Arlene Goldbard is an American writer, social activist, painter, and consultant whose work explores the intersections of culture, politics, and spirituality. She is a leading advocate for cultural democracy, emphasizing the essential role of art and creativity in shaping a just and compassionate society. Throughout her career, Goldbard has worked with community-based organizations, public agencies,…
Listening Lab is a New York–based initiative dedicated to strengthening social cohesion through the simple yet powerful act of listening. The organisation designs programmes that engage communities in the practice of listening as a way to foster empathy, understanding, and connection across social and cultural boundaries. Its work spans education, community action, and research —…
Emilie Diouf’s research and teaching reflect her interdisciplinary background in African Literature, African American and African Studies, as well as Women’s and Gender Studies. She is interested in the relationship between narrative, migration, trauma, and human rights, particularly expanding the field of trauma studies to include more substantially the voices of African women refugees. Since…
LAPD Mission: Founded in 1985 by director-performer-activist John Malpede, Los Angeles Poverty Department (LAPD) is a non-profit arts organization, the first performance group in the nation made up principally of homeless people, and the first arts program of any kind for homeless people in Los Angeles. LAPD creates performances and multidisciplinary artworks that connect the…
The Artistic Ensemble is a troupe of 16 diverse men in prison working with 5 outside members. In their explorations to discover how they can reach the public; they also discover more about what it means to be human by connecting with each other. Their creative process is dialogic. Together they explore social inequalities with…
Appalshop is a U.S. nonprofit cultural arts organization based in the mountainous central Appalachian coalfields of eastern Kentucky, southern West Virginia. Appalshop was founded in late 1969 by Bill Richardson, an architect, and a group of aspiring young artists who secured funding from the Kennedy administration’s War on Poverty program to engage their neighbours in…
Founded in 2001 by Artistic Director Allison Orr, Forklift Danceworks actively engages diverse communities through the creation of unique dance projects featuring all kinds of people. Using the movement that come from daily life as the choreographic starting point and casting community members as the primary performers in these projects, Forklift presents dances in intimate…
Dudley Cocke is artistic director of Roadside Theatre, an ensemble known for touring its original plays to communities across forty-five states and performing in cities from London to Los Angeles. In 2015, Dudley co-directed and co-wrote the book for the bi-lingual off-Broadway musical BETSY!, which he is currently preparing for national touring. His work often…
Jan Cohen-Cruz (1950–) is an author, teacher, and practitioner of community-based performance art. She is the Founding Editor of Public: A Journal and served as Director of Imagining America from 2007-2012. Cohen-Cruz writes on the work of performance artists who address social issues. Her trilogy on the topic includes Local Acts: Community Based Performance in the U.S. (Rutgers, 2005), Engaging Performance: Theater as Call…