• I love policy because it allows for surrealism, it allows for creativity, it allows for dancing, it allows for all the skills and disciplines and interests and tools that as artists we have gravitated towards. We need to enter it with both the courage and the fear that all bets are off, that the house is on fire, that the dominant narratives of - whether it's the Canadian provincial governments, the Canadian Federal Governments, the US Federal Governments - they are all bankrupt. They're all meaningless. Their stories don't appeal to people. They may still be in denial of that, but I think we are able to come up with better stories, better frames, better concepts of how to support arts and how to support culture.
• If I was the head of an arts-funding organization, one that had resources and gave them out, I would be doing events like this every week: because the appetite to have these conversations, the appetite for this kind of sense-making, is tremendous, and there isn't really any institution that's trying to meet that or create opportunities that come from that.

Futurist Jesse Hirsh, June 9, 2025

This is a special edition of a conscient podcast roundtable - my long form episode series - presented by the Public Imagination Network in collaboration with Mass Culture – Mobilisation culturelle. 

June 9th, 2025 was a lot of fun. I recorded two roundtables that day, e238 with the sonic research group on low technology and the one you’re about to hear, which is the second in a series of conversations by the Public Imagination Network called Imagining in Public (the first one was e183 imagining in public - cultural leadership in a changing world). 

This second iteration is called imagining in public e2 - artist perspectives on social impact, in other words, how artists shape social change beyond traditional definitions of impact but also how the evaluation of artistic contributions can shape public life. You’ll hear a panel formed of Public Imagination Network Fellows: Shary Boyle, Kevin Loring, Shannon Litzenberger, Kevin Ormsby and Evalyn Parry as well special guest, futurist Jesse Hirsh (you can read more about his work on his Substack, Metaviews: Future of Authority).

To help guide your listening here are the framing questions that the organisers developed for the event: 

• What does social impact truly mean in the context of artistic practice?
• If artists are catalysts for new imaginaries and drivers of transformation, how can their impacts be amplified outside of the arts and culture sectors?
• What systems and practices are necessary to sustain and amplify the relational work of artists?

The recording is in 5 parts (each section separated by a musical drone):

1. a quote from Jesse Hirsh and my introduction
2. opening thoughts by the panel
3. breakout group on stories
4. breakout group on structures
5. closing thoughts by the panel

To see an image created by Robin Sokoloski of participants responses to the question : 'What does "arts impact" mean to you?' please see this link. 

Warm thanks to the Public Imagination Network and their special guest Jesse Hirsh as well as Robin Sokoloski at Mass Culture as well as all participants for allowing their voices to be shared in this way. 

À la prochaine.

Note: a link to this gatherings’ chat storms (audience responses to a question) and a resource list (mentioned during the episode) will be provided at a later time.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020. It’s my way to give back.

This Indigenous Land Acknowledgement statement was developed by members of the Algonquin community for my former employer the Canada Council for the Arts. I have adapted slightly to make it my own.

• I acknowledge that my studio, located in Ottawa, is on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.
• I recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries. I honour their long history of welcoming many Nations to this beautiful territory and uphold and uplift the voice and values of our Host Nation.
• Further, I offer my respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and honour commitments to self-determination and sovereignty that have been made to Indigenous Nations and Peoples.
• I acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada and fervently believe the Arts contribute to the healing and decolonizing journey we all share together

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on January 9, 2026