As we head into a new school year, I had the chance to sit down with Meridian Elementary School Art Teacher, Allison Goodwin, about her favorite projects she does with her students, the way she sees her students grow every day, and how we can all help support the arts in our schools this year.

Want to support Allison and her classroom? Send her a message on Instagram at @mrsgoodwinart for access to her Amazon wishlist—and while you’re there, be sure to follow us at @amplifythearts! 

Tune in to hear Reese Johnson, Miss West Michigan's Outstanding Teen 2022, and I discuss all things pageants, theatre, and songwriting! It's always a pleasure to chat with Reese, and I could not be more proud to have her as my teen. On this episode, we got to chat about what song she's most proud of (which is out now, and you can listen to it here!), hear how Miss Michigan's Outstanding Teen preparations are going, and walk down memory lane together on the day we were crowned Miss West Michigan and Miss West Michigan's OT *cue heart eyes emoji and tear emoji*.

Keep up with Reese's adventures as Miss West Michigan's Outstanding Teen on Instagram at @maoteen_westmichigan, and see more about the work she's doing with PRISM at @prismmonroe!

A professional DJ, Grand Rapids socialite, and my friend, Adrian Butler (DJ AB) was part of the Windows Project in Grand Rapids, Michigan in May 2020. 

When riots began to break out following the murders of George Floyd, the Windows Project turned boarded-up windows into canvases, allowing local artists to use them as a catalyst for social change. The result? Downtown Grand Rapids became a living, breathing art museum, sparking conversations and touching hearts as we stepped through a pivotal moment in our country’s history together. 

As two local Grand Rapids citizens and supporters of the arts, it was an honor to reflect on this experience with Adrian, and to hear his personal experience with the healing impacts of the arts during this time. 

Keep up with DJ AB: 
@abisadrianbutler
www.everythingab.com

Sometimes, the darkest times of our lives can end up giving us the space to create the most beautiful works of art—things that bring people together and lift them up. That just so happens to be the case for my friend Micah Trout, AKA Radlee, whos  new album, Wonder, is coming out on January 28th! Tune in to hear him and I discuss his creative process, how the covid pandemic influenced his songwriting, and more (and there might even be a sneak peek or two of some of his new music… *wink*). 

Be sure to connect with us on Instagram at @amplifythearts, and keep up with Radlee at @songsbyradlee or at songsbyradlee.com! 

As a Music Therapist working with everyone from children with special needs in classrooms, to hospice patients, my good friend Amanda Partlo is passionate about creating moments that heal and unite individuals through music. Tune in to hear about some of her favorite moments as a music therapist (like how she creates music out of a heartbeat), and to hear her take on how we can use music to heal in our own lives.

Be sure to connect with us on Instagram at @amplifythearts!

To watch Tangled is to love Tangled.  The Disney movie is a feel-good, easy-to-love movie for all ages, and it happens to be my friend Sabrina's favorite (She can quote the entire movie from memory, and has done so for me once while hiking down a mountain).

Sabrina also has a dream to work in animation, as well as a deep love and interest in film psychology. Listen in to hear all about what goes into making our favorite love-able movie characters, and about how the character Mother Gothel is a textbook Gaslighter--and what we can learn from her relationship with Rapunzel in the movie.

Shop Amplify the Arts Merchandise here to support arts programs, scholarships and projects in Michigan.

Read Psychology Today's 11 Red Flags of Gaslighting in a Relationship.

Watch Cinema Therapy's 11 Signs on Gaslighting in Tangled.

Keep up with Sabrina on Instagram @sabrinakloss and us at @amplifythearts!

Amplify the Arts is officially BACK! I'm so excited to kickoff season 2 and am looking forward to many more conversations about why the arts matter. Today I thought it'd be fun to take a look back at my favorite moments of season 1!

But that's not all... listen in for a surprise that I am INSANELY excited about ;) or if you can't stand to wait that long (trust me, I get it), check out the link below!

But first, follow us over on Instagram at @amplifythearts! Ok, carry on.

You can shop Amplify the Arts merchandise here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/sarahdudinetz/explore?asc=u&page=1&sortOrder=recent 

Want to donate, but don't feel like shopping? No worries - send me a venmo over to @sarahdudinetz!

What's it like to be a power couple running an incredible wedding photography/videography business and essentially getting to tell stories for a living? That's the life of my latest guests, long-time friends and creatives, Patrick and Alayna Hellenga! Click play to hear all about the joy and purpose they find in their business, Shore their own personal methods for dealing with the burnout and imposter syndrome that creatives often deal with, and where they're going once it's safer to travel again (hint: they're not sticking around the U.S.)!

Be sure to connect with us on Instagram at @amplifythearts, and you can keep up with Patrick and Alayna at @shoreandsummit!

Press play to hear from Sarah and Katie Daniel, twins who were living their lifelong dream of being Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall up until the pandemic took over all of our lives. I got to chat with them about everything from what the journey of training to become Rockettes looked like, what life has looked like since having to say goodbye to that dream for a bit in March 2020, and how they're finding peace in the present while they're back living in Michigan again. 

Keep up with Katie and Sarah on Instagram at @katieanndaniel and @sarahmariedaniel, and keep up with us @amplifythearts! 

While it's not rare for people to have hobbies or careers in the arts, it's less common to hear about art being used as a legitimate form of therapy--which just so happens to be exactly what one of my best friends, Sabrina Kloss, is passionate about. Give this one a listen if you want to hear her make one too many Avatar references, hear us get way too excited about creating art, and her insanely complex categorized movie list.

Be sure to connect with us on Instagram @amplifythearts, and you can keep up with sweet Sabrina at @sabrinakloss and @sabrinadoesart.

Want to check out the video montage I made for Sabrina? You can find it here!