Improbable Players uses theater performances and workshops to address addiction, alcoholism, and the opioid epidemic. The troupe is comprised of actors who are themselves in recovery from substance addiction. Their then-Executive Director Andy Short shares what it means to do destigmatizing and prevention work in schools. “Theater people, we love to believe that the theater … Continue reading "Episode 115: Decreasing Stigma Around Addiction and Recovery"

Creative Minds Out Loud

Episode 115: Decreasing Stigma Around Addiction and Recovery

In late 2019, we spoke to Doneeca Thurston, the newly-named Director of Lynn Museum/Lynn Arts. The 29-year-old Lynn native said her new role felt like a homecoming. She shares her vision for how the museum can be a champion for its majority minority community and ensure that local artists feel respected and celebrated. Doneeca Thurston … Continue reading "Episode 114: Reflecting the Community in Art Spaces"

Episode 114: Reflecting the Community in Art Spaces

Sandra Bonnici is a Senior Diversity Fellow for the American Alliance of Museums and a diversity and inclusion consultant. She says that doing the work to make a cultural organization diverse and inclusive requires deep and constant reflection. Institutions need to challenge their processes by asking, “For whom does this work? For whom does this … Continue reading "Episode 113: Unpacking Bias and Privilege in Cultural Organizations"

Episode 113: Unpacking Bias and Privilege in Cultural Organizations

Sue Dahling Sullivan is an independent consultant with more than 30 years of nonprofit management experience. We spoke to her about strategic planning when she was the Boch/Wang Center’s Chief Strategic Officer and ArtWeek Lead Champion. She believes that you have to be flexible in strategic planning because things do change. It’s an art and … Continue reading "Episode 112: Don’t Just Measure Numbers, You’ll Lose the Real Story"

Episode 112: Don’t Just Measure Numbers, You’ll Lose the Real Story

Dell Marie Hamilton is an artist, writer, and curator. Her work uses the body to investigate questions about personal memory, citizenship, history, and gender. She shares what it’s like to have a creative practice in an era of toxicity, and emphasizes the importance of self-care and continually learning from other artists. Dell Marie Hamilton is … Continue reading "Episode 111: Mindfulness as an Action"

Episode 111: Mindfulness as an Action

Dr. Deborah Buccino and Adrien Conklin, BSN RN of MACONY Pediatrics discuss the addition of social prescription – prescribing cultural engagement as a protective, healthy habit – to their collaborative care work in the Berkshires. “We can give prescriptions for medicine. We can give prescriptions to see a neurologist. But we can also give a … Continue reading "Episode 110: Prescribing Cultural Engagement as a Protective, Healthy Habit"

Episode 110: Prescribing Cultural Engagement as a Protective, Healthy Habit

Last November, we spoke with Michael J. Bobbitt, Artistic Director of New Repertory Theatre, about approaching major change in an organization. He shares ways to identify organizational culture, support staff work/life balance, and keep a board focused. Michael J. Bobbitt is the Artistic Director of New Repertory Theatre. He is an arts leader, director, choreographer, … Continue reading "Episode 109: To Change an Org’s Culture, Rip Off the Band-Aid"

Episode 109: To Change an Org’s Culture, Rip Off the Band-Aid

New Bedford Symphony Orchestra (NBSO) Education Director Terry Wolkowicz discusses Learning in Concert, an in-school partnership program between the NBSO and over 40 elementary schools in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Through this concept-based arts integration program, music educators work with non-arts teachers to remove barriers between a concept (e.g. gravity, space, and sound) and … Continue reading "Episode 108: Learning in Concert"

Episode 108: Learning in Concert

Kim Dawson is the Director of Advancement at ZUMIX, a venerable creative youth development organization in East Boston. ZUMIX works with a largely immigrant community to better equip its youth to be able to navigate the world once they have graduated out of ZUMIX and high school. Dawson shares how they are expanding their opportunities … Continue reading "Episode 107: Youth Workforce Development in Creative Industries"

Episode 107: Youth Workforce Development in Creative Industries

“The humanities give people time to reflect and think about issues in a different way than our daily living,” says Jack Cheng, Academic Director of the Boston Clemente Course. The Clemente Course is a college-level introduction to the humanities for adults facing economic hardship and adverse circumstances. Cheng shares how teaching adults makes for a … Continue reading "Episode 106: Sharing the Bounties of Human Culture"

Episode 106: Sharing the Bounties of Human Culture

Nicole Terez Dutton is a poet, teacher, and literary editor who also served as the first poet laureate of Somerville, MA. She says, “Ultimately, we’re building poems because we want to connect with each other.” Language particular to an experience can reinvigorate our interaction with and our relationship to language itself. Nicole Terez Dutton‘s work … Continue reading "Episode 105: Building the Poem"

Episode 105: Building the Poem

AHA! (Arts, History, Architecture) in New Bedford, MA is the longest continuously-funded placemaking and creative economy project in the country. For 20 years, this monthly, free, downtown cultural night and collaborative organization has provided a platform for community development and understanding. Lee Heald, Director of AHA!, discusses how their cross-sector work supports the local economy … Continue reading "Episode 104: AHA! 20 Years of Placemaking"

Episode 104: AHA! 20 Years of Placemaking

Last fall, we spoke with Audrey Seraphin, Membership and Capacity Building Manager at ArtsBoston, about how to get more people of color working in cultural organizations and about their Network for Arts Administrators of Color (or NAAC Boston). NAAC Boston enhances the visibility of professionals of color in Greater Boston’s arts and culture sector, and … Continue reading "Episode 103: Enhancing the Visibility of Professionals of Color"

Episode 103: Enhancing the Visibility of Professionals of Color

The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus is one of New England’s largest and most successful community-based choruses. Executive Director Craig Coogan discusses their work as performers and cultural ambassadors – in the US and abroad – to inspire change and celebrate difference. Craig Coogan joined the BGMC as Executive Director in October 2012. He is an … Continue reading "Episode 102: Music Triumphs Over Injustice"

Episode 102: Music Triumphs Over Injustice

L’Merchie Frazier is an artist and Director of Education and Interpretation for the Museum of African American History, Boston/Nantucket. Her work is centered on helping others to find their voice and discover their own innate creativity. She shares how her community projects aim to encourage people – individually and collectively – to participate in the … Continue reading "Episode 101: An Emergence of the People, their Spirit, their Stories"

Episode 101: An Emergence of the People, their Spirit, their Stories

A Podcast from the Massachusetts Cultural Council