The arts are making us feel connected to our loved ones and to all of humanity. Art, dance, music, and theatre are actively uplifting our spirits and countering the physical and emotional isolation.
Read moreDisruption and Invention: With, Not For, Young Artists
We must make deliberate youth-centered choices right this minute. Young people are not an afterthought, they are all the future that the arts and culture have. This blog is both a stake in the ground and an invitation. It stakes out the kinds of serious actions we have to take now. And it invites you, as readers to join in. Over the ensuing weeks, we will write weekly about the concrete ways in which young artists and their advocates are acting to invent their futures.
Read moreDo We Really Want a Return to Normalcy?
The question then becomes: when we are called to task, will we be ready to take up arms, or will we be too devastated and weak to take action? I am convinced that a year from now, as we look back on these dark times, those who are able to successfully help rebuild are those who were able to use this time wisely, navigating uncertainty strategically, and preparing for a future that will call on the arts to rehabilitate and regenerate in new ways.
Read moreCrisis As Opportunity
In chaotic times, people become more open to innovation; change becomes more possible. This is a call to teaching artists to use this opportunity of time and of disrupted norms to disrupt the entrenched status quo. That’s what artists do—make stuff they care about. And what do teaching artists do? As John Dewey says, we activate the artistry of others so that they, and their communities, can make more stuff that matters—so that they can imagine the world as if it were otherwise, and instigate their creating it.
Read moreYouth Musicians Respond to Social Distancing with New Song and Music Video
An inter-generational group of musicians and producers in San Diego, California have collaborated to produce a new song and associated music video, titled, “6 Feet,” to support social distancing and shelter-in-place as a response to the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic.
Read more