Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation

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.

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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:

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

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 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

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:

Check out the trailer for Disrupt: Ideas to Cultivate the Creative Generation here.

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

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:

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

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 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

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:

Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:

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

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 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

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:

Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:

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