Teaching Artistry with Courtney J. Boddie

We are back with Act 2 of Episode 57: “Arts, Essence…Us,” featuring activist, storyteller and educator Miko Lee, Director of Programs at Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE).

As in Act 1, Courtney’s chat with Miko remains at the intersection of arts and social justice. This conversation holds fast to the tone of the first half of the episode, which focused on arts and social change. Here, Courtney and Miko both hold court and really lean into a few key points like: the need for the arts as a pathway for change-making, the global cultural variances in the approach to one’s artistry, the imperative of being in the right relationship with oneself and approaching transformative justice from the inside (self) to the outside (those one wishes to serve through the arts). Their conversation continues down a path that, at times, feels very introspective while also asking very meta questions. You’ll really want to connect with this one, listeners! Listen or download wherever you get your podcasts!

Hey, PODience! We’re excited to share our newest episode with you. Episode 57: “Arts, Essence…Us” is a thoughtfully passionate conversation featuring activist, storyteller and educator Miko Lee, Director of Programs at Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE).

The setting of Courtney’s chat with Miko is at the intersection of arts and social justice. At the top, we learn a lot about Miko’s trajectory from the arts into civic engagement, which occurred, she states, because she was at the right place at the right time. Miko really hones in on her passionate connection to her artistry and how the collaborative, communal nature of that artistry is so important in driving social change. Their conversation hits full throttle when they begin to discuss the power of teaching artistry and teaching artists’ innate ability to truly bring about positive change. The conversation weaves a fascinating web of topics including radical welcoming, guerilla theater as entrypoints to the arts and how teaching artistry can and must be the things that gets us out of the messy, oppressive world in which we’re currently living. You won’t want to miss this uplifting episode!

What is it that drives you? What is the impact you want to have on the world? Those are the questions that are central to the heart of the conversation featured in the second part of our episode featuring James C. Horton.

In Act 2 of Episode 56: “Arm Yourself with Hope,” Courtney and James’s conversation segues from the meaning of family and finding connection to the arts to the impact of the arts. This is where we learn much more about James’s career trajectory, a path which led him to a position at Carnegie Hall and then the Museum of the City of New York, where he was at the time of this recording. One of the most meaningful parts of this conversation focuses on James’s work with incarcerated youth, using the arts as a pathway to process trauma. You won’t want to miss Courtney and James’s thoughtful conversation about supporting human healing through trauma-informed arts practices and amplifying the voices of those who are often marginalized, ignored or criminalized. Be sure to check out Act 2 of Episode 56: “Arm Yourself with Hope” wherever you get your podcasts!

Hey, PODience! We’ve got a brand new episode for you and you won’t want to miss it.

Episode 56: “Arm Yourself with Hope” is a thoughtful, and in some aspects spiritual conversation with James C. Horton, the newly-appointed President of Harlem School of the Arts in New York City.

At the top of Courtney’s chat with James, a self-proclaimed "analog dude" and father of four ambitious kids, they linger for a while on their childhood experiences. Their conversation really gains momentum when they connect over the meaning of family and finding a connection to the arts as a safe space at just the right time in life. The heart and soul of this meaningful chat is centered around the word “tension.” As James says it, every aspect of art is based in tension and how we, as artists, explore and move through that tension. Without the presence of tension, James notes, there is nothing. How one harnesses and focuses the power of that tension is the artist’s ultimate challenge. Other topics explored in this episode include core values as personal and professional anchors, the collaborative and communal nature of theater and slingshots. Yes, you read that right. Slingshots. So where exactly does this conversation begin and end? You’ve just gotta listen to find out!

Hey, PODience! We’re back with Act 2 of our newest episode.

This thoughtful conclusion of Episode 55: “Calling in Your ‘Why’,” features a deeper chat between Courtney and Shanna Melton, a poet and visual artist.

Their discussion dives a bit deeper into what it means to grieve as humans, artists and learners, to lose oneself in trauma and to find oneself and one’s strength as they emerge from a place of dissociation to a moment of recognizing the power of vulnerability and personal strength. They also discuss the meaning of that word—strength—and how we are perceived from the outside doesn’t always reflect what’s going on inside. Courtney and Shanna’s chat eventually turns to things like: creating meaningful art, emotionally impactful artistic experiences and the future of the field of Teaching Artistry. So, how does this conversation end? You’ll have to listen to find out!

Greetings, TA PODience! We’ve got a brand new two-episode arc for you!

Act 1 of Episode 55: “Calling in Your ‘Why’,” features an introspective chat between Courtney and Shanna Melton, a poet and visual artist.

Courtney’s conversation with Shanna, who believes in the power of being selective about where, when and how we leave our artistic imprints and energy in the world, is a thoughtful one. Their conversation runs the gamut concerning pathways to discussing the impact of the arts. Some of the rich ideas discussed in this episode are: what it means to create art that holds true meaning and placing that art in spaces that have impact; the realization that the art we create can and should be for others to consume and appreciate; the positive, healing nature of art; and the ways through which we grieve. So, how do we get from point A to point Z? You’ll have to listen, learn and reflect on that!

Hey, PODience! What are you saying "yes" to right now? What obstacles are standing in your way that you are willing to knock over in order to do and feel something new? These are just a few questions that pervade the second part of our two-episode arc featuring Melissa Parke. In Act 2 of Episode 54: "Walk in Truth," Melissa talks a bit more about her work. She specifically goes into more detail about the Afro-centric SEL framework she created, noting that the lens through which the framework operates is centered in culture. Then, suddenly, the conversation turns sharply into a talk about love of sports, fitness and the power of saying yes. This carves out space for the two to discuss the work that needs to be done, internally and externally, in order to create meaningful goals and bring new ideas and systems into all aspects of life, particularly in education. So, will Melissa and Courtney be going head-to-head in a rugby match? It'll make sense when you listen, which you can do via SoundCloud, iTunes, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. You don’t want to miss this episode!

Hello, TA PODience. We hope you’re staying safe, healthy and cool during these extremely hot days. We’re back with a brand new episode that we think you’re going to love!

What drives you creatively and personally? Can you name it or are you still trying to place it? These questions, and so many more, fuel this two-episode arc. Episode 54: “Walk In Truth,” features an inspiring conversation between Courtney and Melissa Parke, Founder of Black Teaching Artist Lab, LLC and a creative that focuses her work and impact in the arts education world.

Courtney’s conversation with Melissa hits on so many touchpoints that we’re certain will resonate with anyone listening like growing up in a time of COVID, what it means to belong and what our perceived placement is in society and our ever-fluctuating relationship with time, process and deadlines as a measurement of success. All of this leads into a discussion about Parke’s passion project—creating an Afro-centric social emotional learning (SEL) framework that is inspired in part by a combination of the Casel framework and the White Racial Identity Model, which was developed in 1990 by psychologist Janet Helms. So how exactly did Parke come to shape and mold this new framework? How did she conduct the necessary research and what questions did she ask? In what ways does Parke hope this work will affect Teaching Artistry as a field? You’ll just have to listen to find out!

Hey, TA PODience! Teaching Artistry podcast is made up of a team of humans that have many identities including LGBTQ+, Black, Jewish, and more. We acknowledge the Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade. We are reaffirming our commitment to continue to uplifting and amplifying BIPOC women and other humans who do remarkable work in our field and advocate and fight for justice.

We are back with the inspirational second act of our newest two-episode arc. In Act 2 of Episode 53: “Passing the Baton,” Courtney continues her conversation with Margie Johnson Reese, an educator and lifelong advocate for children and the arts.

The second half of their chat keeps a laser-sharp focus on legacy that begins with a transition into thinking not only about personal legacy but about what we can do to create opportunities for those who follow. This episode asks the questions: How can we leave doors wide open for younger generations to walk and reap the benefits of our work? What does it mean to stay true to ourselves and our passions in a world that wants us to conform to prescribed constructs? When it’s time for us to pass the mantle, what do we want our life’s work to have been? Who do we want that work to benefit and what systems can we dismantle, and build up stronger and better, in order for future generations to thrive?

You won’t want to miss the conclusion of this thoughtful episode.

Hello, TA PODience. We are back with a brand new episode!

In this two-episode arc, Episode 53: “Passing the Baton,” Courtney chats with Margie Johnson Reese, an educator and life-long advocate for children and the arts. She has over 40 years’ experience in the field of arts administration, including heading a local arts agencies in Dallas and Los Angeles.

Courtney and Margie’s conversation is one with a sharp focus on legacy—almost like a memory play in which you, the listener, are likely to be transported into places and spaces from Margie’s past while also connecting the myriad pathways that have led to this very insightful chat. Without offering too much (this conversation is just too rich to spoil) Courtney and Margie’s conversation begins as an interview that quickly shifts into a study in retrospection, introspection, learning and storytelling. And it asks the questions: How do we, as arts administrators, break down barriers and clear the path for future changemakers in a meaningful way? How do we prepare those who will take the mantle to lead with empathy and make loving connections with their fellow artists and arts administrators?

The conversation here is personal and kind. You won’t want to miss it!