Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation

During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss their work during summer and how focusing locally has benefited their global communities. Madeleine interviews Rosa Zerrudo, a Filipino artist, educator, and social activist who uses localized creative processes with diverse populations focusing on topics like climate change, justice, and more. Madeleine and Jeff conclude with a discussion about the role of play, imagination,and collective thinking.

In this episode you’ll learn:

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ABOUT ROSA ZERRUDO: A community-engaged interdisciplinary teaching artist with the heart of a cultural worker.  Her background in AB Psychology and Masters in Educational Theater for Communities (New York University (NYU) with support from Ford International Fellowship Program) complements her meaning-making and process-oriented art practice she calls soulwork.  Her process-based creative works were presented and showcased in international conferences and/or exhibited in Seoul, Busan, Naminara, Jeju and Daegu - South Korea, Yamagata and Kyoto - Japan, New York, San Francisco, Portugal, Melbourne, Montreal, Calgary, Hong Kong, Berlin, London, and showcased in Manila, Davao, Bohol, Palawan, and Iloilo.  She organized a collaborative process of community psychosocial caregiving with post-disaster international workcamp in Camiguin, Bohol, Cebu, Tacloban, Iloilo, and other parts of the country.  Her strong cultural affinity and developmental work for decades have been an enriching journey of her NGO and volunteer work in Luzon and Mindanao.  She serves as former  Executive Committee member in Dramatics Arts at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.  Currently, she is on study-leave for her PhD in School of Design, Creative Industry, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane Australia with a full scholarship from QUT and Australian Government Research Training Program.

This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit [blog link] and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC

During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff discuss their connection to places. Rachael interviews Jacki Kauli and Verena Thomas about their perspectives on international development and their work in Paupau New Guinea. Rachael and Jeff conclude with ideas about how to be more responsive creative practitioners.

In this episode you’ll learn:

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ABOUT VERENA AND JACKI:

ABOUT JACKI KAULI: A Senior Researcher in the Creative Industries Faculty at Queensland University of Technology, and visiting scholar at the University of Goroka, Papua New Guinea. She works across a number of research and development projects which support the use of indigenous and arts-based research approaches. Jackie’s work focuses on harnessing drama techniques, creative practice and communication strategies to contribute to development practice and theory. In particular, one of her areas of expertise is in process drama and how drama techniques can be applied in community development and research. She holds a PhD in Creative Industries from Queensland University of Technology and has over 15 years experience working in international development on issues around health, education and gender.

ABOUT VERENA THOMAS: An Associate Professor at the Creative Industries Faculty at Queensland University of Technology. With a background in documentary filmmaking, Verena’s work focuses on creative research approaches and communication for social change in international development contexts. Verena founded the Centre for Social and Creative Media (CSCM) at the University of Goroka in 2021 where she set up a Masters Program in Communication and Social Change. The CSCM is a research centre that focuses on the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in development programs through creative processes. Verena has led numerous award-winning research and production projects with donors, government and NGO partners in the areas of health communication, gender-based violence and education. She is an experienced facilitator in participatory filmmaking, digital storytelling, and more broadly creative research methods. She works with institutions and organisations who want to strategically integrate creative approaches into social change programs.

This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC

During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss the connections between interpersonal and community-die connections and wellbeing. Karla interviews Inès Sanguinetti, founder and artistics director of Fundación Crear Vale la Pena in Argentina; they discuss the concept of social transformation and how creativity and culture can lead to systems change. Karla and Jeff conclude with ideas about turning these concepts into everyday actions.

In this episode you’ll learn:

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ABOUT INÈS SANGUINETTI:

Co-founder and president of Fundación Crear Vale la Pena. Artistic Director for the Creative Environments Program (Art and Creativity to transform life projects in schools and communities in vulnerable contexts), that has reach more than 65.000 people from

Argentina and the world, and has been recognised as one of Latin America's 13 most pedagogic innovative experiences by the BID, the OEA and the OEI. Member of the board at International Teaching Arts Collaborative (ITAC).Today, her task in Argentina and the world is to transfer creativity and wellbeing methodologies applied to improve teaching and learning

processes as well as socio-cultural management for artists, teachers, social workers and businesses.

WHERE TO FIND Inès:

Website: https://bit.ly/crearvalelapenaenglish

Instagram: @sanguinetti.ines

Instagram: @crearvalelapena

This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC

During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss the importance of public and personal investment in narrative building. Ashraf interviews Dan Hudson, the executive director of the National Film Festival for Talented Youth. They discuss how technology, pedagogy, and adults can help young people cultivate their own stories. Ashraf and Jeff debrief about the importance of shifting narratives, debates about “talent,” and how privileged adults can use their power (or cede it) for the empowerment of young creatives.

In this episode you’ll learn:

ABOUT DAN HUDSON: Dan first started with NFFTY in 2015 as venue manager and outreach coordinator. Venue manager again in 2016 and 2017, and has programmed the animation and music video categories since NFFTY 2017. He joined NFFTY full-time in 2018, first as Festival Manager for NFFTY 2018, and has been NFFTY’s Executive Director since January 2019. A graduate of Seattle University’s MFA in Arts Leadership program, he has over ten years of professional experience working with arts nonprofits. He primarily has worked with theatre and film organizations—including Intiman, ArtsWest, SIFF, Northwest Film Forum, and Scarecrow Video—in a variety of marketing, development, and operations roles. He programs Seattle's Grand Illusion Cinema—where his programming was twice profiled by The Stranger—as well as Art House Theater Day, a nationwide event. He also serves on the board of TeenTix, an arts access and youth dev organization.

WHERE TO FIND DAN:

IG: @nfftyfilm

TikTok: @nfftyfilm

Facebook: facebook.com/nffty

Twitter: @NFFTY

This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC

During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss new perspectives brought about by big ideas. Ashraf interviews James Miles, an actor, teaching artist, arts administrator, and nonprofit executive who shares his professional story and history contributing to systemic change to support youth through the arts, youth culture, and beyond. The episode concludes with a discussion of vulnerability and the self-examination necessary to effectively support young people as our next leaders.

In this episode you’ll learn:

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ABOUT JAMES MILES: An educator in the New York City public schools for almost 20 years prior to moving to Seattle in 2016. Before joining Mentor Washington as the Executive Director, Miles served as the Executive Director of Seattle based Arts Corps. Originally from Chicago, Miles has worked internationally as an artist and educator, who was inspired to foment change after seeing so many children that looked like him, get disregarded and treated like criminals by our educational systems. His acclaimed TedX Talk focuses on his mission to narrow achievement gaps using the arts as a tool to navigate inequitable educational systems. Miles is a Mayoral Appointee to the Seattle Arts Commission, and on the advisory board of SXSW EDU. A former accountant, model, and actor, Miles has facilitated workshops and designed curriculum for the New Victory Theater, Roundabout Theatre, Disney Theatrical Group, Village Theatre, Arts Impact, Denver Performing Arts Center, Impact Schools, and others. Previously a professor at NYU, James taught a myriad of classes, ranging from Acting and Directing to EdTech and Special Education. A graduate of Morehouse College and Brandeis University, James has presented at SXSW EDU, NYU’s IMPACT Festival, NYU Shanghai, New York Creative Tech Week, EdTechXEurope, Google Educator Bootcamp, UAEM North America, UAEM Europe, National Guild, ITAC, and provided professional development to teachers across the world. His work has been featured by Pie News, New Profit, Complex Magazine, National Guild, Seattle Times, KOMO, KEXP, NPR, CBS, NBC, US Department of Education, and ASCD. 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. James is currently writing a book about youth culture and educational practices, due out this year.

WHERE TO FIND JAMES:

This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC

In this episode of Why Change?co-hosts Rachael and Jeff discuss their relationship and how colleagues can help each other dive deep on topics, to expand their perspectives. Rachael interviews Penny Hay, a creativity scholar and organizational leader in the UK. They discuss the role of creativity in social movements and how to work on systems change to reimagine education. Rachel and Jeff debrief with a passionate dialogue about the role of creativity in the world - like creative justice - and how definitions don't matter.

In this episode you’ll learn:

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ABOUT PENNY HAY- An artist, educator, Reader in Creative Teaching and Learning, Senior Lecturer in Arts  Education, School of Education; Research Fellow, Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries; Bath Spa  University and Director of Research, House of Imagination. Signature projects include School Without  Walls and Forest of Imagination. Penny is also a co-founder of Bath Cultural Education Partnership.

Penny’s doctoral research focused on children’s learning identity as artists. She is Co-Investigator on the AHRC Global Challenges Research project ‘Rethinking waste: Compound 13 Lab’ in Mumbai.  Penny is a visiting Lecturer at Plymouth College of Art and co-designed their MA in Creative  Education.

Penny coordinates the South West Creative Education Hub, is strand leader for Creative Pedagogy in the Policy, Pedagogy and Practice Research Centre, Associate Director of TRACE at Bath Spa University and a member of the Paper Nations Advisory Group. She is on the Steering Group of the APPG for Art  Craft and Design Education and on the Advisory Groups for the Cultural Learning Alliance, HundrED (Finland), Crafts Council Learning and Development and a member of the RSA Innovative Education  Network. Penny is co-chair of What Next? West and co-host of the RSA Bath Network.

Penny regularly speaks regularly at international conferences and is part of the UNESCO Futures of  Learning Group. She is working internationally in Europe, Scandinavia, India, Zimbabwe and Canada.  Penny was awarded by Action for Children’s Arts for her contribution to arts education and by  Creative Bath for her work in creative education.

WHERE TO FIND PENNY:

-@PenAHay

-@houseimaginatn

-@forestimaginatn

-@schwithoutwalls

This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC

In this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Madeleine and Jeff discuss their work connecting people around the globe. Madeleine interviews Jeffrey Tan, a teaching artist and network building in Asia who works with the disabilities community. Madeleine and Jeff debrief the conversation thinking broadly about the impact of funding systems change.

In this episode you’ll learn:

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ABOUT JEFFREY TAN- An experienced Theatre Director, Drama Educator and Creative Producer.  He has worked full time as Resident Director with The Theatre Practice (1997), Drama Lecturer and Acting Head of Drama with LASALLE SIA (1999) and as Associate Artistic Director with TheatreWorks (S) Ltd (From 2002 – 2006).

He was Assistant Director (Festivals) with the National Arts Council from 2007 to 2009 and Head, Commune: Participation with the Singapore Arts Festival from 2010 to 2012.  From 2012 to 2015, he was Assistant Director, Community Arts and Culture Division, People’s Association.  Jeffrey ran three PAssionArts Festivals that brought Festival Villages and large Format visual Arts to over 40 locations in the 86 Constituencies.

In 2015, he conceptualized and produced OPEN HOMES – between nine Theatre Facilitators and 25 Families, to create their own performances in their living rooms.  This mega project was commissioned again by the Singapore International Festival of Arts in 2017.  In 2019, LaBoite and Backbone Theatre in Brisbane,  Australia, invited him as Lead Artist to work with their local team of Theatre Facilitators, Stage Managers and 15 Families.  In 2021, Open Homes will open in OzAsia, Adelaide Australia with six Asian Australian families.

Jeffrey describes his theatre work as people centric and inclusive.  The diversity of partners and communities he has worked with includes children, youths, working adults and seniors.   He believes in creating safe space through the arts, to empower people to discover and share their untold stories.  He is fueled by the wealth of life experiences from international collaboration through storytelling.

Jeffrey is most excited by the connecting power of the arts, when we practice inclusivity.  With the emerging practice of disability and inclusive arts in Singapore, he is especially delighted to be working to advance the artistry of Teaching Artists in Asia who are working in these inclusive environments - schools and communities.

This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC

In this episode of Why Change? host Jeff M. Poulin describes the quiet week at Creative Generation. He shares the research underpinning their decision, reflections from throughout the crises of 2020, and concepts about maintaining nourished in our work intersecting culture, education, and justice.

In this episode you’ll learn:

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ABOUT JEFF M. POULIN- An American scholar, non-profit administrator, and social entrepreneur whose work is grounded in social justice and seeks transformative local solutions to global complex challenges.

In 2019, Jeff founded Creative Generation, which works to inspire, connect, and amplify the work of young creatives who catalyze social change and those committed to cultivating their creativity.  In this role he leads a team which produced global messaging campaigns, creates unique learning environments, conducts original research, and supports people and projects working at the intersection of arts/culture, education, and social change. He serves as the Principal Investigator for the Institute for Creative Social Transformation, lead Facilitator for the Academy of Creative Leadership, host of the Why Change? podcast, and Executive Editor of the Campaign for a Creative Generation and the Creative Generation Journal.

With over a decade of experience as a performer, teaching artist, education researcher, and arts administrator, he previously led a national program, where he worked to advance local, state, and federal policies supportive of equitable access to arts education throughout the United States. Jeff is a tap dancer by trade and continues to mentor young dancers in the U.S. and in the U.K.

Jeff is widely published, serves as a reviewer for grant and research panels, and speaks to audiences across the country and around the globe. Currently, he is on the faculties of arts management at American University and Carnegie Mellon University.

Jeff hails from Portland, Maine and earned degrees in arts management, cultural policy, and education at Oklahoma City University, University College Dublin, and the University of Glasgow.

This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit the episode webpage and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC

During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Rachael and Jeff speak about the impact of theatre in their lives and why policy-makers should increase access to arts education. Jeff interview Corey Mitchell, a long-time educator, the first recipient of the TONY Award for Excellence in Theatre Education, and founder of the Theatre Gap Initiative. They discuss how increasing access to theatre education opportunities for students of color to reimagine the future of American theatre. Rachael and Jeff debrief with a dialogue about how young creatives are envisioning the future of education and the arts.

In this episode you’ll learn:

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ABOUT COREY MITCHELL- Since 1995, Mitchell has been a fervent and passionate classroom teacher who believes whole-heartedly in the potential of his students. He joined the faculty of Northwest in 2001 where he now teaches Theatre, Musical Theatre, Middle School Drama, and Directing for the Stage. During his tenure there have been way too many musicals, plays, music revues, and cabaret shows to list, but some of the productions that really standout include—Ragtime, Hair, Pippin, Godspell, Shrek, All Shook Up, and The Color Purple (that production was the basis of the 2017 award-winning documentary, Purple Dreams, produced by GreyHawk Films). In addition to his work at NWSA, Corey has directed plays and musicals for a number of area theatre companies, including Theatre Charlotte, Charlotte Children’s Theatre, Central Piedmont Community College, Hickory Community Theatre, and Davidson Community Players. In 2015, Corey was the first recipient of the Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre Education. In addition to the Tony Award, Corey has received recognition from several other organizations, including the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, the Educational Theatre Association, North Carolina Theatre Conference, the Arts Empowerment Project, the Charlotte Post Foundation, and the National Black Theatre Festival. Notably, Corey was a top fifty finalist for the one million dollar Global Teacher Prize in 2017. Since 2017, Mitchell has been a consultant for the National Center for Educational Statistics (a non-partisan division of the U.S Department of Education), and he has presented keynote addresses, workshops, talkbacks, and master classes across the country and internationally. Corey thanks his family, friends, colleagues, and collaborators for their amazing support for all of these years. Check out my Burger King commercial that was an instant classic https://youtu.be/D6ZyvrZNoX0

WHERE TO FIND COREY:

Twitter: @Cmitchellclt and @Theatre_Gap

Instagram: @Cmitchellclt and @Theatre_Gap

Facebook: Theatre Gap Initiative

Website: www.theatregap.org

This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC

During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss inspiration, perseverance, and a return to normal. Ashraf shares the second part of a two-part interview with the band Distant Cousins, who wrote the theme song for this podcast. They talk about how music-making brings people together, to overcome their differences, and its ability to heal wounds. The episode concludes with a discussion of how youth-led creative youth development projects can change the world.

In this episode you’ll learn:

Please download the transcript here.

ABOUT DISTANT COUSINS: Distant Cousins is an Los Angeles-based indie-pop band which actively produces hit music featured in television, films, and commercials while also working with young people in schools. Formed in 2013, the band is composed of Dov Rosenblatt, Duvid Swirsky, and Ami Kozak.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND DISTANT COUSINS:

This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. Produced and Edited by Daniel Stanley. For more information on this episode and Creative Generation please visit [blog link] and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC