Now, if you’ve been with us over the last two episodes, you’ll know we’ve been tackling what we call the building blocks of effective community arts practice—those foundational elements that help artists not just make meaningful work, but do so in ways that are ethical, sustainable, and rooted in justice.

In Episode 1, we explored Accountability: To whom, and for what, are we truly responsible in our work?

In Episode 2, we examined Leadership: How do cultural workers lead without domination, and how do they grow others in the process?

And today, we turn inward—to a topic that is as personal as it is political: self-care.

Because the truth is, being a cultural activist is not just a calling—it’s also exhausting. In this conversation, my partners-in-crime—artist and historian Leni Sloan and cultural organizer Barbara Shaffer Bacon—and I dive into the real and raw question: How do we sustain ourselves in this work?

We’ll talk about the material needs often left unmet—like housing, healthcare, childcare—and why self-care isn’t just bubble baths, it’s a structural necessity. We’ll share stories about burnout, soul-feeding practices, and what it means to build and rely on an ecosystem of mutual care.

And as always, we’re not just reflecting—we’re passing on what we’ve learned over a collective century of practice. So whether you’re a parade leader, a prickly cactus, or a builder of the long tail, we hope this episode gives you room to breathe, reflect, and reimagine what sustainability can look like in the world of community-based art.

Let’s get into it.

Great! Below is a version of the requested list formatted specifically for show notes on Captivate.fm. It is optimized for readability, includes clickable hyperlinks, and presents the categories clearly to support podcast listeners looking to explore the episode’s references further.

Series: Building Blocks of Effective Community Arts Practice

• Bill Cleveland – Host of Art is Change and founder of the Center for the Study of Art and Community.
• Leni Sloan – Artist, activist, and former NEA program director, known for arts policy and cultural leadership.
• Barbara Schaffer Bacon – Educator, movement-builder, and co-director of Animating Democracy.
• Linda Stout – Community organizer and founder of Spirit in Action, supporting sustainability for activists.
• Liz Lerman – Choreographer and pioneer in community-based dance and social practice arts.
• Grace Lee Boggs – Philosopher and activist who emphasized the importance of reflection in movement work.

In a world grappling with polarization and rising authoritarianism, the need for compassionate, imaginative leadership has never been more urgent. This episode dives into how artists and cultural workers already operating in community spaces can embrace roles as civic leaders—balancing creativity with responsibility and vision with service.

• Discover how leadership can be reframed through metaphors like the wedding planner, the parade leader, and the soul shepherd.
• Hear powerful stories of artistic ingenuity in places like death row and urban neighborhoods that reveal art’s transformative power.
• Learn the foundational traits and practical strategies for leading with courage, communication, and care in culturally complex contexts.

Here’s a categorized, hyperlinked list of the People, Events, Organizations, and Publications mentioned in the podcast episode,

Bill Cleveland

Host of Art is Change podcast and founder of the Center for the Study of Art and Community, focused on arts-based social change.

Barbara Schaffer Bacon

Educator, author, and cultural advisor known for her work in community arts and co-director of Animating Democracy at Americans for the Arts.

Leni Sloan

Activist, performer, former NEA program director, and public arts strategist, known for subversive leadership through arts policy and programming.

Marty Pottenger

Theater artist and cultural organizer integrating art with social justice and civic engagement on issues like labor rights and police reform.

Hubert Massey

Detroit-based muralist and sculptor creating community-centered public art that reflects local culture and history.

Ruth Asawa

Japanese American visual artist and educator, interned during WWII, known for her wire sculptures and arts advocacy in education.

Lynelle Herrick (limited public information)

Artist who facilitated portrait painting classes on death row, creating a transformative creative community among incarcerated men.

Jane Golden

Founder of Mural Arts Philadelphia, pioneering large-scale public mural projects as tools for community storytelling and change.

Judy Baca

Renowned Chicana muralist and founder of the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC), creator of The Great Wall of Los Angeles.

Andres...

In an age where creative work increasingly intersects with social change, understanding accountability is crucial for artists striving to make a civic impact. Whether you’re creating in your own community or stepping into unfamiliar territory, this episode explores the moral and practical anchors that define responsible, effective, and meaningful community cultural engagement.

• Learn how deep cultural competency and trust-building are essential for impactful community-based art.
• Discover real-world examples, like Marty Pottenger’s transformative police poetry project, that reveal the power of accountability to inspire civic connection.
• Gain insights into the layered responsibilities artists carry—from honoring their craft to serving diverse community stakeholders ethically.

🧑‍🎨 People

1. Bill Cleveland

Host of Art is Change and director of the Center for the Study of Art & Community; a key voice in community-based art and cultural development.

2. Jerry Stropnicky

Veteran theater director known for creating community theater frameworks; referenced for his “A Principles” guide in episode 135.

3. Barbara Schaffer Bacon

Educator, cultural advisor, and longtime advocate for arts-based civic engagement; co-host on this episode.

4. Leni Sloan

Cultural activist, performer, and historian, recognized for decades of work integrating art, identity, and democracy.

5. Marty Pottenger

Playwright, performer, and cultural organizer whose work blends theater with social justice themes like labor rights and police-community relations.

6. Chuck Davis

Founder of DanceAfrica, he was pivotal in bringing African dance to American audiences in respectful and celebratory ways.

7. Catherine Dunham

Influential dancer and anthropologist who brought African and Caribbean dance traditions into American theater and film.

8. Pearl Primus

A pioneering African-American choreographer and anthropologist, known for exploring African diasporic traditions in dance.

📅 Events

1. DanceAfrica

A vibrant festival of African and African-American dance, music, and culture hosted by the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM); discussed as an example of cultural appropriation and transformation.

2. No Kings Actions

Referenced as a current cultural movement or art action focused on community-led change and artistic protest (exact reference likely points to grassroots activist...

In a world where communities face trauma, disconnection, and invisibility, this episode explores how the ancient impulse to gather and perform stories can foster healing, agency, and real-world change. If you’ve ever wondered how art can truly make a difference, this conversation reveals what it takes. In this episode we:

• Learn how ensemble-based, community-driven theater projects have tackled crises like the opioid epidemic and flood response with lasting impact.
• Hear firsthand how storymaking catalyzes civic empathy and even reshapes local policy, as told by someone who’s witnessed communities reclaim power through their own narratives.
• Discover the 7 principles that guide ethical, effective, and deeply human community arts practice—from agency to accessibility.

Press play to experience how Jerry Stropnicky uses theater as a tool for justice, healing, and democracy—and be inspired to see your own community through a new lens.

Here’s a comprehensive list of all people, events, organizations, and publications mentioned in your podcast transcript, each with clickable hyperlinks and a contextual description:

Gerry Stropnicky Director, actor, and founding member of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble in rural Pennsylvania

Jo Carson: American playwright, storyteller, and collaborator with Stropnicky; known for works like Stories I Ain’t Told Nobody Yet ()

John Malkovich: Famous actor and Stropnicky’s college friend at Northwestern, sharing tales of selling office supplies together

Peter Brook: Legendary theater director Stropnicky observed in Paris at the International Centre for Theatre Research ()

Alvina Krause: Renowned acting teacher in Bloomsburg and inspirational founder of the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble ()

Bill Rauch: He was named the inaugural artistic director of the Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center (PACNYC) at the World Trade Center in 2018.[1]Previously, Rauch served as the fifth artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), Rauch is also the founder of the Cornerstone Theater Company,

Lori Woolery (Associate Director, Public Works) Leading figure in the Public Theater’s “Public Works” community-driven initiative in New York City ()

Bruce...

What do the arts have to do with resisting authoritarianism? And how do we, as creative community leaders, keep pushing for democracy when the odds feel stacked against us?

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the news, discouraged by political setbacks, or unsure how artists and cultural organizers fit into this urgent fight, you’re not alone. This episode brings powerful insights from the 22nd Century Initiative Gathering in Atlanta—where movement leaders, activists, and artists came together to ask the big questions: How do we stop the rise of authoritarianism? And what does it look like to build a resilient, creative resistance?

• Discover the proven strategies of nonviolent resistance that have toppled regimes and fortified democracies around the world.
• Learn why loneliness fuels authoritarianism—and how art can be the antidote by reconnecting communities.
• Hear how artists are not just reflecting change, but making it: organizing, blocking, bridging, and building democracy in real time.

Listen now to explore how you—as an artist, funder, or cultural leader—can be a strategic force in resisting authoritarianism and imagining a democratic future worth fighting for.

Here’s an expanded list of the key figures, events, organizations, and publications mentioned in the podcast transcript—now with richer context and updated hyperlinks for deeper exploration:

• Daniel Hunter – Founder and co-director of Choose Democracy, renowned civil resistance trainer and author of Building a Movement to End the New Jim Crow
• Maria J. Stephan – Co-lead and Chief Organizer at the Horizons Project, political scientist and co-author of Why Civil Resistance Works
• Ash‑Lee Woodard Henderson – Co-Executive Director of the Highlander Research & Education Center, organizer in the Movement for Black Lives
• Emory Douglas – Minister of Culture and graphic artist for the Black Panther Party, his visuals became iconic protest art
• Lily Yeh – Founder of the Village of Arts and Humanities in Philadelphia, pioneer of community-based public art

• Civil Rights Movement – Legendary U.S. nonviolent struggle for racial justice, often cited as a model of civil resistance
• Protests against Authoritarian Leaders – Global instances (e.g., Brazil’s Bolsonaro, Hungary’s Orban) illustrating the worldwide struggle to defend democracy
• 22CI Gathering – The Twenty‑Second Century Initiative conference focused on resisting authoritarianism and fostering democratic resilience

• Choose Democracy – Nonpartisan group preparing Americans to resist undemocratic power grabs through training and strategic organizing

In today’s polarized climate, building authentic, inclusive community can feel impossible—especially across political, social, and cultural divides. But Kathie deNobriga has been doing exactly that for decades—as an artist, activist, and even as the mayor of a small Georgia town. Her story shows how creativity, collaboration, and a little humor can foster connection where we need it most.

• Hear how Kathie’s winding journey from political theater to small-town leadership taught her the power of listening, laughter, and shared purpose.
• Learn how grassroots festivals, community theater, and collaborative storytelling can become secret weapons for tolerance and social change.
• Discover why humility, mistakes, and the occasional unruly neighbor (or cow) are essential ingredients for building real, resilient communities.

Tune in to hear how one artist-mayor is using creativity and conversation to rewrite the story of community—one gathering, one laugh, one story at a time.

👤 People

1. Kathie deNobriga

Theater artist, cultural organizer, former mayor of Pine Lake, GA, and long-time member of Alternate ROOTS.

1. Bill Cleveland

Host of the Art is Change podcast and Director of the Center for the Study of Art and Community.

1. Jo Carson

Theater collaborator and part of the early political theater collective referenced by deNobriga.

1. Bob Leonard

Longtime community-based theater artist and academic, mentioned as a long-term collaborator with Kathie.

1. Ashley Haze

A younger member of the Alternate ROOTS staff, representative of the intergenerational dialogue in the organization.

1. Hannah Arendt

Political theorist cited in the conversation for her insights on loneliness and totalitarianism.

📅 Events

1. Pine Lake October Arts Festival

Annual local arts festival organized in Pine Lake, GA, coordinated by Kathie as a civic-arts initiative.

1. Spoleto Festival USA

Premier arts festival in Charleston, South Carolina that includes music, theater, and visual arts. Kathie attended and highlighted it for featuring Manual Cinema.

🏛️ Organizations

1. Alternate ROOTS

A southern-based collective of artists and cultural organizers working at the intersection of art and activism. deNobriga is both a contributor and co-editor of their upcoming book.

1. Manual Cinema

Chicago-based performance collective blending shadow...

If you’re an artist, nonprofit leader, cultural organizer, or anyone working at the intersection of creativity and social change, you already know the landscape is shifting—and not in your favor. From sudden grant revocations to legal threats and public media cuts, values-driven arts organizations are facing mounting political and financial pressure. In an environment where inclusion and cultural storytelling are under attack, understanding how to protect your work is no longer optional—it’s essential.

• Discover how new federal policies and funding shifts are undermining equity-focused arts initiatives—and what that means for your organization’s future.
• Learn the difference between the “Ironman” and “Atomic Blonde” survival strategies for nonprofits navigating politically hostile environments, and how to align your approach with your mission.
• Gain actionable tools for crisis communication, narrative layering, and coalition building to defend your mission and your community when the pressure is on.

Listen now to learn how to safeguard your creative work and stay resilient in the face of rising political and legal threats to activist artists, cultural organizers and community cultural organizations.

1. People

• Matthew Charles Davis – Public relations and crisis communications expert featured in the Grantmakers in the Arts webinar “Navigating Today’s Funder Challenges.” Former investigative journalist known for handling high‑profile media crises .

2. Events

• Navigating Today’s Funder Challenges: A Live, Expert Discussion – A Grantmakers in the Arts webinar held June 3, 2025, featuring experts (including Matthew Charles Davis) discussing legal, PR, and narrative strategies for nonprofit arts funding
• Grantmakers in the Arts 2025 Webinar Series – A continuing series of webinars for arts funders and nonprofit leaders organized by Grantmakers in the Arts ().

3. Organizations

• Grantmakers in the Arts – National service organization offering resources, webinars, and research to support arts funders and grantees
• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) – Federal agency providing funding and support for U.S. arts projects; mentioned regarding grant revocations.
• Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – Executive office responsible for federal budget oversight; cited for budget freezes on grant approvals.
• Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) – Federal agency funding public broadcasters like PBS and NPR, currently facing funding threats.
• PBS – Public Broadcasting Service, funded partly through CPB; its federal support has been targeted.
• NPR – National Public Radio, similarly reliant on CPB and under political scrutiny.
• Kennedy Center – Leading performing arts center in...

What if the key to undoing bias and building empathy isn’t just policy or protest—but a complicated art and neuroscience dance that facilitates the rewiring the human brain?

In this final chapter of our three-part Breaking Ice series, we move from the stage to the synapse. After witnessing how theater can unearth hidden truths and foster real conversations, we now explore the neuroscience behind it all. What’s really happening inside us when we struggle with difference? And how can understanding the brain help advance the work of DEI?

• Dive into the emerging science of imagination, fear, empathy, and storytelling—and what it reveals about our social behaviors.
• Learn why art, especially performance, is such a powerful tool for reconfiguring how we perceive “the other.”
• Hear a heartfelt, layperson’s journey into the brain’s wiring—and how Breaking Ice exemplifies the potential for rewiring hearts and minds through shared experience.

Spending time with the Breaking Ice theater based diversity, equity, and inclusion program gave rise to a question: How might new insights about how the brain works might help us better understand the how and why of our continuing struggle with difference? Here is what ensued.

LISTEN TO Part 1 of this series

LISTEN TO Part 2 of this series

Change the Story / All Episodes

Breaking Ice is the award-winning program of Pillsbury House Theatre that for over 20 years has been “breaking the ice” for courageous and productive dialogue around issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. A diverse company of professional actors portrays real-life situations that are customized to meet the goals, needs and culture of each unique organization we serve.

Pillsbury House and Theater is a groundbreaking “new model for human service work that recognizes the power of the arts and culture to stimulate community participation, investment and ownership.”

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: was a Hungarian-American psychologist. He recognized and named the psychological concept of "flow", a highly focused mental state conducive to productivity.[1][2] He was the Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Management at Claremont Graduate University. He was also the former head of the department of psychology at the University of Chicago and of the department of sociology and anthropology at Lake Forest College.