Project, Young Audiences New York, The Geffen Playhouse, The Los Angeles Music Center, The Orange County Performing Arts Center, Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences, Will & Company, CRE Outreach, and 24th Street Theatre.
Heleya is the Co-Executive Director of the Teaching Artists Guild working to support and expand the national teaching artistry field and is the Co-Director of Arts Education of Arts Corps in Seattle, WA. She is an adjunct faculty member at Highline College in the Youth Development Program and sits on the Advisory Councils for Classical KING FM and Highline College in Washington.
ABOUT JAMES MILES:
James Miles (he/him) is originally from Chicago and moved to Seattle from Brooklyn, NY where he worked as an artist and educator for 20 years. Before joining Mentor Washington as Chief Executive Officer, he was the Executive Director of Seattle-based Arts Corps. Education at Urban Arts Partnership, in New York City, where he created the Fresh Education program that used original hip hop music and theatre to boost academic success in middle school ELA and Social Studies classrooms. The music, supplemented by the curriculum guide aligned to the Common Core that he designed, Fresh Education has been used around the world, and led to the creation of the organization, CodeSCTY, which teaches coding, through hip hop music, theatre exercises, and gaming. He remains an educational consultant for that organization. His acclaimed TedXTalk focuses on his mission to narrow achievement gaps using the arts as a tool to navigate inequitable educational systems. James is a consultant with Continua Consulting, and is the co-founder of LeadersDontLead.com, a leadership coaching agency. Learn more about James Miles and his work at www.freshprofessor.com
This episode was produced by executive producer, Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Karla discuss professional updates amidst big changes in the field of theatre education. They discuss co-host Jeff’s interview with Alexis Truitt and Mitch Mattson from the American Alliance for Theatre & Education. Both the interview and discussion center on the movement of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in the global field of theatre education.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How a national service organization has responded to the field-wide movement towards diversity, equity, and inclusion;
- Ways bilingual theatre drives dialogues about inclusion and belonging in theatre education; and
- About the concept of “micro-progressions.”
ABOUT ALEXIS TRUITT:
Alexis Truitt is the executive director of the American Alliance for Theatre & Education. Prior to AATE, she was the Program Coordinator for the Changing Education Through the Arts (CETA) Program at the Kennedy Center. She holds her Masters in Arts Management from George Mason University and her Bachelors of Music in voice from The Boston Conservatory. She has had the opportunity to intern with the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, English National Opera, and was an Allen Lee Hughes Fellow at Arena Stage. She also volunteers with The St. Mark’s Players, where she has had the opportunity to wear many fun hats--including Board Member, Treasurer, Director of Community Engagement, and presently Artistic Director. Alexis continues to love being a part of the AATE family as a staff member and looks forward to her continued work directly with the membership.
ABOUT MITCH MATTSON:
Mitch Mattson is the Board Chair for the American Alliance for Theatre & Education, a member-based, service organization, serving a collective of theatre artists, educators, and scholars committed to transforming young people and communities through the theatre arts. Mitch is also the Director of Career Training and Operations at Roundabout Theatre Company – NYC’s largest not-for-profit theatre company. He leads a team of arts administrators fostering the next generation of dynamic theatre professionals through career and workforce development programs. His work has has created partnerships with over 50 professional theatres and shops across NYC enabling Roundabout’s Theatrical Workforce Development Program to provide training and jobs to early career technicians. He also oversees Education at Roundabout’s operations relating to career, community, and school programs. He sits on the NYC Department of Education's Media & Design Commission as an industry representative and presents on theatre education nationally and internationally. Mitch is an alum of Coro: Leadership New York, LNY31. He has taught at theatres and schools across the country; and co-chaired regional and national conferences and convenings. Previous work at Arena Stage in Washington, DC was sponsored by the US State Department, taking him to India to create theater with young people. He holds a B.F.A. from Millikin University and a master's from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
This episode was produced by executive producer, Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff catch up among seasons of change. Ashraf shares his interview with Darren Isom who is a partner at the Bridgespan Group and host of the Dreaming in Color podcast. The discussion covers topics of leadership, knowledge, and finding from leaders of color.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About work which catalyzes and amplifies efforts to share knowledge from leaders of color in culture, education, and philanthropy;
- How creative learning reimagines arts leaders as educators, arts students as future dreamers and leaders, and funders as equity workers; and
- The role of ecosystems to cultivate the conditions for the integration of the arts into funding. Equity, and leadership development.
ABOUT DARREN ISOM:
Darren Isom is a partner in The Bridgespan Group’s San Francisco office. He first joined the firm as a consultant in 2007, left as a manager in 2014 and returned as a partner in 2019. During his earlier tenure with Bridgespan, Darren was engaged with a diverse array of cases and was consistently lauded for building deep, enduring client relationships, helping clients develop bold yet pragmatic strategies, and his commitment to amplifying community voice and engagement in developing and leading innovative, high-impact youth and community programs, practices, and philanthropy.
After leaving Bridgespan in 2014, Darren was the founder and executive director of the Memphis Music Initiative (MMI), an ambitious five-year, $20M grantmaking and community arts development initiative. He led efforts to use targeted investments and programmatic offerings to strengthen youth and community music engagement activities for low-income, Black, and Latino youth and communities. It has also sponsored research to create a national conversation on the importance of community engagement and inclusion, disruptive philanthropy, and the powerful role of arts investments in driving equitable, high-impact community outcomes. To launch and lead the organization, Darren built strategic relationships with arts organizations, musicians, schools, funders, community, public, and private groups; built the team, including a diverse and inclusive board and 20 staff; and developed a robust infrastructure for delivering results in Memphis and the Mid-South, a particularly racialized region.
Before Bridgespan he worked as the art, design, and public programming director for Times Square Alliance, planning and implementing programming for public art and performance initiatives throughout the Times Square District. Prior to working at Times Square Alliance, Darren served as VP of Programs for Groundwork.
A seventh generation New Orleans native, Darren is a graduate of Howard University, Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris, and Columbia Business School’s Institute for Nonprofit Management. An activist for disconnected youth and LGBT communities of color, he has served as an advisor to the leaders of several Bay Area, Southeast US, and national foundations. He currently serves on the board of Beloved Community of New Orleans, Collage Dance Collective of Memphis, Springboard to Opportunities in Jackson, MS, and the National Guild for Community Arts Education.
This episode was produced by Ashraf Hashm; the executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff chat with their colleague Dr. Michael Finneran about the topic of ‘creative justice.’ Rachael and Michael have been exploring this concept, and its applications around the world, for the last few years - the discussion explores the histories, theories, applications, and healthy tensions within the big idea.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the concept of ‘creative justice’ and the role of arts education within its framework;
- How expanding the discourse on change-oriented arts education can interrogate the grand narratives which influence our work; and
- In what ways critical reflection can impact creativity, justice, and activism through the arts.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- “Can Assessment Bring About Creative Justice?” session from the World Alliance for Arts Education Virtual World Summit 2021
- Dancing toward the light in the dark: COVID-19 changes and reflections on normal from Australia, Ireland and Mexico article underpinning the research
- Civil Disco-Bedience: It’s Time To Dance For Your Life blog by Rachael Jacobs
- Keep Making Art That Counts blog from Michael Finneran
- The 10th International Drama in Education Research Institute
ABOUT DR. MICHAEL FINNERAN:
Dr Michael Finneran is the founding Head of the Department of Drama and Theatre Studies at the University of Limerick (Mary Immaculate College) Ireland and Programme Director for the BA in Contemporary & Applied Theatre Studies.
Michael’s research interests lie in applied theatre, drama education, theatre practice, creativity, arts policy and social justice in the arts. He has published widely in those areas and is co-author (with Prof. Kelly Freebody) of Critical Themes in Drama: Social-Cultural and Political Analysis in Drama Education & Applied Theatre (Routledge, 2021) and co-editor of a number of volumes, including Drama and Social Justice: Theory, research and practice in international contexts (Routledge, 2016), Applied Theatre: Understanding Change, (Springer, 2018), Education and Theatres (Springer, 2019). He is currently Principal Investigator on an Irish Research Council/Creative Ireland funded study examining creativity and wellbeing.
Michael led the establishment of the professional 510-seat Lime Tree Theatre in 2012 and served on the board for a decade. He is currently is Chairman/Cathaoirleach of the board of Branar Téater do Pháistí , and Chairman of the board of Dance Limerick. Michael is a practicisting theatre artist, working as director, producer and designer in professional and community theatre. Michael was a Gilbert Visiting Fellow to the University of Sydney Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Institute in 2022 and was added to the DCU Alumni Distinguished Wall in 2020.
This episode was produced by Rachael Jacobs; the executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss the change of seasons and the upcoming big changes in the field of arts education. Jeff shares his interview with Dr. Allison Roberts, CEO of the Arkansas Arts Academy, who reflects on her trajectory from arts teacher to education policy advisory to school leader and community builder. Karla and Jeff conclude by thinking deeply about the role of arts schools in communities, cultural ecosystems and as drivers of change in the lives of youth.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the central role of an arts-focused school in creating vibrancy within an arts education ecosystem;
- How an arts teacher - trend administrator and education policy advisory - examines systemic approaches to arts education; and
- Ways arts integration can configure learning after the rapid changes of the last few years.
ABOUT DR. ALLISON ROBERTS:
Dr. Allison Roberts, a native of Arkansas, has over 35 years experience as a visual artist, K-college art educator, district visual and performing arts coordinator, arts consultant, national professional development facilitator, published author, school administrator, accreditation evaluator and education policy advisor. She attended John Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, Indiana with a painting emphasis, obtained a B. A. in Fine Arts and M.A in Arts Education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a K-12 art education certification from the University of Central Arkansas, a K-12 administrative credential from Sacramento County Leadership Institute and a Doctorate from the University of Colorado at Denver, in Leadership for Educational Equity. Through her work in four states, Dr. Roberts has a wide range of experiences with school and community collaboration, grant writing, district visual and performing arts facilitation, strategic planning, arts festival coordination, non-profit partnerships, creating multi-tiered assessments for arts integration, data analysis and instructional leadership. In a collaboration with the Sacramento County Office of Education, she published art curriculum extensions for grades 2-6 and trained classroom teachers throughout Northern California on Integrated Literacy. Dr. Roberts has worked as a trainer for The California Arts Project, the Sierra North Arts Project and an arts evaluator for International Baccalaureate.
This episode was produced by executive producer, Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff reflect on the past few months filled with numerous gatherings. Rachael shares her interview with Amy Claire Mills, a performance, textiles, and installation artist with the intention of deconstructing ableism. Rachael and Jeff discuss their takeaways, including the notion of “creative brave spaces.”
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How one artist creates brave (not safe) spaces with her art;
- About performance, installation ad textile art projects which seek to deconstruct ableism; and
- What concepts should be explored to understand the disability experience in the arts.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Amy Claire Mills’ website
- From Safe to Brave Spaces
- Social and Medical Models of Disability
- Throwing Out The Playbook: Insights From The 2021 ABLE Conversation
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT Amy Claire Mills:
Amy Claire Mills is a Sydney-based emerging artist living and working on unceded Gadigal and Wangal land. Amy’s art practice explores identity and self-preservation through immersive installations and performance, by which she becomes both the artist and subject. Her practice critiques and examines the politics surrounding the female disabled body. Using distinctive, colourful and bold mediums my work encourages the observer to challenge their own paradigms and internalised preconceived bias, with the intention of deconstructing ableism.
This episode was produced by Rachael Jacobs; the executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss exciting upcoming projects and start thinking big about impact. Madeleine shares her interview with Carrie Ziegler, a community-engaged artist focused on youth and environmental issues. Madeleine and Jeff discuss Carrie’s impact, youth ownership of creative work, and the ripple effects of community-engaged creative projects led by young people.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About context-specific listening;
- How youth ownership of co-created visions deepens impact; and
- How large-scale arts projects lead to greater ripple effects of community engagement and connection.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Carrie Ziegler’s Earth Art website
- The International Teaching Artist Conference 6
- Scaling by Depth by Denise Montgomery
- Teaching Artistry for Social Impact course
ABOUT CARRIE ZIEGLER:
Carrie Ziegler facilitates powerful collaborative art projects that catalyze real environmental and social change. Recently, one of her collaborative art in action projects contributed to the passing of the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan AND a resolution stating we are in a Climate Emergency. She has worked with many organizations and people who are struggling with apathy and lack of hope in light of all of the environmental injustices in the world. When they create art around these issues, collaboratively with other people, they are rocketed out of apathy and into action. This led Carrie to truly understand the transformative power of art, and the power of creating something together that is much bigger than any one of us can do on our own.
This episode was produced by Madeleine McGirk; the executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Jeff and Rachael catch up on the evolutions of their work. Jeff shares an interview with James Wells of Crayola discussing how arts educators can drive change in their schools and the broader field. Rachael and Jeff amplify key ideas about educational equity and racial justice.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How parents, arts schools, museums, and nonprofits can cultivate arts educators as leaders in systems change;
- Why a crayon company advances education, social-emotional learning, storytelling, and more through art education; and
- How teachers can apply their real world knowledge to inform the systems that impact their work.
ABOUT JAMES WELLS:
James is the Education Manager at Crayola. He brings his creative energy and leadership to every speaking presentation, engaging participants to think differently. James has been dedicated to supporting arts in schools, working closely with teachers and administrators across the US. He is the host of a digital content series, Creativity Tips, and a founding member of Crayola’s Diversity and Inclusion Council. Prior to Crayola, James was the Fine Arts Instructional Advisor for Shelby County School District in Memphis, Tennessee and the Art Education Coordinator for the Tennessee Arts Commission in Nashville, Tennessee. He has participated in leading numerous initiatives that kept art at the forefront of education including revising art standards for the state of Tennessee. James was recently named 2022 Tennessee Art Educator of the Year. In addition to his work at Crayola, James continues to be involved in art education as Board President of Tennessee Art Education Association, board trustee with the National Art Education Foundation as well as a leader within the National Art Education Association as an alum of the School for Art Leaders Program.
This episode was produced by executive producer, Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff examine the changing of seasons, workloads, and how artists and institutions navigate that change. Madeleine shares her interview with SImon Sharkey, a Scottish theatre-maker and activist, who provides powerful stories and visions for the role of artists and institutions in society. Madeleine and Jeff think about how to apply this change of frame in their work.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How embodies creativity can lead to arts-based civic and social change;
- About the formation of the National Theatre of Scotland and how it changes the role of institutions; and
- Why artists and institutions should re-frame their roles in society.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT SIMON SHARKEY:
Simon was one of the founding directors of The National theatre of Scotland, where he pioneered the “Theatre Without Walls” approach across Scotland and the rest of the world. Over 15 years with NTS he created a program of genre defying participatory and professional arts projects and festivals that reached globally and impacted locally. Since leaving NTS in 2018, to continue his work, he formed “The Necessary Space” which he calls a “Theatre of Opportunity.” He is currently engaged in several projects across the world including Brazil, India, Jamaica, Trinidad, Austria, Germany, Canada and of course Scotland. He was one of the first people in the UK to receive a National Endowment of Science, Technology and Arts (NESTA) “international cultural leadership award.” He is a director, writer, coach, mentor, speaker and most recently, a documentary film maker. He works on epic and intimate scales with site specific theatre and theatre for social change.
This episode was produced by Madeleine McGirk; executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss the role of museums as institutions for community belonging. Ashraf interviews Nick Duarte, a musician and senior manager of community engagement at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, who manages their youth and music programs. They discuss the unique positionality of museums in their communities and this museum's intentional shift towards service.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- from an example of how communities can inform museums and other institutions;
- Why we should ask, “who needs an education department anyway?!” and
- about a badass youth music showcase that directly results in radio airplay.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Fort Collins Museum of Discovery Website
- Sonic Spotlight Music Showcase
- Towards an Enriched Understanding of Arts Integration blog
ABOUT NICK DUARTE: A long time Colorado musician, Nick Duarte has lead the rock band 'Post Paradise' since 2009. He is a senior manager at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery overseeing youth music programming as well as events and projects throughout the rest of the museum and dome theater.
This episode was produced by Ashraf Hasham; executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Ashraf discuss municipal leadership through and for the arts. Karla interviews Rossana Rodrguez-Sanchez, an educator, artist, activist, and alderwoman of Chicago's 33rd ward. They discuss the role of artists at the decision-making table and the importance of the politics of care. Karla and Ashraf debrief by thinking big about municipal and local leadership by creatives.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How culture and identities inform local governance;
- What “politics of care” is and why its important in communities; and
- The impact of artists and creatives in municipal government.
ABOUT ROSSANA RODRIGUEZ-SANCHEZ: A mother and resident of the Albany Park neighborhood. Prior to taking office, Alderwoman Rodriguez-Sanchez worked as a youth educator and was involved in community groups as an activist and organizer.
Her priorities as Alderwoman include protecting neighborhood affordability, supporting our ward’s immigrant population, young people, and diverse communities, and creating more democratic processes so that ward residents are involved in the decisions that impact their lives.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Alderwoman Rodriguez-Sanchez has been a lifelong advocate for public education, labor rights, and the wellbeing of youth and families. Her career as an educator includes eight years as a director and mentor in a nationally acclaimed youth theater company in Albany Park, where she guided high school students to fulfill their artistic and academic potential. Alderwoman Rodriguez-Sanchez is the first Latinx Alderman to represent the 33rd Ward. She serves as chair of the immigration committee on the City Council’s Latino Caucus and is a member of the Progressive Caucus.
She serves on the City Council’s committees on Education and Child Development, Environmental Protection and Energy, Ethics and Government Oversight, Health and Human Relations, Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, and Committees and Rules.
This episode was produced by Karla Estela Rivers; executive producer is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss some exciting professional news for Karla in Chicago! Karla interviews Lizette Garza about her work disrupting the challenges of philanthropy to re-center on those most impacted. Karla and Jeff debrief by discussing strategies which are transferable across the sector.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- One example of a program overcoming the challenges of traditional philanthropy;
- How art-making can improve our administrative work; and
- Some ideas about leadership transition to alum i of programs.
ABOUT LIZETTE GARZA: Lizette Garza, Program Manager, is a Pilsen native with a background in youth development, nonprofit management and arts education. She aims to connect people to meaningful resources and bridge communities through programming and cultural events. Previously, Lizette worked at After School Matters as a Program Specialist and ElevArte Community Studio as a Teaching Artist for a Hip Hop education program. In addition, she was a 2017 Giving Project participant at Crossroads Fund.
This episode was produced by Karla Estela Rivera. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? Jeff interrupts our normal schedule to amplify the work of artists and educators responding to gun violence in the United States. Jeff interviews Michael Cotey, founder of #Enough Plays to End Gun Violence; they discuss the role of our community in joining the movement.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About programs supporting young creatives against gun violence;
- What youth leaders and the research says about this pandemic; and
- How to engage in the movement.
ABOUT MICHAEL COTEY: A Chicago-based, Milwaukee-bred theatre-maker. He has directed at Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act, First Stage, Northwestern University, UW-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Illinois Wesleyan University and Youngblood Theatre. Michael has also assisted at Goodman Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare, Steppenwolf, and Milwaukee Rep, for prominent directors, like Tony Award-winners Mary Zimmerman and Robert Falls. From 2009-2013 he was the Founding Artistic Director of Youngblood Theatre in Milwaukee. Regularly celebrated by the theater community and the press as one of the most exciting new Milwaukee theater ventures in decades, Youngblood provided professional opportunities to early-career emerging artists, introduced the works of provocative new playwrights, and staged theatre in raw found spaces that invoked Milwaukee’s storied industrial past. He's taught at UW-Madison, Roosevelt University, Northwestern, and UW-Milwaukee. He was both the member of Directors Lab Chicago and the FAIR Program at Oregon Shakespeare. Michael graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a BFA in Acting and from Northwestern University with an MFA in Directing. In 2014 he was named UWM’s “Graduate of the Last Decade.” Learn more at www.michaelcotey.com
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff discuss artists in politics. Rachael shares about her experience running for elected office and her conversation with artist and environmental activist, Jess Harwood. They discuss using art to convey complex messages and empowering youth, like the School Strikers, to take social and civic actions.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How the arts can increase participation in civic and political dialogues;
- About strategies for artists and educators to empower youth activists; and
- Why artists are essential in political elections.
ABOUT JESS HARWOOD: An illustrator, communications professional and environmental campaigner, living and working on Gadigal Land in Sydney, Australia. Jess believes art needs a purpose. Much of her art is connected with climate change campaigning or raising awareness about the impacts of biodiversity loss and has been used by climate campaigns and featured on the BBC.
This episode was produced by Rachael Jacobs. Its Executive Editor is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? Jeff chats with members of the Creative Generation Collective - Vida, André, and Val - about their reflections from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America national conference held from May 2-6, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. They discuss the role of the arts in positive youth development, the elements which affect an arts-based youth development program, and the stories of impact from young creatives and their adult allies. The group ends with bold calls to actions for youth-facing adult practitioners who work with young creatives: listen and get out of the way!
In this episode you’ll learn:
1) The role of the arts in community-based youth development programs;
2) The elements of strong practice and trends in professional development for adult allies; and
3) What we can all do to support young creatives in out-of-school time settings.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
In this episode you’ll learn:
1) About the amazing work of Francine and Plato Cultural, which is currently happening in Brazil and is creating brand new approaches to learning that will be adopted in schools throughout her region;
2) How play and imagination can have a central role in combatting climate change by activating young people to be caretakers of their land;
3) The kinds of condition changes we can prove when Teaching Artists embed impact assessment into their work.
ABOUT FRANCINE KLEIMAN- Francine (Porto Alegre, Brazil) is an interdisciplinary artist and theatre maker. She holds a BA in Theatre at UFRGS (Brazil, 2011) and MA in Performance Making at Goldsmiths University of London (UK,2017). Further training with ODIN Teatret, LISPA, Complicité, David Glass, Melanie Wilson, among others.
She is the co-founder of the immersive theatre company Teatro Geográfico (BR) and the start-up PLATÔ Cultural (UK / BR). In addition to the projects with these companies, she has also worked as an interdisciplinary theatre maker with Evan Reinhold (UK) Teatro Koreja (ITALY), Graeme Miller (UK), Depósito de Teatro (BR), Coletivo VAGA (BR), Teatro da Vertigem (BR), and as a theatre director in the documentary Tell My Story (UK / BR). She was a resident artist at METROPOLISFESTIVAL Site Specific Residency (Denmark 2019) and LANDXCAPES PUGLIA (Italy2018) promoted by BJCEM Institution and UKYA. Francine Kliemann, has a good record of creating meaningful work with young people in different projects in Brazil, ranging from drama schools, participatory arts projects and community engagement. In September 2018 , she was a teaching artist in the project “TELL MY STORY”, working with young-at risk women aged 09 to 17 years old from the communities of Candido Sales and Medina in Brazil. The documentary produced by the UK production company RAIZ STORIES in partnership with the charity MENINA DANCA recorded them getting ready over a 3 week participatory theatre process to perform in a theatre piece that was shown to their communities. Between 2011 and2014, Francine worked in the research, development and facilitation of the project “BEING A TREE GAME” a multisensorial participatory experience combining performance, technology and biology science for kids aged 8 to 10 years old in poor communities of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil produced by ESTUDIO NOMADE. Her research interests include dramaturgy of space, immersive education and site-specific placemaking. She is driven by the curiosity of exploring new performative and artistic formats that can bring unexpected layers to the fabric of reality and trigger new ways of sensing, experiencing and perceiving the world.
This episode was produced by Madeleine McGirk. Its Executive Editor is Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff join you live from the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference. They discuss the emerging themes from music educators across the state of Colorado, interview André Solomon about the futures of music education, and conclude with some bold calls to action about creating a more inclusive, welcoming, and progressive music education experience for students.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- What is the proper way to pronounce ‘flutist;’’
- Why disrupting narratives, pedagogies, and practices in music education is necessary to achieve goals of inclusion; and
- How to change the music education landscape to empower future generations.
ABOUT ANDRÉ SOLOMON: André Solomon (he/him) serves as the Manager for Community Knowledge with a focus on justice and liberatory practices. In this role, he oversees a portfolio of research, documentation, and professional learning projects, as well as co-leads the Creative Generation Summer Residency Program.
André is a native of Massachusetts currently based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by way of Syracuse, New York. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Flute from Syracuse University and a Masters of Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University. With both degrees, André hopes to enforce social justice through the arts with the belief that the arts are a necessary component of human development.
As a biracial individual navigating the arts world, both as an artist and arts manager, he desires to cultivate opportunities for BIPOC to visualize representation and actualize their dreams. While in Pittsburgh, André has had the pleasure of co-directing Make Music PGH since 2019 and working as the Manager of Programs for Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council aiding peer networks and Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion (DEAI) initiatives.
This episode was produced by Jeff M. Poulin. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. Creative Generation’s Digital Media Producer is Daniel Stanley. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff connect to discuss Ashraf’s conversation with legendary musician and artist, Terry Morgan. Terry’s incredible past as a musician created a unique chemistry of opportunity as one experience opened him to another, finally leading him to create Borealis, Festival of Lights, an innovative visual and digital art festival based in Seattle, Washington. Ashraf and Jeff discuss how Terry’s personal narrative highlights opportunities for young people to be not only exposed to the arts as an outlet for their creativity, but also a real way they can begin accomplishing change they want to make in their communities.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Examples of entry points and connections young people can find into the creative economy;
- How youth can begin to actually inform the creative economy and digital communities; and
- In what ways community connections throughout your life can present unexpected opportunities for innovation.
ABOUT TERRY MORGAN: As a musician, earning his master’s at the University of Washington, Terry teamed up with Jack Buchans, a student of Nam Jun Paik, who had built a Paik-Abe video synthesizer. They spend endless hours creating abstract electronic video art with synthesized soundtracks.
These early experiments attracted Terry to the word of Light Art, Festivals, and Projection Mapping. The beauty, inspiration, and impact that radiates from the faster growing art form in the world is now the most exciting part of his life. Having been on the ground floor of Seattle’s early alternative music scene, he has seen how opportunity can inspire greatness. Borealis now provides a showcase venue for some of the most innovative artists in the world. They are working to create landmark experiences hat will unite the art and tech world in a celebration of new releaities and imagination.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
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Everyone has spent the past 2 years trying to adjust to the shifting landscapes of everyday life. As artists and educators working across the country, we have seen a tremendous push to center the lived experiences, particularly those furthest from opportunity. Yet, we have also seen an equal amount of resistance to change for a variety of reasons, ranging from fear, lack of confidence, lack of desire, or downright refusal to adapt. Everyone is overwhelmed and we are here to tell all of you: it doesn’t have to be this hard. We are Heleya and James, two artists, educators, leaders, and disruptors with a goal to normalize humanity. Join us for DISRUPT where we’ll break down big ideas and connect them to your daily practice as an artist, educator, or organizational leader
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In this episode of Why Change? Jeff introduces a new episode format - an event recap! Creative Generation’s Jordan Campbell shares insights gained at the 2021 ABLE Conversation: Anti-Ableism, Representation, and Accessibility in Arts Education. Hear from keynote speakers Rebecca Cokly and Gaelynn Lea, along with learnings from attendees, to experience this event, just like you were there!
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How and why arts education is a central component of the disability rights movement;
- The role of arts educators in meeting the learning needs of students with disabilities; and
- Why we should throw out our current playbook.
Please download the transcript here.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
In this preview of Season 2, the Why Change? Co-hosts - Karla, Ashraf, Rachael, Madeleine, and Jeff connect to discuss their plans for the coming season. Jeff shares a bit about the shift in focus of Why Change?’s second season to focus on the adult change-makers supporting the creative development of young people and how this fits into the suite of podcasts produced by Creative Generation.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the new focus of Why Change?;
- How the co-hosts will use the podcast to tell new stories; and
- What else to expect in your podcast feed from Creative Generation.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
Join us for the final episode of Why Change? Season One as co-hosts Karla, Madeleine, Rachel, Ashraf and Jeff reflect on the powerful conversations they’ve had with artists, innovators and activists over the season. The five co-hosts lift up important reminders various guests had contributed during conversations and begin reimagining a future influenced by the personal narratives and stories shared during the podcast.
In this episode you’ll learn:
1) Inspiration from favorite guests and points of synergy across conversations happening around the globe.
2) Examples of real people taking real action on global issues in hyper-localized channels based on personal narrative.
3) Specific things you can do right now to contribute to global conversations as artists and allies.
Follow Creative Generation: @Campaign4GenC
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change? you’ll meet the inspiring entrepreneur, Tee Sandifer, and learn about how she grew her arts organization into a social change empire for youth, family and communities. Building upon knowledge of self and her community’s needs, Miss Tee’s studio has taken off in a phase of rapid growth since the pandemic hit in 2020, as she works to re-educate families and community leaders about the integral role the arts can play in everyday life. Co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff reflect on the work of Studio T and the social responsibility of young artists as public servants in their communities.
In this episode you’ll learn:
1) How we can and should expand our definition of what art is and where it happens.
2) How citizenship is an example of applied creativity.
3) An example of an arts organization’s rapid growth and development during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
ABOUT TEE SANDIFER: A 30-year dance education expert specializing in pulling the best out of youth. She has developed some of Hollywood’s most sought-after young dancers including THE 2016 winner of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, 2018 World of Dance stars, members of the Jabbawockeez, and more. But to her, some of the biggest successes of her program have come from students who finished high school and went on to become college graduates.
As CEO and founder of Studio T Arts & Entertainment, PassToClass.com, California’s Day of Dance, Side Hustle Academy, LVL Up, and @SweetTeeTime, Miss Tee’s heartbeat is to champion the development of every child, build confidence and character as well as develop a conquering spirit that believes anything in possible.
Sandifer’s success in building this organization is the direct result of her own struggles and triumphs growing up in Richmond to a single mom raising five siblings. Early in her career as a teaching artist she consistently saw disinterested kids suddenly electrified by the prospect of learning a new move. Her studio in Sacramento now offers local students much more than dance lessons; at Studio T, young people from all backgrounds become skilled professionals in performance and stage crew, graphic and costume design, photography and videography, and of course, choreography. Sandifer’s “whole person” approach addresses every young person’s needs so they can heal, connect, and flourish as key participants in the creative marketplace. Her influence on the creative economy is not only evident in the work that she is doing today, but will have a lasting impact through the many lives she's changed on her life mission.
She serves over 192,000 youth and 7,800 educators in school districts throughout Northern California and across the country every year through educational partnerships & enrichment programs related to physical as well as mental & emotional health. Her passionate advocacy for the arts has taken her to the State Capitol where she partners with local and national civic leaders to bring arts-inspired, socially and culturally relevant incentives to the academic day.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change?, co-hosts Madeline and Jeff reflect on a dynamic conversation with storyteller Fidaa Ataya who shares her art as an “amazing, crazy tool for change.” Based in Palestine, Fidaa shares about the purpose and power of telling stories based on generational and cultural knowledge and how that can be applied to contemporary times as forms of peaceful protest. Together, Madeline and Jeff discuss the social responsibility artists have to use their art to draw attention to the causes they believe in.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Examples of art and storytelling as forms of peaceful protest.
- How the art of storytelling can create a sense of grounding and rootedness in a community and heritage while also reflecting and amplifying parallels of current life.
- What individuals and communities can do now to leverage the arts as a tool for change and support the people and culture of Palestine.
ABOUT FIDAA ATAYA: A storyteller. Her grandmother, forcibly expelled from her home and homeland in Al Bourj Palestine in 1948, would tell her stories. As she listened, Fidaa would fly with her imagination across borders, across the occupation, to freedom. Traditionally, women in Palestine told stories in private, not in public. But Fidaa tells stories in public, using them as a tool for survival, to pass on the anthropology of her people, to prove their existence and resistance. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and psychology, diplomas in drama and education and playback theatre, and an MEd in Integrated Arts from Plymouth State University (NH). Fidaa has produced and performed shows in Palestine, Europe, America, and the Arab world and performed in numerous festivals across the globe. Fidaa has founded or co-founded a number of groups including the Art and Activism Residency, Hakaya Group to revive traditional Palestinian storytelling, Arabic School of Playback, Women’s Theatre at Burj Al-Barajna refugee camp, The Rain Singer Theatre at Tulkarm refugee camp, and the Palestinian American Children’s Theatre (PACT). She is a Drama in Education Specialist and Faculty Member at the Arab School of Playback Theatre, a member of ITC4 in New York, as well as a puppeteer, filmmaker, and director. She has directed several short films which have been shown in Palestine, within the United States, and in Italy. With Seraj Libraries, she is helping to open the National Storytelling Center in Palestine.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change host Rachel Jacobs connects with Alethea Beetson about the role and responsibility of artists and arts supporters in honoring and acknowledging indigenous people and their art as well as confronting and understanding existing structures of colonization in the world of arts. They also discuss the importance of transitioning power and leadership to youth as part of your organization’s infrastructure.
In this episode you’ll learn:
1) How young people can be built into the growth and development of an organization with a pathway to transitioning power.
2) How to start thinking more intentionally about language, specifically as it relates to decolonization.
3) What non-indegenous people can do to start their own work and support First Nation Artists.
ABOUT ALETHEA - Alethea Beetson is a Kabi Kabi + Wiradjuri artist and producer who has worked extensively with Indigenous communities across multiple art forms to inspire new works responding to societal issues, cultural heritage and colonisation. She is the Artistic Director of Digi Youth Arts, and QMusic’s First Nations Programmer. Based in Brisbane. She was previously the curator of the First Nation programme at BIGSOUND, and Indigenous Engagement Coordinator at the Queensland Museum. Alethea has completed her Doctorate in Creative Industries (QUT) exploring the function of ritual, resistance and resurgence in the creative development and production of Indigenous performance.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff join you live from the 2021 Arts School Network Conference in Chicago to have a conversation about the role artists and arts schools can have as influencers and instigators in policy decisions that impact their communities. Outside of the broader conference themes around diversity, equity and inclusion, Karla and Jeff discuss actions taken to broaden the scope of schools to be laboratories for youth-led, civically-engaged experiences that create large-scale community change.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Examples of how arts schools are leading change coming out of the pandemic in providing meaningful leadership opportunities for youth;
- The importance of artists and youth learning about policy and advocacy issues; and
- How we might begin to not only instill a love for artistic craft in schools, but a passion for self-advocacy.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Arts Schools Network 2021 Conference
- Afterschool Matters
- Ingenuity
- Free Street Theater
- Creative youth community development initiative
- Arts Alliance Illinois
Please download the transcript here.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff reflect on the place of the arts in creating systemic and policy-based change. Jeff interviews Thanh Bui, live from the World Alliance for Arts Education’s Virtual World Summit, to discuss his work breaking down the barriers of access to arts learning and building an arts education ecosystem in Vietnam. Together, Madeleine and Jeff discuss the scalability and replicability of this work.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How the arts can be leveraged to shift and align policy while also promoting one’s own cultural identity;
- An example of aligning culture and quality through arts assessment and education;
- How we begin to examine ideas of censorship in the arts and how to find creative work-arounds.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT THANH BUI : An award-winning Australian-Vietnamese singer-songwriter, with numerous gold records and Number 1 hit songs around the world to his name. Upon returning to Vietnam in 2011, he established himself as one of the leading artists in the country but more notably, Thanh has won the hearts of the people through his passion for raising the awareness of the importance of music and the arts, education in particular, and education in general, to develop a new generation of Vietnamese children. Thanh has been on the forefront of leading social change through his Ambassadorships with the United Nations, Wilderness Foundation, Wild-Aid, and more. He believes that the arts is a very powerful medium to push change. Thanh's passion has seen him build an eco-system, from grassroots to industry, to support the arts in Vietnam - from education, to arts/culture, to media, he hopes to shape Vietnam's future through the arts.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit [blog link] and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
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During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff share how they connected two years ago. Jeff interviews Dan Baron Cohen, live from the World Alliance for Arts Education’s Virtual World Summit, to discuss his work in theatre-based eco-pedagogy. Rachael and Jeff break down the interview through the lens of “creative justice.”
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the concept of ‘good living’ and how it relates to arts-based learning;
- How international movement building and local arts and cultural education practices are connected; and
- Why we need a new way to discuss justice-oriented, youth-led creative work.
ABOUT DAN BARON COHEN: A community performance educator and eco-cultural activist of Welsh-Quebecois origin, living in the Brazilian Amazonian city of Marabá. After doctoral research in Oxford University, Dan collaborated with young people in post-industrial and conflicted communities at risk in northern England, South Wales and the North of Ireland. In 1998, a visiting professorship launched collaborations with landless, indigenous, trade-union and university communities across Brazil. His past 24 years have been dedicated to developing 'transformance pedagogies' in African, Asian, American and European communities. Since 2008, Dan has developed cultural action, citizen security, solar power, literacy circles and medicinal plant gardens in the Afro-Indigenous community of Cabelo Seco, recycling awards into scholarships for nurturing young performance education activists and collectives. Dan contributed to the Latin America Arts for Transformation Network and World Social Forum (2001-12) and was president of the International Drama-Education Association and World Alliance for Arts Education (2006-10).
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff share their most recent adventures. Ashraf interviews David Holland and Randy Engstrom about a recent “Creative Vitality Summit” and interrogates the role of young creatives in the future of the creative economy. Jeff and Ashraf discuss the implications of this work, reclaiming the terminology, and the power in ceding power.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- New perspectives to view a once-capitalist “creative economy;”
- How young creatives are helping to shape the future of the sector;
- How adults can share or cede power to youth decision-makers in the creative economy.
Transcript located here.
ABOUT DAVID HOLLAND: The deputy director at WESTAF. Since joining WESTAF, he has co-directed the inaugural Creative Vitality™ Summit; authored “Creative Economies and Economic Recovery;” co-led the redesign of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Performing Arts Discovery program in collaboration with regional and national partners; established the Western Arts Advocacy Network; collaborated on developing new equity-focused relief grantmaking programs in the West and the Northern Mariana Islands; spearheaded WESTAF’s Arts and the Rural West and Arts Leadership and Advocacy Seminars; and secured private and public investment for WESTAF’s programs. Holland’s prior roles include leadership and senior management positions with the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston, VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation, VCU School of the Arts, ART 180, the Latin Ballet of Virginia, Arts & Business, and the UK innovation foundation Nesta. Holland began his career with BOP Consulting, a global consultancy on culture and the creative industries, leading projects for public agencies, universities, and international organizations as a senior consultant. For more than 12 years, he has also offered his services as an independent management consultant, working primarily in the arts and culture field internationally.
RANDY ENGSTROM: A passionate advocate and organizer of cultural and community development for over 15 years. He is currently the owner and principal of Third Way Creative, a consulting practice focused on cultural policy, racial equity, and creative economy. He is also Adjunct Faculty at the Seattle University Arts Leadership Program where he teaches cultural policy, advocacy, and resource development. Most recently he served as Director of the Office of Arts and Culture for the City of Seattle where he expanded their investments in granting programs and Public Art, while establishing new programs and policies in arts education, cultural space affordability, and racial equity. He served on the Seattle Arts Commission from 2005-2011, serving one year as Chair. Previously he served as the Founding Director of the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, a multimedia/multidisciplinary community space that offers youth and community member’s access to arts, technology, and cultural resources. Prior to Youngstown, Randy spent 3 years as the Founding CEO of Static Factory Media, an artist development organization that owned and operated a record label, bar/performance venue, graphic design house, recording studio, and web development business. In 2009 Randy received the Emerging Leader Award from Americans for the Arts and was one of Puget Sound Business Journal’s 40 Under 40.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-host Jeff M. Poulin introduces a new type of format for the podcast featuring interviews with two practitioners working towards a common goal: Amanda Masterpaul and Mytoan Nguyen-Akbar. Both Amanda and Mytoan focus pieces of their work on arts education projects with young people experiencing unstable housing. They share two perspectives, one as a teaching artist and one as a project evaluator, and encourage future dialogues about this type of work.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About two arts education projects focused on mitigating the impacts of unstable housing on young people;
- How collaborations can benefit intersectional projects and pedagogies; and
- What knowledge is gained from researching the impacts of arts education interventions.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT AMANDA MASTERPAUL:
Amanda Masterpaul is a participatory theatre artist, activist, and educator dedicated to weaving social justice, cultural organizing, anti-racism, and critical consciousness into the everyday lived experience. Amanda is a Teaching Associate at Coastal Carolina University, specializing in Applied Theatre and Theatre of the Oppressed practices in addition to teaching Women's and Gender Studies. Throughout her career, she has organized alongside various civic engagement and community-centered efforts in areas such as houselessness, gender equity, sexual violence, and systemic racism. As a collaborative artist, she creates ensembles of artists and activists to deploy art, education, Theatre of the Oppressed, and collective action through interactive and intercultural experiences centered on dismantling systemic (in)justice while building communities of care. Amanda believes in the power of multi-identifying people collaborating in partnership and shared purpose to co-create visions of communal wellbeing and to co-solidify solutions for addressing the material conditions of peoples’ lives.
ABOUT MYTOAN NGUYEN-AKBAR:
Mytoan Nguyen-Akbar, PhD (she/her) is a community organizer, mother of two, and strategic researcher with an equity lens. Currently, she is Impact and Assessment Manager for the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. She began her journey into municipal arts as a Mellon/American Council of Learned Societies Public Fellow, awarded to post-doctoral fellows nationally to demonstrate the impact of the humanities outside of the academy. Dr. Nguyen-Akbar completed her PhD in Sociology at University of Madison, and has been a past US Fulbright Fellows (to Australia), American Sociological Association Minority Pre-Doctoral Fellow, and recipient of the Jane Addams Outstanding Award for Public Service in Sociology. Her work ranges from designing COVID-19 impact studies, monitoring, assessment and evaluation of racial justice and equity cultural investments, and data and storytelling capacity building for public sector and nonprofit organizations. Mytoan came to this country as a boatperson from Vietnam.
WHERE TO FIND AMANDA AND MYTOAN:
Facebook: @liberationcityimpact and @amanda.reyelt
Instagram: @solidarityinisolation, @passionforthepossible, @amasterpaul
Linkedin: @hguyenakbar
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit here and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss the return to school and how policy can impact arts education in public schools. Karla interviews Jonathan VanderBrug about their work enacting an “arts indicator” in the State of Illinois to measure student access to the arts in schools. Karla and Jeff debrief the conversation thinking about the role of artists in activism, the potential of U.S. federal education policies, and the unusual champions who enable them.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About one state’s education policy focused on arts education access;
- The role of artists in policy creation and activism; and
- How non-arts people can champion arts-related policy change.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT JONATHAN VANDERBRUG: Jonathan serves as Deputy Director-Civic Engagement for Arts Alliance Illinois, the statewide multidisciplinary organization advocating for arts, culture, and arts education. He coordinated the 18-month process of updating the state’s arts learning standards. He also co-led the three-year campaign that won the arts as a school quality indicator in Illinois’ ESSA school accountability system. Illinois is the only state to incorporate the arts so centrally.
He has also served as Calumet Community Educator for The Field Museum. In this role, he partnered with community groups to build grassroots support for conservation education on Chicago’s south side, in neighborhoods impacted by environmental injustice. Jonathan was also Founding Executive Director of Urban Produce, Inc. (Grand Rapids, MI), an urban gardening and job training initiative for youth.
Jonathan has also served as Health Care Justice Director, Illinois Campaign for Better Health Care; Executive Director, St. Louis Lead Poisoning Prevention Coalition; and Policy Advisor, Michigan House of Representatives.
He earned his Master of Nonprofit Administration degree from North Park University (Chicago, IL). In 2017, the Illinois Art Education Association awarded Jonathan its President’s Award for his arts education advocacy.
WHERE TO FIND JONATHAN:
- Twitter: @JVanderBrug
- LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/jonathanvdbrug
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jvanderbrug/
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss transitions in their seasons and their work. Madeleine interviews Sudebi Thakurata, a creative facilitator and transdisciplinary designer, working in India and across Southeast Asia. Madeleine and Jeff discuss how we can leverage our different areas of knowledge to use the arts as a way of understanding people, not achieving outcomes.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Why the arts are a way of understanding people, not achieving outcomes;
- How to work together, while not being an expert; and
- About polymaths and what it can mean in culture, education, and social change work.
ABOUT SUDEBI THAKURATA: A narrative designer, creative facilitator, educator, writer and futurist. She designs experiences, engagement and environment that allow people to think, have dialogue, make their thinking and interaction visible and thus enable them to design their own solutions and narratives using different modes and media. Sudebi emphasises on socially, environmentally and culturally relevant issues, inter-weaving design thinking, imagination, systems thinking, pedagogy, visual and performing arts, oral history, ethnography and research to design possibilities. A facilitator at Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Sudebi has co-founded the transdisciplinary design collective, D.epicentre. She is also a Creative Facilitator of SEAΔ, a trans-national cross-cultural leadership programme curated by Mekong Cultural Hub and British Council. A global UNLEASH talent, Sudebi started a unique pedagogy, art and design led trans-local initiative “The Archival City- a Site of Learning’. She is one of the six international experts co-creating a ‘Fair Collaboration Toolkit’ for EUNIC where she is also currently leading the design team. She has been invited as guest faculty/curator/collaborator/designer at Stamps School or Art and Design, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Qatar, Ahmedabad University, IDC-IIT Bombay, Nirma University and NCBS.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? Co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss the rollercoaster of return to school and introduce Ashraf’s interview with Quanice Floyd. Quanice is a former music teacher, arts manager, arts education advocate, and organizational leader who focuses her energy on achieving accountability, equity, and racial justice in the American cultural ecosystem. Ashraf and Jeff debrief the conversation thinking deeply about movement building and centering arts educators, cultural practitioners, and youth.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- One teachers journey to lead advocacy efforts to advance equity in arts education;
- How to meet students where they are to make arts education as applicable as possible to their lives; and
- Why arts educators should run for public office and be civically engaged.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT QUANICE FLOYD: A renaissance woman who wears many capes. Born and raised in NYC, she has spent over a decade in Washington, DC where she has received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Educationfrom Howard University and Kent State University respectively. Her passion for arts administration led her to pursue her second Master’s degree in Arts Management at American University and is currently a doctoral student at Drexel University. Quanice is also the Founder & Director of the Arts Administrators of Color Network, an organization committed to empowering artists and arts administrators by advocating for access, diversity, inclusion, and equity in the arts in the DC and Baltimore metropolitan areas. For the past decade, she has been a public-school music educator where she taught elementary school general music, chorus, band, and orchestra. Quanice also serves as a board member for two DC arts organizations, and is an alumna of ArtEquity’s Racial Facilitator Cohort, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s Music Educators and Arts Administrators Academy, 4.0 Schools’ Essentials Program, and the Arts Education Collaborative’s Leadership Academy. In 2018, Quanice was honored with the American Express Emerging Leader Award by Americans for the Arts.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff connect about Jeff’s interview with Damian Bazadona, founder of The Situation Project in New York City. This nonprofit works to create artistic, educational, and career-aligned cultural experiences using unsold Broadway tickets and extended educational engagements with young people in the city. Rachael and Jeff discuss new views on metrics of success and how to best tell the stories of transformative arts education programs.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How one organization identified a new opportunity and used it to increase access to arts learning;
- Why measuring success can spur scalable action in other projects and communities; and
- The ways that representation can impact young people’s views of their future.
ABOUT DAMIAN: Over the years, Damian has worked with brands worldwide, across a range of industries, to develop and deploy award-winning marketing campaigns. Under his leadership, Situation has been honored with numerous workplace awards from Crain’s, Best Companies Group, Digiday, and Fortune. Cynopsis honored Damian with the Social Good Leader of the Year and HR Visionary of the Year award. Recently, Variety named him to their annual list of industry visionaries in their Digital Marketing Impact Report.
Damian is an active speaker at industry conferences and on university campuses across the country including Columbia, Yale, NYU, and his alma mater, University at Albany. He is also a co-founder of TEDxBroadway, one of the longest-running independently organized TED events.
Damian passionately invests in arts education and community engagement. In 2011, he founded Situation Project, a nonprofit that brings educational programming and immersive artistic and cultural experiences to middle schoolers across under-resourced NYC public schools. Situation Project was honored with an invitation to participate in the White House’s inaugural SouthxSouthLawn in 2016 under the Obama Administration. Damian believes that the power of the human spirit is remarkable, and he brings that conviction to his company and his clients.
WHERE TO FIND DAMIAN:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SituationInteractive/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/situation
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/situation-interactive
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/situationinteractive/
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff discuss their return to teaching and the need to think outside the box. Rachel interviews Emily Akuno, a music educator and university leader who is the current President of the International Society for Music Education, to discuss working together and Africanizing the arts curriculum. Rachael and Jeff conclude the episode with reflections on the power of convening, decolonizing, and being radical.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Perspectives on Africanizing (and indigenizing the arts curriculum;
- About the power of convening and sharing knowledge (but not best practice); and
- How being radical can instigate these big shifts in the arts and cultural education field.
ABOUT EMILY: Professor of music of the Technical University of Kenya with teaching and university administration experience at Kenyatta University in Kenya, University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, Maseno University and The Technical University of Kenya. Currently she serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs at The Co-operative University of Kenya.
Emily trained as a performer-educator in Kenya, USA and the UK, Her research interests veer towards cultural relevance in music education. She is the editor and a contributing author of the (2019) Routledge published Music Education in Africa: Concept, Process and Practice. Other publications include Kenyan Music: An education perspective; Issues in Music Education in Kenya: a handbook for teachers as well as book chapters and journal articles. She is a former president of the International Music Council (IMC) and current President of the International Society for Music Education (ISME), Chair of the World Alliance of Arts Education as well as chair of the Music Education Research Group – Kenya (MERG-Kenya).
WHERE TO FIND EMILY:
Twitter: @AkunoEmily
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/emily.akuno
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-akuno-812ab2b4/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO1z388gQXhECjB6_74MjOA
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change? Co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss Ashraf’s interview with three organizational leaders who orchestrated the publishing of a book featuring young photographers. In the interview with Lucia Torres, Alicia Hansen, and Michelle Marsh, the group discusses their collaboration, the power of young people, and the impacts of storytelling. Ashraf and Jeff debrief about the long-term impacts of creative collaborations like these on the nonprofit arts sector.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- New ideas about collaboration;
- The role of young people as the “salt of the earth;” and
- How mentorship can shape the future of the nonprofit arts industry.
ABOUT MICHELLE MARSH DUNN: Originally from Puyallup, WA, Michelle now considers both Seattle and New York City home. She believes that living with books is transformative, and everyone should try it. Ditto for driving a convertible, smelling a sterling rose, and wearing great cowboy boots. She has experienced every aspect of the publishing process through staff positions with Aperture Foundation and Chronicle Books, and on a project basis with University of Washington Press, Museum of Glass, Heyday Books, Abbeville Press, and others. Leadership positions include Co-Publisher of Aperture magazine and Deputy Director of Aperture Foundation; Senior Editor of Art+Design, Chronicle Books; and executive director and Chief Strategist at Photographic Center Northwest. Editor or designer of over 100 publications. Previously a tenured professor in graphic design at Seattle Central Community College, she has lectured at Parsons/The New School, Yale University, YoungArts in Miami, The Palm Springs Photo Festival, The Seagull School for Publishing in Calcutta, and PhotoIreland, among others. She holds an MS in Publishing from Pace University in New York City, and a bachelor’s degree in literature/art history from Bard College.
ALICIA HANSEN: A professional photographer for over 20 years. Starting her career at one of the largest metropolitan papers in the country, she has worked for The Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Seattle Times, The Springfield State Journal‐Register, The Roanoke Times and World News, The Athens Banner Herald, The Guardian, and Fortune Magazine. Alicia has a BA in Journalism from the University of Georgia and a Masters Degree in Visual Communication from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School. She taught photography at the undergraduate and graduate levels while at Syracuse, and has worked for world‐renowned National Geographic contract photographer, Joe McNally, as his first assistant and producer. The result of their joint efforts was the first all‐digital story for National Geographic, helping pioneer the way for digital photography to become a new standard for the magazine.For the past eight and half years she has grown NYC SALT from a small photo class to a nonprofit organization with a 100% college acceptance rate.
LUCIA TORRES: She is working to create equity for the future of women of color in Los Angeles through inclusionary story-telling and advocacy. I have dedicated myself to building community throughout Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley for over 20 years. She has a background in education, non-profit program development & management, communications and journalism.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss their work during summer and how focusing locally has benefited their global communities. Madeleine interviews Rosa Zerrudo, a Filipino artist, educator, and social activist who uses localized creative processes with diverse populations focusing on topics like climate change, justice, and more. Madeleine and Jeff conclude with a discussion about the role of play, imagination,and collective thinking.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How keeping it local can improve your ways of working;
- The role of culturally specific artistic and creative practices can elevate unheard voices; and
- Why play, curiosity, and imagination can lead to collective thinking to take action towards broad social goals.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- ITAC’s Climate Change initiative
- Maxine Greene’s Aesthetics Education
- Rosa’s Lullabies in Prison dolls project
- Lakbayin Ang Sining Book
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT ROSA ZERRUDO: A community-engaged interdisciplinary teaching artist with the heart of a cultural worker. Her background in AB Psychology and Masters in Educational Theater for Communities (New York University (NYU) with support from Ford International Fellowship Program) complements her meaning-making and process-oriented art practice she calls soulwork. Her process-based creative works were presented and showcased in international conferences and/or exhibited in Seoul, Busan, Naminara, Jeju and Daegu - South Korea, Yamagata and Kyoto - Japan, New York, San Francisco, Portugal, Melbourne, Montreal, Calgary, Hong Kong, Berlin, London, and showcased in Manila, Davao, Bohol, Palawan, and Iloilo. She organized a collaborative process of community psychosocial caregiving with post-disaster international workcamp in Camiguin, Bohol, Cebu, Tacloban, Iloilo, and other parts of the country. Her strong cultural affinity and developmental work for decades have been an enriching journey of her NGO and volunteer work in Luzon and Mindanao. She serves as former Executive Committee member in Dramatics Arts at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Currently, she is on study-leave for her PhD in School of Design, Creative Industry, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane Australia with a full scholarship from QUT and Australian Government Research Training Program.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit [blog link] and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff discuss their connection to places. Rachael interviews Jacki Kauli and Verena Thomas about their perspectives on international development and their work in Paupau New Guinea. Rachael and Jeff conclude with ideas about how to be more responsive creative practitioners.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the connections between international development and creative social practice;
- How cultural and creative practitioners can be most responsive to communities; and
- About ideas to challenge the ways in which communities are being represented, how they view themselves, and present their knowledge.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT VERENA AND JACKI:
ABOUT JACKI KAULI: A Senior Researcher in the Creative Industries Faculty at Queensland University of Technology, and visiting scholar at the University of Goroka, Papua New Guinea. She works across a number of research and development projects which support the use of indigenous and arts-based research approaches. Jackie’s work focuses on harnessing drama techniques, creative practice and communication strategies to contribute to development practice and theory. In particular, one of her areas of expertise is in process drama and how drama techniques can be applied in community development and research. She holds a PhD in Creative Industries from Queensland University of Technology and has over 15 years experience working in international development on issues around health, education and gender.
ABOUT VERENA THOMAS: An Associate Professor at the Creative Industries Faculty at Queensland University of Technology. With a background in documentary filmmaking, Verena’s work focuses on creative research approaches and communication for social change in international development contexts. Verena founded the Centre for Social and Creative Media (CSCM) at the University of Goroka in 2021 where she set up a Masters Program in Communication and Social Change. The CSCM is a research centre that focuses on the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in development programs through creative processes. Verena has led numerous award-winning research and production projects with donors, government and NGO partners in the areas of health communication, gender-based violence and education. She is an experienced facilitator in participatory filmmaking, digital storytelling, and more broadly creative research methods. She works with institutions and organisations who want to strategically integrate creative approaches into social change programs.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss the connections between interpersonal and community-die connections and wellbeing. Karla interviews Inès Sanguinetti, founder and artistics director of Fundación Crear Vale la Pena in Argentina; they discuss the concept of social transformation and how creativity and culture can lead to systems change. Karla and Jeff conclude with ideas about turning these concepts into everyday actions.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the concept of social transformation and what Latin America can teach the rest of the world;
- How one organization institutionalized love for collective creation; and
- How rest and interpersonal connections impact our work
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT INÈS SANGUINETTI:
Co-founder and president of Fundación Crear Vale la Pena. Artistic Director for the Creative Environments Program (Art and Creativity to transform life projects in schools and communities in vulnerable contexts), that has reach more than 65.000 people from
Argentina and the world, and has been recognised as one of Latin America's 13 most pedagogic innovative experiences by the BID, the OEA and the OEI. Member of the board at International Teaching Arts Collaborative (ITAC).Today, her task in Argentina and the world is to transfer creativity and wellbeing methodologies applied to improve teaching and learning
processes as well as socio-cultural management for artists, teachers, social workers and businesses.
WHERE TO FIND Inès:
Website: https://bit.ly/crearvalelapenaenglish
Instagram: @sanguinetti.ines
Instagram: @crearvalelapena
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss the importance of public and personal investment in narrative building. Ashraf interviews Dan Hudson, the executive director of the National Film Festival for Talented Youth. They discuss how technology, pedagogy, and adults can help young people cultivate their own stories. Ashraf and Jeff debrief about the importance of shifting narratives, debates about “talent,” and how privileged adults can use their power (or cede it) for the empowerment of young creatives.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How organizations can structure their work to empower young creatives to build their own narratives;
- The impact of representation and technology to democratize youth participation in film; and
- How adults with privilege can navigate youth spaces to share power.
ABOUT DAN HUDSON: Dan first started with NFFTY in 2015 as venue manager and outreach coordinator. Venue manager again in 2016 and 2017, and has programmed the animation and music video categories since NFFTY 2017. He joined NFFTY full-time in 2018, first as Festival Manager for NFFTY 2018, and has been NFFTY’s Executive Director since January 2019. A graduate of Seattle University’s MFA in Arts Leadership program, he has over ten years of professional experience working with arts nonprofits. He primarily has worked with theatre and film organizations—including Intiman, ArtsWest, SIFF, Northwest Film Forum, and Scarecrow Video—in a variety of marketing, development, and operations roles. He programs Seattle's Grand Illusion Cinema—where his programming was twice profiled by The Stranger—as well as Art House Theater Day, a nationwide event. He also serves on the board of TeenTix, an arts access and youth dev organization.
WHERE TO FIND DAN:
IG: @nfftyfilm
TikTok: @nfftyfilm
Facebook: facebook.com/nffty
Twitter: @NFFTY
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss new perspectives brought about by big ideas. Ashraf interviews James Miles, an actor, teaching artist, arts administrator, and nonprofit executive who shares his professional story and history contributing to systemic change to support youth through the arts, youth culture, and beyond. The episode concludes with a discussion of vulnerability and the self-examination necessary to effectively support young people as our next leaders.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Why the arts should intertwine with other sectors for mutual benefit;
- How to connect our work to other work through the lens of care and cultural responsiveness; and
- About the role of vulnerability and self-examination in finding our authentic selves in leadership roles.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT JAMES MILES: An educator in the New York City public schools for almost 20 years prior to moving to Seattle in 2016. Before joining Mentor Washington as the Executive Director, Miles served as the Executive Director of Seattle based Arts Corps. Originally from Chicago, Miles has worked internationally as an artist and educator, who was inspired to foment change after seeing so many children that looked like him, get disregarded and treated like criminals by our educational systems. His acclaimed TedX Talk focuses on his mission to narrow achievement gaps using the arts as a tool to navigate inequitable educational systems. Miles is a Mayoral Appointee to the Seattle Arts Commission, and on the advisory board of SXSW EDU. A former accountant, model, and actor, Miles has facilitated workshops and designed curriculum for the New Victory Theater, Roundabout Theatre, Disney Theatrical Group, Village Theatre, Arts Impact, Denver Performing Arts Center, Impact Schools, and others. Previously a professor at NYU, James taught a myriad of classes, ranging from Acting and Directing to EdTech and Special Education. A graduate of Morehouse College and Brandeis University, James has presented at SXSW EDU, NYU’s IMPACT Festival, NYU Shanghai, New York Creative Tech Week, EdTechXEurope, Google Educator Bootcamp, UAEM North America, UAEM Europe, National Guild, ITAC, and provided professional development to teachers across the world. His work has been featured by Pie News, New Profit, Complex Magazine, National Guild, Seattle Times, KOMO, KEXP, NPR, CBS, NBC, US Department of Education, and ASCD. James is a consultant with Continua Consulting, and is the co-founder of LeadersDontLead.com, a leadership coaching agency. Learn more about James Miles and his work at www.freshprofessor.com. James is currently writing a book about youth culture and educational practices, due out this year.
WHERE TO FIND JAMES:
- Twitter: @fresh_professor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freshprofessorjamesmiles/
- Instagram: @fresh_professor
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freshprofessor/
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change?co-hosts Rachael and Jeff discuss their relationship and how colleagues can help each other dive deep on topics, to expand their perspectives. Rachael interviews Penny Hay, a creativity scholar and organizational leader in the UK. They discuss the role of creativity in social movements and how to work on systems change to reimagine education. Rachel and Jeff debrief with a passionate dialogue about the role of creativity in the world - like creative justice - and how definitions don't matter.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How creativity can be used in reforming education systems;
- What creative justice looks like as part of social movements; and
- Why definitions don’t matter, but systems change does.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT PENNY HAY- An artist, educator, Reader in Creative Teaching and Learning, Senior Lecturer in Arts Education, School of Education; Research Fellow, Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries; Bath Spa University and Director of Research, House of Imagination. Signature projects include School Without Walls and Forest of Imagination. Penny is also a co-founder of Bath Cultural Education Partnership.
Penny’s doctoral research focused on children’s learning identity as artists. She is Co-Investigator on the AHRC Global Challenges Research project ‘Rethinking waste: Compound 13 Lab’ in Mumbai. Penny is a visiting Lecturer at Plymouth College of Art and co-designed their MA in Creative Education.
Penny coordinates the South West Creative Education Hub, is strand leader for Creative Pedagogy in the Policy, Pedagogy and Practice Research Centre, Associate Director of TRACE at Bath Spa University and a member of the Paper Nations Advisory Group. She is on the Steering Group of the APPG for Art Craft and Design Education and on the Advisory Groups for the Cultural Learning Alliance, HundrED (Finland), Crafts Council Learning and Development and a member of the RSA Innovative Education Network. Penny is co-chair of What Next? West and co-host of the RSA Bath Network.
Penny regularly speaks regularly at international conferences and is part of the UNESCO Futures of Learning Group. She is working internationally in Europe, Scandinavia, India, Zimbabwe and Canada. Penny was awarded by Action for Children’s Arts for her contribution to arts education and by Creative Bath for her work in creative education.
WHERE TO FIND PENNY:
-@PenAHay
-@houseimaginatn
-@forestimaginatn
-@schwithoutwalls
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss their work connecting people around the globe. Madeleine interviews Jeffrey Tan, a teaching artist and network building in Asia who works with the disabilities community. Madeleine and Jeff debrief the conversation thinking broadly about the impact of funding systems change.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How working together can strengthen a sector of artists, educators, and activists;
- The role of radical grace when working together; and
- The impact of strategic funding systems change work.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT JEFFREY TAN- An experienced Theatre Director, Drama Educator and Creative Producer. He has worked full time as Resident Director with The Theatre Practice (1997), Drama Lecturer and Acting Head of Drama with LASALLE SIA (1999) and as Associate Artistic Director with TheatreWorks (S) Ltd (From 2002 – 2006).
He was Assistant Director (Festivals) with the National Arts Council from 2007 to 2009 and Head, Commune: Participation with the Singapore Arts Festival from 2010 to 2012. From 2012 to 2015, he was Assistant Director, Community Arts and Culture Division, People’s Association. Jeffrey ran three PAssionArts Festivals that brought Festival Villages and large Format visual Arts to over 40 locations in the 86 Constituencies.
In 2015, he conceptualized and produced OPEN HOMES – between nine Theatre Facilitators and 25 Families, to create their own performances in their living rooms. This mega project was commissioned again by the Singapore International Festival of Arts in 2017. In 2019, LaBoite and Backbone Theatre in Brisbane, Australia, invited him as Lead Artist to work with their local team of Theatre Facilitators, Stage Managers and 15 Families. In 2021, Open Homes will open in OzAsia, Adelaide Australia with six Asian Australian families.
Jeffrey describes his theatre work as people centric and inclusive. The diversity of partners and communities he has worked with includes children, youths, working adults and seniors. He believes in creating safe space through the arts, to empower people to discover and share their untold stories. He is fueled by the wealth of life experiences from international collaboration through storytelling.
Jeffrey is most excited by the connecting power of the arts, when we practice inclusivity. With the emerging practice of disability and inclusive arts in Singapore, he is especially delighted to be working to advance the artistry of Teaching Artists in Asia who are working in these inclusive environments - schools and communities.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
In this episode of Why Change? host Jeff M. Poulin describes the quiet week at Creative Generation. He shares the research underpinning their decision, reflections from throughout the crises of 2020, and concepts about maintaining nourished in our work intersecting culture, education, and justice.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How creativity and “quiet time” are intertwined;
- Why we must take time to pause, reflect, rejuvenate, and create; and
- How some artists, educators, and activists remain grounded, inspired, and fight for change.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT JEFF M. POULIN- An American scholar, non-profit administrator, and social entrepreneur whose work is grounded in social justice and seeks transformative local solutions to global complex challenges.
In 2019, Jeff founded Creative Generation, which works to inspire, connect, and amplify the work of young creatives who catalyze social change and those committed to cultivating their creativity. In this role he leads a team which produced global messaging campaigns, creates unique learning environments, conducts original research, and supports people and projects working at the intersection of arts/culture, education, and social change. He serves as the Principal Investigator for the Institute for Creative Social Transformation, lead Facilitator for the Academy of Creative Leadership, host of the Why Change? podcast, and Executive Editor of the Campaign for a Creative Generation and the Creative Generation Journal.
With over a decade of experience as a performer, teaching artist, education researcher, and arts administrator, he previously led a national program, where he worked to advance local, state, and federal policies supportive of equitable access to arts education throughout the United States. Jeff is a tap dancer by trade and continues to mentor young dancers in the U.S. and in the U.K.
Jeff is widely published, serves as a reviewer for grant and research panels, and speaks to audiences across the country and around the globe. Currently, he is on the faculties of arts management at American University and Carnegie Mellon University.
Jeff hails from Portland, Maine and earned degrees in arts management, cultural policy, and education at Oklahoma City University, University College Dublin, and the University of Glasgow.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff speak about the impact of theatre in their lives and why policy-makers should increase access to arts education. Jeff interview Corey Mitchell, a long-time educator, the first recipient of the TONY Award for Excellence in Theatre Education, and founder of the Theatre Gap Initiative. They discuss how increasing access to theatre education opportunities for students of color to reimagine the future of American theatre. Rachael and Jeff debrief with a dialogue about how young creatives are envisioning the future of education and the arts.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- The long-term impacts of increasing access to theatre and arts education;
- How exposure to people and experiences can impact young people; and
- What young creatives see in the future of education and the arts.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT COREY MITCHELL- Since 1995, Mitchell has been a fervent and passionate classroom teacher who believes whole-heartedly in the potential of his students. He joined the faculty of Northwest in 2001 where he now teaches Theatre, Musical Theatre, Middle School Drama, and Directing for the Stage. During his tenure there have been way too many musicals, plays, music revues, and cabaret shows to list, but some of the productions that really standout include—Ragtime, Hair, Pippin, Godspell, Shrek, All Shook Up, and The Color Purple (that production was the basis of the 2017 award-winning documentary, Purple Dreams, produced by GreyHawk Films). In addition to his work at NWSA, Corey has directed plays and musicals for a number of area theatre companies, including Theatre Charlotte, Charlotte Children’s Theatre, Central Piedmont Community College, Hickory Community Theatre, and Davidson Community Players. In 2015, Corey was the first recipient of the Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education. In addition to the Tony Award, Corey has received recognition from several other organizations, including the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the Educational Theatre Association, North Carolina Theatre Conference, the Arts Empowerment Project, the Charlotte Post Foundation, and the National Black Theatre Festival. Notably, Corey was a top fifty finalist for the one million dollar Global Teacher Prize in 2017. Since 2017, Mitchell has been a consultant for the National Center for Educational Statistics (a non-partisan division of the U.S Department of Education), and he has presented keynote addresses, workshops, talkbacks, and master classes across the country and internationally. Corey thanks his family, friends, colleagues, and collaborators for their amazing support for all of these years. Check out my Burger King commercial that was an instant classic https://youtu.be/D6ZyvrZNoX0
WHERE TO FIND COREY:
Twitter: @Cmitchellclt and @Theatre_Gap
Instagram: @Cmitchellclt and @Theatre_Gap
Facebook: Theatre Gap Initiative
Website: www.theatregap.org
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss inspiration, perseverance, and a return to normal. Ashraf shares the second part of a two-part interview with the band Distant Cousins, who wrote the theme song for this podcast. They talk about how music-making brings people together, to overcome their differences, and its ability to heal wounds. The episode concludes with a discussion of how youth-led creative youth development projects can change the world.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How music connects people of different faiths, political beliefs, and ideologies;
- The impacts of youth-led creative youth development programs and projects; and
- Why systems need to change to support young creatives as leaders.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT DISTANT COUSINS: Distant Cousins is an Los Angeles-based indie-pop band which actively produces hit music featured in television, films, and commercials while also working with young people in schools. Formed in 2013, the band is composed of Dov Rosenblatt, Duvid Swirsky, and Ami Kozak.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND DISTANT COUSINS:
- Website
- Spotify
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit [blog link] and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss how artists are leading civic dialogues in their communities. Karla interviews Quenna Lené Barrett about her work as a theatre maker creating works about policy change. The episode concludes with a discussion about how change is necessary and why theatre-makers should be elected to public office.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How Theatre of the Oppressed pedagogies can be used in policy change work;
- About examples of theatre makers centering queer and femme experiences in American founding documents; and
- Why we need to create artistic pathways to civic dialogue.
Please the transcript and a list of list resources can be found here.
ABOUT QUENNA LENÈ BARRETT: A Chicago-based theater artist + practitioner, developing programs to amplify teen + community voice and hold space to rehearse, tell, and change the stories of their lives. She is a company member with ICAH’s For Youth Inquiry company, Associate Artist with Pivot Arts, and serves as the Associate Director of Education at the Goodman Theatre. Quenna received her BFA from NYU Tisch Drama, MA in Applied Theatre from the University of Southern California, and is pursuing an educational doctorate in Educational Theatre at NYU Steinhardt. As a director, performer, facilitator, and writer, she has worked with a number of companies including NYU Steinhardt, Oklahoma State University, Ohio State University, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Sojourn, The Theatre School at DePaul, Free Street, Pegasus, Court, eta, and Theater Unspeakable. Continuing to build the world she wants to see/live in, her most recent project was Re-writing the Declaration.
WHERE TO FIND QUENNA:
- INSTAGRAM: @quennalene
- FACEBOOK: @quenna.lene
- WEBSITE: https://www.quennalene.com/
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss the connections between childhood artistic experiences and their work today. Ashraf interviews Courtney J. Boddie about her work as a theatre maker, teaching artist, podcaster, and more. The episode concludes with their reflections about personal sustainability and the reactions of the arts and cultural education field in response to the civic action resulting from the crises of 2020.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How amplifying voices helps the arts and education communities to document our work;
- The role of teaching artists in driving meaningful programs in communities; and
- About new resources to help the arts and education fields grapple with evolving social change.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT: Courtney J. Boddie is the Vice President, Education & School Engagement overseeing all programs related to school communities including the New Victory school partnership program, teacher professional development training in the performing arts and an innovative approach in the professional development of more than 50 New Victory Teaching Artists. A 2021 Crain's New York 'Notable Black Leader and Executive,' Ms. Boddie has expanded the theater’s scope of work in such programs as Victory Dance, which provides free dance and dance education to NYC summer schools; Create, a theater-based teacher professional development track for the city’s Pre-K expansion, the largest in the nation; and GIVE, a brand new initiative to address equitable student engagement in inclusion classrooms.
Ms. Boddie is the Creator and Host of Teaching Artistry with Courtney J. Boddie, a monthly podcast featuring engaging and investigative interviews, roundtable conversations and panels with artists and arts education leaders. The podcast recently launched a video series called “We Can’t Go Back” with artivists, arts leaders and community activists discussing anti-racist and liberatory practices. She is an adjunct professor at New York University. Ms. Boddie is a Hermitage Artist Fellow and is a Women’s Center Media SheSource. She was on the Board of Directors of the Association of Teaching Artists (ATA) for 5 years (President, 2015 to 2017; Treasurer, 2018-19) and served on the Teaching Artist Committee of the NYC Arts in Education
Roundtable, and the editorial board for the Teaching Artist Journal. Prior to joining New Victory in 2003, Ms. Boddie was Program Associate for Empire State Partnerships (NYSCA) and a teaching artist for Roundabout Theatre Company. She received her Master’s degree from the Educational Theatre Graduate Program at New York University.
WHERE TO FIND COURTNEY:
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss inspiration, perseverance, and a return to normal. Ashraf shares the first part of a two-part interview with the band Distant Cousins, who wrote the theme song for this podcast. They talk about their music-making process and work with young people in schools. The episode concludes with the ideas of honesty and profundity and the impacts those concepts have on our work as musicians and educators.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How Distant Cousins approaches music-making as artists and with young people;
- What DIY culture has to do with music and social change; and
- The role of honesty in approaching work as musicians and educators.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Lights On song by Distant Cousins
- The VERA Project
- Cousins in the Classroom and Cousins Create
- Creative Generation’s work on Distributed Collective Leadership
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT DISTANT COUSINS
Distant Cousins is an Los Angeles-based indie-pop band which actively produces hit music featured in television, films, and commercials while also working with young people in schools. Formed in 2013, the band is composed of Dov Rosenblatt, Duvid Swirsky, and Ami Kozak.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND DISTANT COUSINS:
- Website
- Spotify
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss creative approaches to justice in their work. Jeff interviews Amir Whitaker - a.k.a. Dr. Knucklehead - about his work as an artist, activist, and attorney delivering on the promise of arts and cultural education to California’s young people while maintaining his practice as a musician. This episode examines different approaches for creative social justice projects led by intergenerational teams of youth and adults balancing self-care and artistic practice as healing throughout the process.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How you can cultivate the conditions for young creatives to pursue social justice;
- About multiple arts-based, youth-led social justice projects in Los Angeles and Chicago; and
- Why your artistic practice can be healing.
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT AMIR WHITAKER: Amir is an educator, author, civil rights lawyer, and musician. He is the founder and director of Project KnuckleHead,a nonprofit organization empowering youth through music, art, and educational programs since 2013.
Often referred to as “Dr. KnuckleHead,” Amir was introduced to the criminal justice system as a child when he visited both his mother and father in prison. At age 15, Amir himself was arrested and entered the juvenile justice system. Problems at school eventually led to him being expelled. Despite these hardships, Amir went on to complete five college degrees.
As a lawyer referred to as a “civil rights and education stalwart” by the Daytona Times, Amir has negotiated settlements and policy changes that have improved the lives of thousands of youth across the country. Amir is currently a policy attorney with theACLU of Southern California and researcher with the UCLA Civil Rights Project. At the Southern Poverty Law Center, Amir worked on a class action lawsuit on behalf of incarcerated youth receiving inadequate education, mental health, and rehabilitation services. Within the Juvenile Division of the Miami-Dade County Public Defender’s Office, Amir represented incarcerated youth and developed training materials. He has taught varying grade levels and in different educational settings for over a decade, and has held teaching certifications in Florida, California, and New Jersey. He has delivered keynote speeches to thousands, and written for leading publications across the country, including Washington Post and TIME Magazine. Amir's recently released autobiography has been featured on ABC News and inThe New Yorker. He received his doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of Southern California, juris doctorate from the University of Miami, and his bachelors from Rutgers University.
Find Dr. Knucklehead on Instagram: @DrKnuckleHead_Esq
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visitthe episode website and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss politics and how to increase civic engagement through the arts. Madeleine interviews Yazmany Arboleda, who is New York City’s artist in residence for civic engagement; they discuss practical strategies for co-creating imagination, joy, social action, and more.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How you can increase civic participation through the arts;
- Youth and artist led projects intersecting culture and civics; and
- The importance of language in co-creating imagination and joy.
Can you find the resources mentioned in this episode and the transcript here.
ABOUT YAZMANY ARBOLEDA: A Colombian American artist based in New York City. An architect by training, Yazmany’s practice focuses on creating “Living Sculptures,” people coming together to transform the world through co-creation. Over the past two decades he has created public art projects with communities in India, Japan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Afghanistan, Spain, Colombia and the United States.
He has collaborated with Carnegie Hall, the Yale School of Management, and BRIC among others. He is currently the artist in residence at IntegrateNYC and the associate director of communications for Artists Striving To End Poverty. He is a cofounder of limeSHIFT, the Future Historical Society, Remember 2019, and the Artist As Citizen Conference. He has lectured at UNC, MIT, and LPAC about the power of art in public space.
WHERE TO FIND YAZMANY:
Website http://www.yazmany.net/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/yazmany/
Twitter https://twitter.com/yazmany?lang=en
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
The Why Change? Podcast is coming to you live from the BOOST Conference! Jeff M. Poulin chats with DeLashea Strawder - the Executive and Artistic Director of Mosaic Youth Theatre and recent Recipient of the 2021 Lewis Prize For Music - about innovative arts-based youth work in the BOOST podcast lounge. He also chats with Dalouge Smith, CEO of The Lewis Prize for Music about new models of philanthropy in music for social change programs.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How we can best serve creative youth during challenging times;
- The impact investment of time and money into youth and youth programs can have; and
- New models for philanthropy in the arts and social impact sector.
Please click here for a list of resources mention in this episode and the episode transcript.
ABOUT DELASHEA STRAWDER- A champion of arts and culture and its inherent ability to motivate, empower and mobilize, DeLashea Strawder celebrates every opportunity to inspire individuals and communities to embrace the arts as vehicles for positive change. She is the Executive & Artistic Director of the internationally acclaimed Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, a creative youth development organization that uses the arts to mentor, empower, and support youth to thrive. As an artist and arts administrator working at the intersection of education, arts & culture, and social justice Strawder knows firsthand how music and theater can foster engagement, transform communities, increase opportunity, and promote equity.
WHERE TO FIND DELASHEA-
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delashea-strawder-00686759
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/MosaicDetroit/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mosaicdetroit/?hl=en
ABOUT DALOUGE SMITH- Dalouge is a champion for bringing people together and strengthening communities through music. He joined The Lewis Prize for Music as its first CEO in August 2018. Prior to his role at The Lewis Prize, he led San Diego Youth Symphony and Conservatory for 13 years and transformed it into a community instigator for restoring and strengthening music education in schools. SDYS' partner, the Chula Vista Elementary School District (California’s largest K-6 district) restored music and arts education to all 30,000 of its students as a result. Dalouge grew up singing folk songs with family and performing in professional theatre productions. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in World Arts and Cultures from UCLA and studied Gandhi’s nonviolent movement for a year in India. Dalouge serves as Vice-Chair of El Sistema USA and is on the boards of California Arts Advocates and Californians for the Arts. He is married to Sue Ann and the father of Wright.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit here and follow us on IG @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff discuss the levers of change which drive the sector of practice in their own contexts. Rachael speaks with teaching artist, actor, and author, Eric Booth about field building, starting initiatives, and the most pressing issues facing the field of community-based arts practice.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- The ways in which the teaching artist field is growing and changing;
- Promising practices in sustaining socially engaged, community-based, arts education; and
- New research and opportunities for the teaching artist field.
The transcript and list of resources mentioned in the episode can be found here on the blog!
ABOUT ERIC BOOTH: In 2015 Eric Booth was given the nation’s highest award in arts education, and was named one of the 25 most influential people in the arts in the U.S. He began as a Broadway actor, and became a businessman (his company became the largest of its kind in the U.S. in 7 years), and author of seven books, the most recent are Playing for Their Lives and Tending the Perennials. He was on the faculty of Juilliard (12 years where he founded their teaching artist and mentoring programs), Tanglewood (5 years), The Kennedy Center (20 years), and Lincoln Center Education (for 41 years, where he co-founded their Teaching Artist Development Labs). He has served as a consultant for many arts organizations (including seven of the ten largest U.S. orchestras), cities, states and businesses around the U.S., and worked with many overseas organizations and governments. A frequent keynote speaker, he gave the keynote address to UNESCO's first World Arts Education Conference, he founded the International Teaching Artist Conferences and Collaborative and the largest publications in the music-for-social-change field.
WHERE TO FIND ERIC: WWW.ERICBOOTH.NET
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss grounding their work in self-care and prioritizing humanity. Madeleine speaks with artist, educator, and activist Sangeeta Isvaran about her work throughout India and Asia, particularly her actions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, they discuss the importance of anchoring our work in love.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- The concept of Rasa in artistic and educational experience;
- Ideologies about prioritizing humanity in our creative and justice-oriented work; and
- Techniques for grounding creative practice and keeping inspired.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Creative Generation’s quiet week
- The concept of Rasa
- Indian Railways special COVID trains
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT SANGEETA ISVARAN- Sangeeta has inherited a Bharatanatyam [classical dance/theatre form from Tamilnadu, India] practice from the pioneering maestra, Padmabhushan Kalanidhi Narayanan and Smt.Savithri Jagannatha Rao. She has researched into many performing and visual art traditions across the world, creating her unique Katradi technique of empathy based social transformation. For this she was honoured with the highest national award for young dancers, the Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar. She is an empanelled dancer of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations with a mandate for cultural diplomacy. She has also received several other national and international fellowships – Arts Network Asia, Asia Europe Foundation, Asian Scholarship Foundation, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst [German Academic Exchange Programme] – and awards – Kala Rathna, Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival; Prix de la Creation, Centre Culturel d’Enghien-les-bains, France; Vasantalakshmi Young Dancer award, India. A highly skilled performer, she has performed in more than 40 countries over Asia, Africa, Europe, North and South America, where she has also collaborated with several governmental and non-governmental organisations to create spaces for people from different walks of life to access some form of art. She has studied various different dance forms from South Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe and West Africa, creating her own unique style of choreography in many international collaborations.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND SANGEETA-
- http://www.katradi.org/
- http://www.katradi.org/Method.html
- https://youtu.be/wr4iBABzwcg
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Jeff and Rachael discussing leading our way out of the pandemic with values at the fore, centering young people and anti-racist practices specifically. Jeff speaks with author, musician, and economist, Patrick Kabanda about his book The Creative Wealth of Nations and the role of arts and cultural education in sustainable development. Finally, these themes are applied to the ideas of “applied creativity” and how to be an “undercover artist” with values.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About Patrick Kabanda’s journey from growing up in Kampala, Uganda to music school, and then the World Bank;
- How arts education can contribute to sustainable development; and
- What “applied creativity” can contribute to the artistry in everyone.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- AusDance
- Creative Generation’s Principles
- The Creative Wealth of Nationsby Patrick Kabanda
- Patrick’s piece: At the UN, the Arts Emerge as a Force for Sustainable Development
- The concept of ‘creative natives’
- Robert and Michele Root-Bernstein’s book Sparks of Genius
- Pivot podcast on big tech’s military contracts
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT PATRICK KABANDA:
Patrick Kabanda’s first book The Creative Wealth of Nations was published in May 2018 by Cambridge University Press, with foreword by the philosopher and Nobel economist Amartya Sen. A Juilliard-trained organist and a Fletcher-trained international affairs professional, he received Juilliard’s William Schuman Prize for outstanding achievement and leadership in music in 2003, and from 2012 to 2013 he was a Charles Francis Adams Scholar at The Fletcher School. Besides concertizing and lecturing worldwide, he has taught at Phillips Academy, consulted for the World Bank’s Office of the Senior Vice President and Chief Economist, and contributed to the World Development Report 2016 and to UNDP’s 2015 and 2019 Human Development Reports. He was awarded the 2013 Presidential Award for Citizenship and Public Service from Tufts University, Massachusetts.
WHERE TO FIND PATRICK:
-Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickkabanda
-Twitter: @Arts4Dev
-Instagram: @p_kabanda
-Website: www.musikaba.net
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this episode of Why Change? Co-hosts Jeff and Madeleine discuss the changes to their work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and the interdisciplinary leadership of teaching artists and cultural practitioners over the last year. Madeleine chats with Fié Neo, an interdisciplinary artist based in Singapore, who has worked as a fashion designer, participatory artist, and has applied her knowledge learned through sustainable agriculture and business to advance the field of socially engaged art.
In this episode you’ll learn:
-
What is socially engaged artistic practice?;
-
How our systems which support arts, education, and social change must continue to adapt...and how; and
-
About new opportunities to virtually engage with others and stay connected in artistic communities of practice.
Please download the transcript here.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- The ITAC Impact: Climate initiative
- The U.S. Government's COVID Response for the Arts
- Special Issue Of Arts Education Policy Review Focuses On Community Arts Education In COVID
- The European Academy of Participation
- Fié’s film work
- International Network for Socially Engaged Practitioners
- Onions Talk podcast
- ITAC’s mailing list
- Young & Emerging Leaders Forum
ABOUT FIÉ NEO(she/her)- An interdisciplinary artist based in Singapore who makes socially engaged works through participatory public interventions, wearable art and film. She has performed and exhibited her works at Royal Albert Hall, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, London Design Festival, Gillman Barracks and others. Fié also hosts a podcast called Onions Talk. Connect with her on 'The Reconnection Playground', a series of participatory online wellness events that uses creative expression to hold space for authentic connection.
Where you can find Fié:
Website: https://feeyehneo.wordpress.com
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/fie-neo
Instagram: @feeyeh_neo
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5Sx3YtkLxpdmeeZllzoGh6MJVMrSqvDj
Included in this episode are ads for:
- The 2021 ABLE Assembly: Arts Better the Lives of Everyone conference
- The Teaching Artists Guild’s Youth Led Professional Development Workshops
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the webpage and follow us on IG @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this fourth episode of Why Change? you will meet one of our co-hosts, Madeleine McGirk. Madeleine is an actor and teaching artist and leads a global network supporting participatory artists. She has an interest in politics, social change through the arts, and inspiring, powerful women leaders.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- About efforts to connect the global field of teaching artists
- Madeleine’s thoughts on the connection between the arts and politics
- Who and what keep her focused and ready to reinvent systems.
Please download the episode transcript here.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- The International Teaching Artists Collaborative
- The West Wing and its views on the arts
ABOUT Madeleine McGirk- Madeleine McGirk is the Managing Director of the International Teaching Artists Collaborative (ITAC), which works to connect and promote teaching artists and their practice around the world. Madeleine is based in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she supports all of the Collaborative's activities. Her role includes overseeing monthly Think Tanks, network and Hub development, project management and the ground-breaking ITAC conferences held biennially (hosted most recently in 2020 by Korean Arts and Culture Education Service, and in 2018 by Carnegie Hall & Lincoln Center NYC ). She coordinates international partnership projects, speaks at global arts education conferences and organizes regular development opportunities for the network.
Madeleine is a trained actor, and has worked as a freelance teaching artist for some of Scotland's leading youth theatres. She is the former Executive Director of the Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET), a national educational organisation which works to encourage international understanding and language learning through innovative practices. During her time at SEET, Madeleine was invited to speak as part of an education delegation at the European Commission, European Parliament Information Office and Scottish Parliament. Madeleine is passionate about her work in the arts and education sector, and is committed to furthering international connectivity in our field and beyond.
You can find Madeleine on IG, Facebook, and Twitter @ITACCOLLAB and at www.itac-collaborative.com.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the webpage and follow us on IG @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this third episode of Why Change? you will meet one of our co-hosts, Ashraf Hasham. Ashraf is from Seattle and brings a youth-focused and creative viewpoint to the conversation. He discusses the connections between his family coming from Pakistan to the United States, leadership coming from his artistic skills, and and landing jobs with youth-led organizations and the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture.
In this episode you’ll learn:
1) Why the youth voice is needed in arts organizations and city agencies,
2) How Ashraf continues to keep his creativity present day to day, and
3) What is radical inclusivity?
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
Teen Tix: http://www.teentix.org
The Vera Project
Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture: https://www.seattle.gov/arts
ABOUT Ashraf Hasham:
Ashraf Hasham is the Youth Arts Manager for the City of Seattle’s Office of Arts & Culture, overseeing the City’s youth investments in arts education, creative youth development, and career-connected learning. He comes to this role from The Vera Project, a homegrown, nationally-renowned, all-ages music venue & DIY arts space, where he served as Executive Director. Prior to that, he spent a short time with Chicago’s Urban Gateways, building capacity for their youth engagement & advocacy programs w/ Street-Level Youth Media. Before that, he got to work with an organization that changed his life as a young person in Seattle: TeenTix, a revolutionary arts access & youth empowerment organization, where he held multiple roles over the years, most recently Director of Programs & Partnerships. An unapologetic optimist, Ashraf is a proud millennial-of-color and South Asian immigrant. He believes in radical inclusivity and anti-racist, strengths-based, community-led solutions that center the most impacted. He leads with empathy and positivity, collaboratively and transparently, centering love and joy. Recognizing things change fast and often, Ashraf strives to remain nimble and humble, always growing and adapting to meet the moment.
You can find Ashraf on Instagram @ashrafhasham and on Linkedin.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the website and follow us on IG @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this second episode of Why Change?, you’ll meet one of our co-hosts, Rachael Jacobs. Rachael is a university lecturer, dancer, aerialist, and political and social activist whose work is grounded in creativity and cultural consciousness.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why arts activism plays a huge role in every aspect of Rachaels life.
- An arts-based strategy to gather community to advocate for political change for the climate crisis.
- How constant motion keeps Rachael motivated and driven.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- This resource: Honoring Native Land: A Guide and Call to Acknowledgement from the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture
- A book recommendation, The God of Small Thingsby Arundhati Roy
- The civil “disco”-bedience, a dance and protest project, blog post.
ABOUT RACHEL JACOBS
Rachael Jacobs is a lecturer in Creative Arts Education at Western Sydney University, a community artist, writer and activist. She is a former secondary teacher (Dance, Drama and Music) and primary Arts specialist. Rachael has facilitated arts projects in community settings all over Australia, mostly in refugee communities, in prisons and in women’s refuges. In 2016 contributed to the arts education component of the OECD report on the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 and she is currently assisting in the analysis for UNESCO’s International Commission on Futures of Learning. As a community activist she uses the arts to make statements about public education, climate justice and building anti-racist futures. She is a freelance writer, aerial artist, South Asian dancer and choreographer. She was a founding member of the community activism group, Teachers for Refugees and runs her own intercultural dance company.
You can find Rachael online through her website and on Facebook.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the website and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
During this first episode of Why Change?, you’ll meet one of our co-hosts, Karla Estela Rivera. Karla is a writer, performer, activist, and arts advocate who uses storytelling to uplift folks in underserved communities in Chicago.
In this episode, you will learn:
- The ways storytelling have connected Karla to her communities in Puerto Rico and Chicago;
- The creative impacts Karla has made within her community to help combat COVID-19; and
- How Karla keeps her focus from the shiny things in life.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
- Free Street Theatre, the organization which Karla leads
- 2nd Story, the program where Karla performs her storytelling
- An article about the advocacy for the Illinois Fine Arts Indicator, which Karla co-lead
ABOUT KARLA ESTELA RIVERA
Karla Estela Rivera is a writer, performer, activist, and arts advocate that has leveraged her gift of storytelling to uplift and create opportunities for, with, and in underserved communities. She is the Executive Director of the historic Free Street Theater and a company member of 2nd Story in Chicago. In addition to her artistic work, Karla has served in non-profit organizations for over a decade, beginning as a teaching artist and youth worker, to systems-level leadership in public affairs. Most recently she served as the co-chair of the Illinois Fine Arts Indicator work group which developed the nation’s first weighted accountability measure for the arts as part of the Illinois Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan. Karla continues to perform in venues and zoom rooms across the country, and actively teaches storytelling and consults on advocacy initiatives. She is a native of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, and holds a BA from Columbia College Chicago’s Department of Film & Video, with graduate studies at New York University.
You can find Karla Rivera on Instagram and Twitter @kestelarivera and on Linkedin @karlaerivera.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit its webpage and follow us on social media at @Campaign4GenC.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support
Welcome to Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation! We bring listeners around the globe to learn how arts, culture, and creativity — especially as applied by young people — can change the world, one community at a time. This podcast shares timely news and dives deep into the work of young creatives who catalyze social change and those who are committed to cultivating their creativity. Listeners are invited to join hosts Jeff M. Poulin, Karla Estela Rivera, Ashraf Hasham, Rachael Jacobs, and Madeleine McGirk each week to learn and laugh while envisioning new futures through the question, “why change?”
You can find a new episode of Why Change? every Wednesday at 7am EST.
This trailer of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s webpage and follow us on social media at @Campaign4GenC.
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/whychange/support