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Artwork for ART IS CHANGE: Strategies & Skills for Activist Artists & Cultural Organizers

ART IS CHANGE: Strategies & Skills for Activist Artists & Cultural Organizers

Bill Cleveland
Art
Democracy
Social Justice
Social Change
Community Engagement
Storytelling
Imagination
Creativity
Breaking Ice
Authoritarianism
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Prison System
Morals and Ethics
Public Art
Bighart
Minneapolis
Animating Democracy
Activism
National Endowment For the Arts
Community

Can your art help dismantle injustice, shift systems, or spark healing in places like homeless shelters, emergency rooms, or city planning meetings? If you’re passionate about making a real difference through creativity, ART IS CHANGE (formerly known as Change the Story / Change the World) is your front-row seat to the real-world impact of art and social change. Hosted by author, musician, and res... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes186Founded6 years ago
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Society & CultureArts

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Artwork for ART IS CHANGE: Strategies & Skills for Activist Artists & Cultural Organizers

Latest Episodes

What makes the difference between a community where artists simply survive… and one where creativity becomes part of the living infrastructure of democracy?

Today we’re continuing our series exploring the building blocks of effective community arts ... more

Ariel Fristoe: Theater as a Civic Commons

What happens when theater stops asking audiences simply to watch and starts inviting communities to listen, speak, and act?

In this conversation, Bill Cleveland talks with Ariel Fristoe, founder and Artisti... more

In this episode we're joined by filmmaker, organizer, novelist, visual artist, and self described conjurer of stories, Paola Mendoza. For more than two decades, Paola has used every tool she can get her hands on.

Film, theater, public art, organizin... more

Who belongs in America’s story?

As battles over immigration, public institutions, national celebrations, and freedom of expression intensify, a deeper struggle is emerging beneath the headlines: who gets represented, remembered, welcomed, and heard... more

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Recent Guests

Ariel Fristoe
Founder and artistic director of Out of Hand Theater, Atlanta
Out of Hand Theater
Episode: 184: Ariel Fristoe: -Theater as a Civic Commons
Paola Mendoza
Filmmaker, organizer, novelist, visual artist, and conjurer of stories
Independent artist and activist
Episode: 183: Paola Mendoza - What if the Most Powerful Antidote for Tyranny is an Artist with a Story?
Cynthia Cohen
Activist, writer, educator, filmmaker
Episode: 181: Cynthia Cohen - Acting together on the World Stage
Sean Martin
Musician, veteran
The Quarantined
Episode: 180: Veteran Sean Martin Talks About War, Music, PTSD, & Social Change
Derek Goldman
Theater artist and co-developer of In Your Shoes; co-director of projects at Lab for Global Performance & Politics
Georgetown University; Lab for Global Performance & Politics
Episode: Derek Goldman: What Happens When the Stranger Walks In Your Shoes?
Barbara Steveni
Artist and co-creator, APG / Organization & Imagination
Artist Placement Group / Organization & Imagination
Episode: 177: Organization & Imagination - What Happens When Actvist Artists Take Root in the System
Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg
Social practice artist
DC area studio (Bethesda)
Episode: 175: Suzanne Firstenberg Asks: How Can Art Help Make the Unseen Visible When People Look Away?
Ann Cleveland
Waldorf teacher, musician, movement educator
Waldorf School
Episode: 174: Anne Cleveland - How Arts-infused Education Supports Democracy
Jordan Seaberry
Painter, organizer, educator and leader at USDAC; uses art as a civic practice
US Department of Arts and Culture (USDAC)
Episode: 172: Jordan Seaberry - What Use is Art Making When Freedom is Under Fire?

Host

Bill Cleveland
Host of the show; described in episode introductions and closing segments.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 27 ratings
  • Thoughtful and insightful and timely

    Podchaser
    5
    etedtaylor28
    4 months ago
  • A resounding yes!

    When I was in my 20s I used to read this magazine called Yes! as an antidote to all the bad news that was “The News. “ Art is Change is another antidote in a time it’s especially needed…full of inspiration, hope, courage and pragmatism!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sofia114
    United Statesa year ago
  • Art is Change!

    This podcast is inspiring and useful. A rare and great combo.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LoomerPas
    United Statesa year ago
  • What a gem, what a resource!

    Wholehearted thank you to Mr. Cleveland for this archive of transformative practices.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    qqqqqqqzzzzzzzzeee
    United Statesa year ago
  • These are conversations that connect human creativity to community building, healing, and change. So many different takes on that proposition. So much to learn. And really entertaining too.

    Podchaser
    5
    wtc756110724
    3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A powerful blend of inspiration and pragmatism that fuels actionable change.
Voice of thoughtful, restorative strategies for democracy and culture.
This show is a rare, useful resource for practitioners in arts and civic life.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

184: Ariel Fristoe: -Theater as a Civic Commons
Q: So tell me, where are you healing from?
Ariel explains she is in the Martin Luther King Historic District in Atlanta, discussing the significance of place and ancestral homelands in shaping her work and sense of responsibility.
Derek Goldman: What Happens When the Stranger Walks In Your Shoes?
Q: How does Performing One Another begin and what are the core steps?
It starts with creating a circle, making eye contact, and having each person say their full name; it then moves to naming a place of significance, choosing a person not present, and concluding with simple, truthful personal statements before transitioning to a second phase of dialogue.
172: Jordan Seaberry - What Use is Art Making When Freedom is Under Fire?
Q: Could you talk a little about where that impulse to serve came from and how it rose up?
The impulse felt like a force of nature composed of events, spaces, and mentors; a childhood exposure to community needs, a shift from art to political organizing, and mentors who broadened his perspective helped him see that service and art could be braided together.
163: Arts Freedom Weather Report: MINNEAPOLIS JAN. 2026
Q: So do you feel like in this moment where the folks in Washington seem to be putting everybody in the same basket, that it's a lesson for folks who have never been in this basket before?
I would say yes, but it's about power. It's about keeping the status quo.
163: Arts Freedom Weather Report: MINNEAPOLIS JAN. 2026
Q: Marquis, if you're willing, just to share what your experience is over these past few months that Minneapolis has been invaded and how it's affected you and your work and the people that you work with.
It's been a little hectic. I live in between where George Floyd got murdered and where Renee got killed.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A globally minded series spotlighting activist artists and cultural organizers who drive social change through creativity. Episodes explore how art can catalyze democratic participation, healing, and cross‑sector collaboration in real-world settings—from schools and hospitals to city planning and public memory. Guests share practical strategies for building durable partnerships, embedding artistic practice in governance, and sustaining impact in challenging political climates. A standout throughline is art as a civic tool—not merely for display, but as a relational practice that fosters listening, care, and collective action across communities.

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These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. The Ezra Klein Show
2. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
3. Pod Save America
4. Letters from an American
5. The Opinions

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 6 years ago and published 186 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Ariel Fristoe
2. Paola Mendoza
3. Cynthia Cohen
4. Sean Martin
5. Derek Goldman
6. Barbara Steveni
7. Suzanne Brennan Firstenberg
8. Ann Cleveland

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