Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation
By Creative Generation
Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative GenerationNov 30, 2023
S3 Ep24: Supporting Young Agents of Change with Natalie Elam and Bronwyn Mauldin
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
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
S3 Ep23: Intergenerational Revolutionary Practice with Peter O’Connor
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:
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
S3 Ep22: In, Through, and With the Arts with Lisa Donovan
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
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
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
S3 Ep21: None of Us is as Smart as All of Us with Argy Nestor
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:
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.
S3 Ep20: Scale and Bravery with Jean Hendrickson
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:
Oklahoma A+ Schools Institute at the University of Central Oklahoma
S3 Ep14: Grasping The Aerosol Of Creativity With Michael Anderson
Preparing Educators for Arts Integration: Placing Creativity at the Center of Learning book
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
S3 Ep19: Too Much is Never Enough with Kady Robinson
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:
“Safeguarding Artistic Freedom,” the 9th World Summit Discussion Paper
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
S3 Ep18: Scaffolding Access, Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Towards Creative Justice With Antonio Cuyler
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
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
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
S3 Ep17: Civic Imagination with Michael Rohd
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:
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
S3 Ep16: Curiosity to Drive Equitable Funding with Porché Hardy
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:
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
S3 Ep15: Relational Empathy with Gowri Savoor
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:
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
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
S3 Ep14: Grasping the Aerosol of Creativity with Michael Anderson
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:
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
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
S3 Ep13: Facilitating Exchanges with Khairina Khalid
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:
Call to Action collaboration between Scotland and Singapore
ABOUT KHAIRINA KHALID:
Khairina Khalid is a Singaporean producer and production manager who enjoys working on productions that touch on socio-political issues, as well as projects that give a voice for the minority community. Having first been involved in Ekamatra’s youth incubation programme back in 2014, Khai has grown together with the company for almost a decade. Most recently, she produced and facilitated Call To Action, an online and cross-cultural interpretation of the Living Newspaper, that aims to engage with young people, through digital and online techniques. To date, the Call To Action programme has seen 3 editions and has impacted over a hundred youths globally. In 2022, Call To Action was awarded the CDN Digital Learning Award (UK) for its impact as a social learning tool for young people.
Currently, she is exploring more ways to create programmes for youths and young audiences, to create more meaningful work that champions the ethnic minority culture and traditions. She is currently the General Manager of Teater Ekamatra in Singapore.
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
S3 Ep12: Field Building with Käthe Swaback and Matt D'Arrigo
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.
S3 Ep11: Granting Yourself Permissions with Jorge Lucero
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”
“Creative Generation: Ethnographic And Heuristic Approach To Inquiry”
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.
S3 Ep10: Reframing Philanthropy with Nikki Kirk
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:
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.
S3 Ep9: Making Change: Teaching Artists and Their Role in Shaping a Better World with Eric Booth
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:
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.
S3 Ep8: Imagining Futures with Arts and Technology with Pawel Pokutycki
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.
S3 Ep7: Exploring Poetic Inquiry with Camea Davis
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:
Social Justice in Education Award (2015) Lecture: Gloria J. Ladson-Billings
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.
S3 Ep6: It's About the People with Jasmin Cardenas
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:
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.
S3 Ep5: Leading to an Upward Spiral with Sana Jafri
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:
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.
S3 Ep4: Live from A Day of Purpose: Decolonizing Arts Education with Black Lives Matter at School
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:
"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.
S3 Ep3: Musicians to Change the World with José Angel Salazar Marin
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:
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.
S3 Ep2: Sustaining Futures of Culture and Arts Education
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.
In this episode you’ll learn:
- About the history of international support for arts and cultural education;
- What happened at the 11th World Summit for Arts Education in Madeira, Portugal; and
- How artists and educators can share their thoughts about the future of culture and arts education.
Some things from the episode:
- World Alliance for Arts Education - Survey on Culture and Arts Education
- UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education
- Now More Than Ever: Arts And Cultural Education Is A Human Right blog
- World Alliance for Arts Education website
- World Summit for Arts Education
- Madeira Toboggan Ride on Traditional Wicker Basket Sledges
- Arts Integration research blog: Towards An Enriched Understanding Of Arts Integration
- Crisis response blog: Building Creative Futures
- Leadership research briefing: Redefining Leadership: Results from a Global Study on Leadership in Arts and Cultural Education
- Teaching Artistry for Social Impact: The Course
- Creative Justice with Rachael Jacobs & Michael Finneran
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.
S3 Ep1: It’s Not About You, It’s About Us with Astrid Jorgensen
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.
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.
S3 Ep0: Season 3 Teaser
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.
S2 Ep26: Season 2 Finale
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.
S2 Ep 25: Youth Power with Angelique Power
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.
S2 Ep24: Bringing Our Whole Selves with Celeste Smith and Jonathan Cunningham
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.
S2 Ep23: Live from the 2022 Arts Schools Network Conference
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.
S2 Ep22: Democratizing Creative Dialogues with Marissa Reyes
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.
S2 E21: Creativity in Conflict with Chen Alon
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
S2 E20: Processes of Change with Dr. Jason White
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
S2 E19: Disrupt with Heleya de Barros and James Miles
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:
Heleya is 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
S2 E18: Arriba el Telón with Alexis Truitt and Mitch Mattson
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
S2 E17: Moving to Abundance with Darren Isom
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
S2 Ep 16: Creative Justice with Rachael Jacobs and Michael Finneran
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
S2 Ep15: Navigating Arts Education Ecosystems with Dr. Allison Roberts
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
S2 Ep 14: Creating Brave Spaces with Amy Claire Mills
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
S2 Ep 13: Creating a Ripple of Change with Carrie Ziegler
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
S2 Ep 12: Championing Creative Alive Children with James Wells
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
S2 Ep 11: Changing How Artists and Institutions Work with Simon Sharkey
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.
S2 Ep 11: Disrupting the Traditional Notions of Museums with Nick Duarte
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
S2 Ep9: Politics of Care with Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez
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
S2 Ep8: Radical Thinking in Philanthropy with Lizette Garza
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
S2 Ep7: #Enough Gun Violence with Michael Cotey
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
S2 Ep6: Expanding Dialogues Through Art with Jess Harwood
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
S2 Ep. 5: Listening & Getting Out of the Way: Reflections from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Conference
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
S2 Ep. 4: Imagining New Impossibilities with Francine Kleiman
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
Live from the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference: The Futures of Music Education
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
S2 Ep2: Shining a Light on the Nexus of Youth-Led Change and the Creative Economy with Terry Morgan
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