ART IS CHANGE: Strategies & Skills for Activist Artists & Cultural Organizers

In this episode, civic organizer and “public defender” Tom Tresser reveals why he feels America’s nonprofit and creative sectors are missing in action when it comes to power, policy, and public trust. As arts funding shrinks and disinformation grows, Tom challenges creatives to stop “staying in their lane” and instead step up as leaders in civic life.

In it we’ll:

• Learn how a small, unfunded coalition stopped the 2016 Olympics from coming to Chicago—and why that matters for creative change agents everwhere

• We’ll also Discover why Tom thinks creative people are uniquely qualified to solve society’s most funky problems—and how artistic skills and political strategies are cut from the same cloth

And inspired by a radical, hopeful model for building civic power from the ground up, rooted in creative intelligence, story making, and community action.

The 100K Project: Tom Tresser's initiative that seeks to train, and propel 100,000 people from the arts, nonprofit, social services, education, and science sectors (and their supporters) to run for local office or help those with our values run as champions of service, science, justice, equity, peace, creativity, and the public sector.

People

Bill Cleveland: Host of Art Is Change and long-time practitioner in arts-based community development and civic storytelling.

Tom Tresser: Chicago civic organizer, public defender of the public sector, and co-founder of No Games Chicago.

Richard M. Daley: Former Chicago mayor behind the 2016 Olympic bid effort.

Barack Obama: Then–senator and later president who supported Chicago’s Olympic bid.

Sam Zell: Billionaire and owner of the Chicago Tribune, a supporter of the Olympic bid.

Senator Jesse Helms: Conservative senator known for attacks on the NEA.

Pat Robertson: Christian Coalition founder and major force in culture-war politics.

Andres Serrano: Artist whose work Piss Christ became central to NEA controversies.

The NEA Four: Performance artists whose denied NEA grants fueled national censorship debate.

Frederick Douglass: Abolitionist and civic educator cited as a model for grassroots truth-telling.

Paul Wellstone: U.S. senator whose “organize–advocate–run” triangle influences Tresser’s civic theory.

Oprah Winfrey: Chicago cultural icon who supported the 2016 Olympic bid.

Barbara Steveni: British artist and co-founder of the pioneering Artist Placement Group.

Judy Munson: Composer of the Art Is Change theme and soundscape.

Andre Nebe: Text editor for this episode.

Chicago 2016 Olympic Bid: Major civic initiative defeated by grassroots organizing.

IOC Host City Vote – Copenhagen 2009: IOC meeting where Chicago was eliminated in the first round.

NEA Culture Wars: National battle over arts funding, censorship, and cultural values.

Performing Arts Communities Campaign to Save the NEA (1991): Chicago-based advocacy mobilizing artists and audiences.

The 100K Project: National initiative to train 100,000 creative people to run for local office.

Opening of the Civic Lab (2013): Launch of a civic makerspace for democratic literacy and organizing.

Center for the Study of Art & Community: Producer of Art Is Change and national leader in arts-based civic engagement.

Art Is Change Podcast: The podcast exploring arts, culture, and democracy.

League of Chicago Theatres: Chicago’s principal theater service organization.

National Endowment for the Arts: Federal arts funder often at the center of political battles.

Christian Coalition: Conservative political organization active in culture-war campaigns.

Focus on the Family: Christian advocacy group active in the arts-funding debates.

No Games Chicago: Volunteer coalition that stopped Chicago’s Olympic bid.

International Olympic Committee: Governing body of the Olympic Games.

The Civic Lab: Civic makerspace founded by Tom Tresser.

National Guild for Community Arts Education: Partner for civic leadership training for creatives.

PBS: Public broadcasting network referenced in arts-funding discussions.

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: U.S. national arts institution.

Harvard Project Zero: Research center whose “studio thinking” informs the leadership model.

Americans for the Arts: National arts advocacy organization.

Freesound.org: Community sound library used for audio effects.

No Games Chicago (Routledge): Tresser’s book on defeating the Olympic bid.

Oxford Economics Research on Olympic Mega-Projects: Analysis of the economic and civic impacts of hosting the Olympics.

Christian Coalition Fundraising Letters (Archive): Historic mailers used in culture-war fundraising.

Artist Placement Group Documentation (Tate): Archival record of the groundbreaking UK socially engaged art model.

Meet ArtsWok, a Singapore-based organization helping people talk about the hardest things—grief, inequality, identity, and even death—with art as the medium and hope as the mission

In a place known more for order than outspokenness, how do artists create room for deep conversation and community healing? In this episode, ArtsWok co-founder Su-Lin Ngiam takes us inside the intricate work of bridging Singapore’s diverse communities—whether that’s confronting mortality in a high-rise courtyard or staging inclusive youth theater across cultural divides. Her work invites us to reimagine activism not as confrontation, but as creative facilitation rooted in care.

Listen in to hear:

• How ArtsWok uses everything from inflatable theaters to site-specific installations to hold space for taboo topics in the heart of tightly regulated Singapore.
• Why conversations about death—like in their Both Sides Now project—are actually powerful doorways to deeper, more connected lives.
• What it means to be an “intermediary” in art, navigating across sectors, beliefs, and disciplines to build trust, spark dialogue, and catalyze change

Tune in now to hear how Su-Lin and ArtsWok are turning art into a tool for civic dialogue, human connection, and societal renewal—one courageous conversation at a time.

What does the ArtsWok Collaborative do?

How do your very public arts practices advance your issue-based community work?

What is Go-Li?

It's (Drama Box’s) inflatable theater … we have used that structure in our projects as well, … It's tour-able, so you can bring it to different communities, and you pop up and cause you're not allowed to be there permanently, then you deflate the structure, and you move on. And it becomes some kind of an icon as well.

People recognize it, and “Oh, okay, these guys are here. The artists are here.” And it's about creating safe space as well because it's open, but it's covered, but yet you can walk in and out so you can have conversations about difficult things or people can be vulnerable.

What is Both Sides Now?

What role does negotiation play in the cultural life of Singapore?

The Economist Magazine's Intelligence Unit places, Serbia, and Singapore, among the 46 countries that are considered Flawed Democracies along with United States of America. 

As our three countries grow more alike in surprising ways, it felt like the right moment to revisit two powerful episodes featuring activist artists from Serbia and Singapore.

First up is our 2022 Change the Story Change the World with conversation with Dijana Milosevic, the Director of Belgrade’s Dah Teatar.  

Imagine mounting a guerrilla theater performance in a bombed-out city square, in the middle of war, while armed soldiers look on—and still holding on to your art, your convictions, and your humanity. That is the story of Dah Teatar, a theater collective from Belgrade that has survived war, sanctions, shifting regimes, and censorship—and kept creating powerful, justice-driven work.

In this episode of ART IS CHANGE, we dive back into the history and present of Dah Teatar through a rich conversation with co‑founder Dijana Milošević. We revisit their 1992 This Babylonian Confusion street performance, and then catch up on how the company has restructured, relocated, responded to climate concerns, and carried forward their practice of “being with” communities. Along the way, Dijana shares stories of bus‑based public theater, performances among trees, and how art continues to navigate complexity, contradiction, and resistance in Serbia today.

You’ll hear:

• How Dah anchored themselves in relationship and material constraints during the war years, moving from classic theater into street performance in real time.
• The evolution of the company from ensemble-based actors to a more horizontal, administrative structure that can sustain creative risk.
• Their project Invisible City, performed inside buses, bringing stories rooted in neighborhood life to ordinary passengers—not just theatergoers.
• Their more recent project Dancing Trees, where trees become collaborators, audiences move into the forest, and performance becomes site, sound, memory, and activism.
• Reflections on censorship, environmental struggle, national narratives, cross‑community healing, and the role of artists in turbulent times.

Tune in to follow Dah’s journey across decades of upheaval and resilience—and be inspired by how a theater company, rooted in place and poetic defiance, continues to bridge divides between people and environment.

Be sure to check out our CHANGE THE STORY COLLECTION OF ARCHIVED EPISODES on: Justice Arts, Art & Healing, Cultural Organizing, Arts Ed./Children & Youth, Community Arts Training, Music for Change, Theater for Change, Change Making Media. BIO

Dijana Milošević is an award-winning theater director, writer and lecturer. She co-founded the DAH Theater Research Center in Belgrade, and has been its lead director for over 25 years.

Dijana has served as the artistic director of theater festivals, the president of the Association of Independent Theaters, the president of the board of BITEF Theater, and a member of the board of directors of the national International Theater Institute (ITI). She has been involved with several peacebuilding initiatives and collaborates with feminist-activist groups.

DAH Theater has performed nationally and internationally under Dijana’s directing. She has also directed plays by other theater companies around the world.

She is a well-known lecturer, who has taught at world-famous universities. She writes articles and essays about theater as well as society. She has won prestigious scholarships such as Fulbright and Arts Link. She is a professor at the Institute for Artistic Play in Belgrade.

Dah Teatar Research Center for Culture and Social Change: DAH Theatre is an independent, professional, contemporary theatre troupe and artistic collective that uses modern theatre techniques to create engaging art and initiate positive social change, both locally and globally.  Mission: In today’s world, we can oppose destruction and violence with the creation of meaning.” Through dedicated teamwork, we create bold dramatic art to provoke, inspire, and incite personal and social transformation.

Art and Upheaval - Artists on the World’s Frontlines: Author William Cleveland shares remarkable stories from Northern Ireland, Cambodia, South Africa, United States (Watts, Los Angeles), aboriginal Australia, and Serbia, about artists who resolve conflict, heal unspeakable trauma, give voice to the forgotten and disappeared, and restitch the cultural fabric of their communities.

This Babylonian Confusion: The Dah Teatar project “This Babylonian Confusion” is a result of a montage of the actors’ materials and the songs of Bertold Brecht. This performance was created from the need of the artists to place themselves in their duty- as artists in “dark times.” Four actors using the characters of Angels say their share against war, nationalism and destruction. [1992]

Slobodan Milošivić: was a Yugoslav and Serbian politician who served as the president of Serbia within Yugoslavia from 1989 to 1997. Formerly a high-ranking member of the League of Communists of Serbia (SKS) during the 1980s, he led the Socialist Party of Serbia from its foundation in 1990 until 2003. After Milošević's death, the ICTY and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals found that he was a part of a joint criminal enterprise which used violence to remove Croats, Bosniaks, and Albanians from large parts of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. 

Bertolt Brecht: was one of the most influential playwrights of the 20th century. His works include The Threepenny Opera (1928) with composer Kurt Weill, Mother Courage and Her Children (1941), The Good Person of Szechwan (1943), and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (1958). A member of the Independent Social Democratic Party, Brecht wrote theater criticism for a Socialist newspaper from 1919 to 1921. His plays were banned in Germany in the 1930s, and in 1933, he went into exile, first in Denmark and then Finland. He moved to Santa Monica, California, in 1941, hoping to write for Hollywood, but he drew the attention of the House Un-American Activities Committee. 

The Story of Tea: The central theme of the performance is the train that will finally take three sisters to the place of their dreams- Moscow, or missed opportunities and gambled chances, inspired and provoked by the other important themes of DAH Theater’s ‘three sisters.’ 

Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov is a play by the Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov. It was written in 1900 and first performed in 1901 at the Moscow Art Theatre. The play is sometimes included on the short list of Chekhov's outstanding plays, along with The Cherry Orchard, The Seagull and Uncle Vanya.[1]

Rio Tinto: Rio Tinto Group is an Anglo-Australian multinational company that is the world's second-largest metals and mining corporation (behind BHP).[5][6]  In May 2020, to expand the Brockman 4 mine,

Rio Tinto has been widely criticised by environmental groups as well as the government of Norway for the environmental impacts of its mining activities: claims of severe environmental damages related to Rio Tinto's engagement in the Grasberg mine in Indonesia led the Government Pension Fund of Norway to exclude Rio Tinto from its investment portfolio.[15]

Academic observers have also expressed concern regarding Rio Tinto's operations in Papua New Guinea, which they allege were one catalyst of the Bougainville separatist crisis.[16] There have also been concerns over corruption: in July 2017 the UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) announced the launch of a fraud and corruption investigation into the company's business practices in Guinea.[17]

Ana Brnabić: born 28 September 1975) is a Serbian politician serving as the prime minister of Serbia since 2017. She is the first woman and first openly gay person to hold the office.[1] 

Women in Black: Women in Black is a world-wide network of women committed to peace with justice and actively opposed to injustice, war, militarism and other forms of violence. As women experiencing these things in different ways in different regions of the world, we support each other’s movements. An important focus is challenging the militarist policies of our own governments. We are not an organisation, but a means of communicating and a formula for action.

Explorez Festival: Theater, dance, music and visual arts with a social impact in an international perspective. Since 2016, ZID has been organizing the international crossover festival ExploreZ where the city of Amsterdam is a stage for the city’s residents, artists and (inter) national theater makers. Each festival has its own theme, which is current for the makers and for social developments both locally and internationally.

25 Glasses of Wine: A lecture-performance featuring DAH Theater’s director, using autobiographical texts to discuss the work of a theater troupe and their adventures in the historical-political context of ‘a country which no longer exists

Dennis Barnett (Coe College): With an interest in works in translation, Professor Barnett has edited two collections of essays about theatre in Eastern Europe including one devoted to DAH Theatre in Belgrade, Serbia. He leads May Term in Serbia giving students an opportunity to train with the group of artist-activists. 

Invisible City: A Dah performance in the city bus system, and on-going project, ‘In/visible City’ is meant to render visible both the cultural richness of ethnic diversity and the multi-ethnic structure of Serbian cities.

Dancing Trees: Dah’s Dancing Trees is a site-specific dance theatre show created in collaboration with the Belgrade Dance Institute. This visually poetic performance explores the importance of trees preservation and includes wider scope of action connecting climate changes and arts.

Creative Europe: The Creative Europe programme 2021-2027 has a budget of € 2.44 billion. Creative Europe invests in actions that reinforce cultural diversity and respond to the needs and challenges of the cultural and creative sectors. 

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe that has, in some cases provided support for sport related arts programs.

The Hidden Life of Trees: In The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben shares his deep love of woods and forests and explains the amazing processes of life, death, and regeneration he has observed in the woodland and the amazing scientific processes behind the wonders of which we are blissfully unaware. (from Goodreads)

ITAC: International Teaching Artists Collaborative: The first world wide network of artists who work in community and educational settings.

Students Park: Actually, its proper name is Academic Park, but Belgrade slang has been successfully neglecting the fact since the 1970s….

Conundrum of the Revolution: Rosa Luxembourg – ‘Red Rosa’ is an inspiration for revolt, against everything inhuman, violent, and exploitative, still today when revolt is not readily visible. Rosa presents us with the question- where is rebellion, is it possible?

The Wedding Community Play: The Wedding Community Play Project is an ingeniously crafted, thought-provoking and highly enjoyable piece of work, described by its producers as "the most unusual play structure ever performed in Belfast". The Wedding actually appropriates the most familiar and popular form of drama of the late 20th century - soap opera - and brings it to life by setting its story in the homes, streets and public spaces of the city. (Irish Times)

The Troubles: The Troubles (

When everything feels like it’s unraveling, how do we know art still matters? In this episode, we explore the question:

Across movements, across generations—from Ella Baker’s quiet revolution to Beckett’s unexpected presence in a prison theater—this episode offers three simple, potent reminders of how art works in times of chaos: to notice, to connect, and to rebuild trust. Whether you’re an artist, organizer, or simply someone searching for clarity, you’ll find resonance in these stories.

• Discover how art helps us pay attention—to our world, our neighbors, and ourselves.
• Understand the power of creative trust—what happens when making becomes a shared act of listening.
• Explore how storytelling and performance can bridge divides, even behind bars or across ideologies.

Press play to be reminded that in uncertain times, art doesn’t just survive—it leads. Listen now and carry these three truths forward into your community.

People

Bill Cleveland: Host of Art Is Change and Director of the Center for the Study of Art and Community. (Learn more)

Ella Baker: Civil rights activist whose words inspired Ella’s Song. (Learn more)

Bernice Johnson Reagon: Composer of Ella’s Song and founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock. (Learn more)

Judy Munson: Composer and sound designer for the podcast. (Learn more)

Donald Trump: Referenced in the context of political polarization. (Learn more)

Samuel Beckett: Playwright of Waiting for Godot; supported San Quentin production. (Learn more)

Jan Jönson: Swedish director who brought Beckett’s play to San Quentin. (Learn more)

Jim Carlson: Prison arts advocate involved in the San Quentin project. (Learn more)

Barney Rosset: Beckett’s U.S. publisher. (Learn more)

Donald James: Actor who played Vladimir in the San Quentin production. (Learn more)

Reginald Wilson: Actor who played Estragon in the San Quentin production. (Learn more)

Brian Boyd: Author of On the Origin of Stories. (Learn more)

Voltaire: Philosopher often linked with the quote popularized by Spider-Man. (Learn more)

Events & Projects

Waiting for Godot at San Quentin: 1988 prison arts project with lifers performing Beckett’s play. (Learn more)

Federal Theatre Project: New Deal arts program (1935–1939) employing 15,000 artists. (Learn more)

A Bright and Dangerous Spark: Ongoing inquiry into art, imagination, and story. (Learn more)

Organizations

Center for the Study of Art and Community: Research and training org focused on arts-based community development. (Learn more)

Art Is Change Podcast: Podcast chronicling activist artists and community change. (Learn more)

Sweet Honey in the Rock: A cappella group known for justice-centered performances. (Learn more)

Freesound.org: Free collaborative database of sound effects. (Learn more)

Virginia Tech Theater for Social Change: Theater degree program hosting Bill’s talk. (Learn more)

San Quentin Arts Program: Historic prison-based arts education program. (Learn more)

Publications & Media

Ella’s Song: Anthem written by Bernice Johnson Reagon inspired by Ella Baker. (Learn more)

On the Origin of Stories: Brian Boyd’s work on storytelling and evolution. (Learn more)

Waiting for Godot: Beckett’s classic existential play. (Learn more)

Spider-Man (Uncle Ben Quote): Comic/movie franchise popularizing 'with great power comes great responsibility.' (Learn more)

League of Creative Champions: Metaphor for five key 'superpowers' artists bring to social change. (Learn more)

FX From FreeSound.org

Gastly sounds by menvafaan -- https://freesound.org/s/169665/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0

Music for a Podcast or Animation, or...? by Dave_Girtsman -- https://freesound.org/s/676422/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Thinking of Driving: Gentle Piano Music for Emotional Scenes by kjartan_abel -- https://freesound.org/s/532774/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

linewin6.wav by awrecording.it -- https://freesound.org/s/547658/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Simple Waiting BeepBox Loop by qubodup -- https://freesound.org/s/737525/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Cash Register by kiddpark -- https://freesound.org/s/201159/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Bosch’s Garden – Mythical Game Music for Fantasy and AI Projects by kjartan_abel -- https://freesound.org/s/647212/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

campfire medium nearby slight forest slap echo +distant people laughing.flac by kyles -- https://freesound.org/s/453783/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Musical - Native American Day of the Dead Celebtration with Pipes, Whip Cracks, Drums.wav by jaegrover -- https://freesound.org/s/262876/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

Whoosh_Electric_01.wav by LittleRobotSoundFactory -- https://freesound.org/s/274210/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Bosch’s Garden – Mythical Game Music for Fantasy and AI Projects by kjartan_abel -- https://freesound.org/s/647212/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

April Showers: Sweet Lo-Fi Piano Vibes by kjartan_abel -- https://freesound.org/s/608392/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Art Is CHANGE is a podcast that chronicles the power of art and community transformation, providing a platform for activist artists to share their experiences and gain the skills and strategies they need to thrive as agents of social change.

Through compelling conversations with artist activists, artivists, and cultural organizers, the podcast explores how art and activism intersect to fuel cultural transformation and drive meaningful change. Guests discuss the challenges and triumphs of community arts, socially engaged art, and creative placemaking, offering insights into artist mentorship, building credibility, and communicating impact.

Episodes delve into the realities of artist isolation, burnout, and funding for artists, while celebrating the role of artists in residence and creative leadership in shaping a more just and inclusive world. Whether you’re an emerging or established artist for social justice, this podcast offers inspiration, practical advice, and a sense of solidarity in the journey toward art and social change.

If you’re exhausted by performative politics and digital outrage, this episode offers a deeply grounded alternative. Discover how everyday acts of creation and conversation can rebuild civic trust—and how women across America are using quilting to stitch together a more ethical and inclusive democracy, one square at a time.

• Learn how to transform local conflict into creative fuel for durable, democratic collaboration.
• Hear the inspiring story of how one woman’s quiet act of stitching sparked a national movement of peaceful persuasion.
• Get practical insights on reclaiming civic power in your community—without burning out or tuning out.

Listen now to discover how storytelling, solitude, and stitching can help reweave the civic fabric—starting exactly where you are.

Here is a categorized, hyperlinked list of all people, events, organizations, and publications mentioned in the transcript.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 People

Bill Cleveland ; Host of Art Is Change, founder of the Center for the Study of Art and Community, and lifelong activist/artist in cultural organizing.

Emma Petty Adams: Co-Executive Director of Mormon Women for Ethical Government; leads cross-partisan, grassroots advocacy focused on ethical government and peacebuilding.

Jessica Preece: Political science professor and MWEG member who initiated the “Quilting for the Constitution” project from Provo, Utah.

Mr. Dwyer: U.S. History teacher at Hayward High School who inspired Emma’s early civic development.

Harry C. Boyte: Democracy scholar and founder of Public Work, a strong advocate of citizenship as a democratic practice.

Chad Ford: Author of 7 Times 70, a book exploring conflict transformation through a spiritual lens.

Max Richter: Renowned composer whose album Voices is inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Eleanor Roosevelt: Chaired the drafting committee of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights following WWII.

Rep. Kathy Manning (note: possibly misidentified as “Fauci” in transcript) Democratic U.S. Representative from North Carolina who displayed a quilt in her office.

Rep. Blake Moore: Republican U.S. Representative from Utah who used a quilt from the campaign in his office.

📅 Events

Quilting for the Constitution: A national arts-advocacy campaign led by MWEG members and allies; 62 quilts with civic messages delivered to 56 congressional offices in D.C. in May 2023.

Freedom Quilting Bee: A 1960s Black-led cooperative in Alabama that used quilting to support civil rights and community economic development.

Organizations

Mormon Women for Ethical Government (MWEG): A nonpartisan organization of women (mostly but not exclusively LDS) working for ethical, peaceful, and principled governance across the U.S.

Center for the Study of Art and Community: Founded by Bill Cleveland, supports the work of artists and cultural organizers in advancing democratic and creative community change.

Fox 13 News Utah: Regional news outlet that covered the D.C. quilt delivery in a televised segment.

United Nations: Drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, the inspiration behind Max Richter’s musical work.

Home Depot: Surprisingly helpful co-sponsor: one organizer built a mobile quilt clothesline display with materials purchased locally during the campaign.

📚 Publications

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): Foundational U.N. document outlining global standards for human dignity and freedom; source text for Voices.

American Covenant by Yuval Levin: A book about the Constitution as not just a governing framework but a civic operating manual for American renewal.

7 Times 70 by Chad Ford: Explores the teachings of Jesus as a model for deep, lasting conflict transformation.

Voices by Max Richter (album): A musical composition that blends minimalist orchestration with recordings of people reading the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Kindertotenlieder by Gustav Mahler: “Songs on the Death of Children”—a deeply emotional orchestral song cycle that Emma Petty Adams referenced as a vehicle for understanding grief.

Art Is CHANGE is a podcast that chronicles the power of art and community transformation, providing a platform for activist artists to share their experiences and gain the skills and strategies they need to thrive as agents of social change.

Through compelling conversations with artist activists, artivists, and cultural organizers, the podcast explores how art and activism intersect to fuel cultural transformation and drive meaningful change. Guests discuss the challenges and triumphs of community arts, socially engaged art, and creative placemaking, offering insights into artist mentorship, building credibility, and communicating impact.

Episodes delve into the realities of artist isolation, burnout, and funding for artists, while celebrating the role of artists in residence and creative leadership in shaping a more just and inclusive world. Whether you’re an emerging or established artist for social justice, this podcast offers inspiration, practical advice, and a sense of solidarity in the journey toward art and social change.

Today on our weather report, we're wading into stormy waters, namely threats to activist artists and arts organizations coming not from creeps and trolls on the Internet, but from our own government.

So this week we're focusing on what's happening to creative change agents out there and on what might be coming.

Yep, we're talking about funding being yanked, but also loyalty style clauses slipped into grants and organizations being told to sit down and shut up or else. Over the next 20 minutes or so, we'll take a quick walk through

• What's already taking place,
• What might be coming
• And what we can do about it.
• We'll also share how some organizations and programs are stepping up to defend the field.

• Donald Trump — Referenced in connection with executive actions affecting nonprofits and federal cultural agencies.
• Stephen Miller — Quoted regarding the administration's framing of political conflict and nonprofit organizations.
• George Soros — Philanthropist referenced in discussions of nonprofit funding.
• Reid Hoffman — Philanthropist referenced in discussions of nonprofit funding.
• Judy Munson — Composer and sound designer for ART IS CHANGE.

• Center for the Study of Art & Community — Producer of ART IS CHANGE.
• National Endowment for the Arts — Federal agency supporting the arts.
• National Endowment for the Humanities — Federal humanities agency.
• Rhode Island Latino Arts — Arts organization challenging NEA grant restrictions.
• National Queer Theater — Plaintiff in litigation challenging NEA grant restrictions.
• New Mexico Arts — State arts agency.
• Ford Foundation — Independent philanthropic foundation.
• Open Society Foundations — Global philanthropy supporting democracy and justice.
• MacArthur Foundation — Philanthropic foundation supporting creative people and institutions.
• Schmidt Family Foundation — Foundation supporting environmental resilience and communities.
• Institute of Museum and Library Services — Federal agency supporting museums and libraries.
• Smithsonian Institution — National museum and research institution.

• Johnson Amendment — IRS rule prohibiting 501(c)(3)s from partisan campaign intervention.
• Challenge America — Former NEA grant program serving underserved communities.
• America250 — National commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States.
• 501(c)(3) — Federal tax classification for charitable nonprofits.
• Internal Revenue Service — Federal tax agency.
• U.S. Department of Justice — Federal law enforcement agency.

Legal & Strategic Resources for Nonprofits

The organizations below provide some of the country’s most reliable guidance for nonprofits facing political pressure, government investigations, funding restrictions, IRS scrutiny, or challenges to their advocacy rights. Their websites include legal analyses, practical toolkits, policy updates, governance guidance, webinars, and action alerts designed to help organizations prepare, respond effectively, and continue their work within the law.

ICNL has become one of the country’s leading observers of the legal environment facing civil society.

• Resources for U.S. Nonprofits
• 10 Major Legal Threats to U.S. Civil Society
• United States Resource Collection

Policy and legal resources for philanthropy.

• Policy & Advocacy
• Home

Practical compliance and advocacy guidance.

• Take Action Center
• Public Policy
• Tools & Resources

Legal insights for exempt organizations.

• Nonprofit Organizations Practice
• Home

Authoritative guidance on nonprofit advocacy.

• Bolder Advocacy
• Resource Library

IRS compliance and nonprofit governance.

• Home
• Charity Lawyer Blog
• Strategies for Defending Nonprofits

From FreeSound.org

WINDDsgn_Hurricane wind in the forest area.Designed_EM.mp3 by newlocknew -- https://freesound.org/s/680138/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Thunder Claps, Single Clap 01 by PNMCarrieRailfan -- https://freesound.org/s/682351/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0

Darkest Thursday – A Haunting Electronic Masterpiece by kjartan_abel -- https://freesound.org/s/558271/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

78 PULSE: A Dark and Ominous Soundscape for Mysteries and Suspense by kjartan_abel -- https://freesound.org/s/541944/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

improvised non-chill 2 by waveplaySFX -- https://freesound.org/s/238525/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

improvised non-chill 2 by waveplaySFX -- https://freesound.org/s/238525/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Loud knock on door.WAV by simonk24 -- https://freesound.org/s/666218/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Fog Horn.wav by CGEffex -- https://freesound.org/s/94678/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Bosch’s Garden – Mythical Game Music for Fantasy and AI Projects by kjartan_abel -- https://freesound.org/s/647212/ -- License: Attribution 4.0

Gonna be gone by kjartan_abel -- https://freesound.org/s/640853/ -- License: Attribution

Change the Story / Change the World is a podcast that chronicles the power of art and community transformation, providing a platform for activist artists to share their experiences and gain the skills and strategies they need to thrive as agents of social change.

Through compelling conversations with artist activists, artivists, and cultural organizers, the podcast explores how art and activism intersect to fuel cultural transformation and drive meaningful change. Guests discuss the challenges and triumphs of community arts, socially engaged art, and creative placemaking, offering insights into artist mentorship, building credibility, and communicating impact.

Episodes delve into the realities of artist isolation, burnout, and funding for artists, while celebrating the role of artists in residence and creative leadership in shaping a more just and inclusive world. Whether you’re an emerging or established artist for social justice, this podcast offers inspiration, practical advice, and a sense of solidarity in the journey toward art and social change.

If you’re a musician or creative itching to drive real-world change without sacrificing your livelihood, this episode maps a path: how Music to Life evolved from a songwriting contest into a rigorous accelerator that helps artists design, fund, and measure community projects—so you can make change while making a living. 

• Learn how Music To Life helps musicians turn a community cause into a sustainable enterprise
• See real models you can adapt: Vanessa Lively’s Home Street Music built 500+ song circles, 230 sessions, & raised ~$200K serving unhoused neighbors in Austin.
• Learn about proven impact from Benny Esguerra’s mobile studio that measured violence reduction  to poet-healer Myles Bullen co-facilitating prison education to process tough emotions and build trust.

Tune in to hear strategies & stories that helped artists step off the stage and into community change—without abandoning the craft that got them there. 

People

• Liz Sunde – Co-founder and Executive Director of Music to Life, an organization empowering socially conscious musicians to become change agents in their communities .
• Bill Cleveland – Host of Art Is Change and Director of the Center for the Study of Art & Community, long-time advocate for artists as community leaders .
• Paul Stookey – Renowned singer-songwriter, member of the legendary folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, and co-founder of Music to Life .
• Vanessa Lively – Austin-based singer-songwriter and founder of Home Street Music, a program using music circles to support people experiencing homelessness .
• Dick Crispo – Artist who co-created the longest indoor mural in the world at Soledad Prison, known for his community arts practice .
• Beny Esguerra – Toronto-based musician and educator, founder of the Mobile Studio Project using music to reduce gang violence through recording sessions .
• Myles Bullen – Indigenous poet/ rap artist from Maine, who collaborated with University of Maine Augusta faculty on prison-based education blending poetry and Holocaust studies .
• Barbara Schaffer Bacon – Arts leader and consultant, co-director of Animating Democracy at Americans for the Arts, key in helping Music to Life secure Mellon Foundation support .
• John Lewis – Late U.S. Congressman and civil rights icon, famous for urging people to make “good trouble” in the fight for justice .

Events

• Kerrville Folk Festival – Long-running Texas festival where Music to Life hosted a 10-year social justice songwriting contest, spotlighting emerging activist musicians .
• Ventura Music & Change Festival – A Music to Life program in California that brought artists together for masterclasses, performances, and program development .
• Music to Life Academy (Change-Maker Accelerator) – Six-month training and coaching program for musicians to build community-based social change initiatives .

Organizations

• Music to Life – National nonprofit co-founded by Paul Stookey and Liz Sunde, supporting musicians as social change leaders .
• Music to Life's Academy artists Spotify playlist : A compilation of MCA Academy Artists Music.
• Wheel it Studios - WHEEL IT STUDIOS is Beny Esguerra's 16-week hands-on mobile recording studio engaging musicians from Toronto's Jane and Finch community advancing music making & transcending cross-neighborhood tensions.
• Community First! Village – Innovative housing development for people emerging from chronic homelessness, partner site for Home Street Music .
• Bloomberg Media – Partnered with Music to Life on multimedia music-for-change projects .
• Recording Academy (Grammys) – Engaged in conversations with Music to Life about supporting socially conscious music initiatives .
• University of Maine Augusta – Partner institution for prison-based education projects integrating poetry and Holocaust studies .
• Soledad Prison (Correctional Training Facility) – California prison known for hosting the world’s longest indoor mural .
• Americans for the Arts / Animating Democracy – National service organization supporting arts-based civic engagement .
• Mellon Foundation – Provided critical funding to Music to Life through arts and democracy initiatives .

Publications

• Braiding Sweetgrass – Book by Robin Wall Kimmerer blending indigenous wisdom, botany, and ecological philosophy .
• Seabiscuit: An American Legend – Laura Hillenbrand’s best-selling biography of the Depression-era racehorse and its unlikely champions .

Change the Story / Change the World is a podcast that chronicles the power of art and community transformation, providing a platform for activist artists to share their experiences and gain the skills and strategies they need to thrive as agents of social change.

Through compelling conversations with artist activists, artivists, and cultural organizers, the podcast explores how art and activism intersect to fuel cultural transformation and drive meaningful change. Guests discuss the challenges and triumphs of community arts, socially engaged art, and creative placemaking, offering insights into artist mentorship, building credibility, and communicating impact.

Episodes delve into the realities of artist isolation, burnout, and funding for artists, while celebrating the role of artists in residence and creative leadership in shaping a more just and inclusive world. Whether you’re an emerging or established artist for social justice, this podcast offers inspiration, practical advice, and a sense of solidarity in the journey toward art and social change.

What if the solution to the climate crisis and the key to democratic renewal were powered by the same thing?

In this episode of Art is Change, we'll explore Bill McKiibben new book, Here Comes the Sun, and draw a powerful parallel between the emerging solar energy story and narrative of as a force for democracy and social change.

What if stories could be fuel just like solar energy?

What if the narratives we share could help shift the tide against authoritarian fear?

In this episode of Art is Change, we draw the connection between hopeful breakthroughs on the climate front and the power of story making in the fight for democracy. The provocation for these audacious questions is Bill McKibben's new book, Here Comes the Sun, which isn't just another climate manifesto. It backs hope with data.

1. In it, we'll hear how ordinary farmers in places like Pakistan are transforming energy access without big subsidies, . Just affordability, imagination and a DIY spirit.
2. Then we'll explore how mythic stories of fear and scarcity get reinforced and how we might actively replace them with notions of abundance, possibility and connection.
3. And finally, we'll consider how something as simple as story circles neighbors telling each other what they see and feel can be a solar array of for democracy, act one, here comes the sun with a vengeance.

Here’s a list of all the people, events, organizations, and publications mentioned during the show.

1. People

Bill Cleveland – Host of Art is Change podcast and Director of the Center for the Study of Art and Community .

Bill McKibben – Environmentalist, author, and founder of 350.org, often called one of the “grandfathers” of the climate movement. His new book Here Comes the Sun anchors the episode .

Chris Hayes – Journalist and host of MSNBC’s Why Is This Happening? podcast, where he discussed McKibben’s ideas .

John O’Neal – Playwright, director, and co-founder of the Free Southern Theater. He pioneered the use of story circles as a tool for community dialogue and activism .

Judy Munson – Composer responsible for the Art is Change theme and soundscapes .

2. Events

Civil Rights Movement (1960s) – Movement for racial justice in the U.S., where story circles were used to amplify voices and fuel activism .

Hattiesburg, Mississippi Civil Rights organizing – Example of story circles transformed into community theater during the movement .

Milestone, Mississippi civil rights activities – Community where Free Southern Theater and story circles had significant impact .

Bogalusa, Louisiana civil rights struggles – A flashpoint for grassroots civil rights activism, amplified through story circles .

Swamp Gravy – A community-based theater project in Georgia, born from story circles .

The Laramie Project – A play created from community interviews after the murder of Matthew Shepard, showing the transformative power of story sharing .

3. Organizations

Center for the Study of Art and Community – Produces Art is Change and supports artists and cultural organizers working at the intersection of art and social change .

Free Southern Theater – Founded in 1963 in Mississippi, used theater and story circles to support civil rights activism .

Koch Industries – Used as an example of fossil fuel industry resistance to renewable energy transitions .

Freesound.org – Online database of free sound effects, used in the podcast .

4. Publications

Here Comes the Sun (2024) – Bill McKibben’s latest book, subtitled A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization. It documents the global solar energy revolution and its democratic implications .

Why Is This Happening? Podcast – Chris Hayes’ program, where he discussed McKibben’s solar revolution narrative .

Art Is CHANGE is a podcast that chronicles the power of art and community transformation, providing a platform for activist artists to share their experiences and gain the skills and strategies they need to thrive as agents of social change.

Through compelling conversations with artist activists, artivists, and cultural organizers, the podcast explores how art and activism intersect to fuel cultural transformation and drive meaningful change. Guests discuss the challenges and triumphs of community arts, socially engaged art, and creative placemaking, offering insights into artist mentorship, building credibility, and communicating impact.

Episodes delve into the realities of artist isolation, burnout, and funding for artists, while celebrating the role of artists in residence and creative leadership in shaping a more just and inclusive world. Whether you’re an emerging or established artist for social justice, this podcast offers inspiration, practical advice, and a sense of solidarity in the journey toward art and social change.

In a time when reentry programs are scarce and trust is hard to rebuild, this episode, the second of our two part series on the work of California Lawyers for the Arts, introduces Designing Creative Futures, a groundbreaking initiative that uses the power of the arts to help formerly incarcerated individuals reclaim their future. With stories from inside and outside the system, we explore how mentorship, hands on creativity and belief in potential can lead to lasting change.

In it, we'll hear how a coalition led by California Lawyers for the arts helped over 200 individuals find not just reentry internships, but purpose.

We'll learn how mentorship and woodworking in prison and Designing Creative Futures on the outside helped one man, Frank Quiros, discover his calling and build a new life.

And we'll discover how storytelling, craft and persistence are reshaping re entry with dignity, creativity and impact

People

• Bill Cleveland – Host of Art Is Change, community arts practitioner, and long-time leader in arts and social change .
• Alma Robinson – Longtime Executive Director of California Lawyers for the Arts; spearheaded the Designing Creative Futures reentry initiative .
• Frank Quiroz – Formerly incarcerated artist who rebuilt his life through woodworking, pottery, and arts internships via Designing Creative Futures .
• Governor Gavin Newsom – California governor who announced early releases during COVID to mitigate prison overcrowding .
• Ms. Larkey – Daughter of musician Carole King, connected with the People’s Pottery Project .
• Carole King – Iconic singer-songwriter; her daughter was involved in supporting the People’s Pottery Project .
• Jack Reedy – Woodworking mentor and teacher at Taft Correctional Facility who profoundly influenced Frank’s artistic and personal growth .
• Sergeant Rodriguez – Prison staff member who supported incarcerated woodworkers in shipping their creations home .
• Frank Hernández (Gro) – Artist associated with Self Help Graphics, part of its influential legacy .
• Patssi Valdez – Chicana artist and founding member of the Asco collective, connected to Self Help Graphics .
• Marvea – Director at Self Help Graphics who helped connect Frank to work at LACMA .

Events

• COVID-19 Early Releases in California (2020) – Governor Newsom’s plan to release up to 8,000 incarcerated individuals due to overcrowding and health risks .
• NEA Our Town Grant (2020) – $100,000 awarded to California Lawyers for the Arts to pilot Designing Creative Futures .
• California State Contract (2022) – $3 million contract expanding Designing Creative Futures placements to Los Angeles and the Bay Area .
• Geffen Galleries Opening at LACMA (2025) – $898 million expansion project at LACMA, featuring new sustainable exhibition design using reclaimed trees .

Organizations

• California Lawyers for the Arts (CLA) – Legal and advocacy nonprofit supporting artists; created the Designing Creative Futures reentry program .
• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) – Federal agency supporting arts projects, provided seed funding for the reentry pilot .
• City of San Diego – Partnered in funding the pilot phase of Designing Creative Futures .
• People’s Pottery Project – Los Angeles nonprofit led by formerly incarcerated women, offering community ceramics programs .
• Self Help Graphics & Art – Historic East LA Chicano arts center, renowned for its role in Día de los Muertos celebrations and cultural activism .
• Prison Industry Authority (PIA) – California state program providing incarcerated people with job training in industries like furniture production .
• California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) – State agency overseeing prisons; indirectly connected through PIA and reentry policies .
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) – Major West Coast art museum where Frank worked in exhibition design after release .
• Walker Art Center – Contemporary art museum in Minneapolis, where Bill Cleveland previously worked .
• San Quentin State Prison – California prison with a long-standing art program, referenced for its impact .
• Angel City Lumber – LA-based company that salvages urban trees for sustainable reuse; collaborated on LACMA’s Geffen Gallery .

Publications

• Wood Magazine – Popular woodworking magazine brought into prison classrooms by mentor Jack Reedy .
• Fine Woodworking – Influential woodworking publication also shared with incarcerated students .
• Les Misérables by Victor Hugo – Classic novel frequently read by Frank during incarceration, symbolizing resilience and redemption .

Change the Story / Change the World is a podcast that chronicles the power of art and community transformation, providing a platform for activist artists to share their experiences and gain the skills and strategies they need to thrive as agents of social change.

Through compelling conversations with artist activists, artivists, and cultural organizers, the podcast explores how art and activism intersect to fuel cultural transformation and drive meaningful change. Guests discuss the challenges and triumphs of community arts, socially engaged art, and creative placemaking, offering insights into artist mentorship, building credibility, and communicating impact.

Episodes delve into the realities of artist isolation, burnout, and funding for artists, while celebrating the role of artists in residence and creative leadership in shaping a more just and inclusive world. Whether you’re an emerging or established artist for social justice, this podcast offers inspiration, practical advice, and a sense of solidarity in the journey toward art and social change.

In this episode, we sit down with Alma Robinson, the longtime executive director of California Lawyers for the Arts. From cultural repatriation to youth advocacy to resurrecting a legendary prison arts program, Alma has been at the heart of a quiet revolution, mobilizing artists and legal advocates to shape a more just creative society.

• In it we'll hear how Alma's early work on cultural restoration and restitution shaped a lifelong commitment to public service
• We also learn why creative youth development and artists' residencies in prisons are critical tools in community healing.
• And discover how art, law and grassroots action can work together to preserve heritage, fight displacement, and expand opportunity.

So. If you've ever wondered how deep systems change actually happens, or how artists and activists can forge powerful, unexpected alliances, this conversation is for you. Part one. Whose story is this? Anyway, Alma Robinson, welcome to the show. So. What's going on with you these days?