WHAT NOW? Towards Artist-Led Movements

Produced by Jack Straw Cultural Center and Common Field, this series shares archival recordings of the sessions from WHAT NOW? Towards Artist-Led Movements, a regionally-focused, 3-day hybrid gathering that took place at Washington Hall in Seattle and online from Friday, September 30 through Sunday, October 2, 2022.

• 

  Common Field Farewell & Sunset Social Jam

  Common Field Farewell & Sunset Social Jam | Jackie Clay, Sarah Williams, Sheetal Prajapati, Mars Avila, Josh Nucci

  WHAT NOW? concluded on Sunday evening with a Common Field Farewell, a celebration marking the organization’s life and work that invited both online and in-person participants to share their wishes and aspirations for the field, which was followed by a Sunset Social Jam to hang out and close the weekend while listening to the music of Josh Nucci and fellow musicians.
• 

  The Art of Gathering: What’s the Future of Festivals?

  The Art of Gathering: What’s the Future of Festivals? | Renata Bryant, Kelli Faryar, Carolyn Hitt, Roger Maldonado, Julie Chang Shulman

  With a diversity of new festivals popping up, often curated by and centering historically underserved communities, what lessons can be passed on from seasoned festivals with institutional knowledge to share? As large, corporate festivals seem to increasingly grow away from their modest roots, what role do smaller festivals play in helping support artistic ecosystems? Guided by these questions, this in-person conversation moderated by Julie Chang Schulman, included Kelli Faryar of Waterfront Park Seattle, Carolyn Hitt of On the Block, and Cesar Maldonado of Mediums Collective, and Renata Bryant of Taking B(l)ack Pride.
• 

  The Art of Conflict

  The Art of Conflict | Anjel Newmann, Janay Pina

  The Art of Conflict was an online program led by Anjel Newmann, Co-Executive Director, and Janay Pina, Youth Director of AS220, a community arts organization in Providence, RI. Movements for Justice are not free from conflict. Competing priorities, a difference in values, scarce resources and unacknowledged power are among the many factors that can give life to new and challenging dynamics within and between “like-minded” social change groups. While there is no single answer for navigating complex and layered tensions between people who are overworked, underpaid, and bumping up against systemic barriers, the power of design, rooted in antiracist principles and “ways of being,” can make an incredible difference in the long term health and relationships within community organizations and/or movement spaces. Anjel and Janay invited attendees to learn more about what they’ve encountered and learned during their tenure at one of AS220’s largest programs: AS220 Youth.
• 

  Beyond Self Care: Community Care for Our Collective Liberation

  Beyond Self Care: Community Care For Our Collective Liberation | Shelagh Brown, Veronica Johanson-Faison, Nyasha Sarju, LéTania Severe

  Shelagh Brown, Community Partnerships Director at Seattle’s Creative Justice, facilitated an in-person conversation on how care for community is care for self, spotlighting voices on the frontlines of collective care and mutual aid including Veronica Johanson-Faison of Creative Justice, Nyasha Sarju, and LéTania Severe.
• 

  Creative Workforce Development

  Creative Workforce Development | Vee Hua 華婷婷, Imani Sims, Jac Smith, Reese Tanimura, Carol Zou

  A conversation on Creative Workforce Development brought together national voices including the US Department of Arts & Culture’s Carol Zou, organizer of the People’s WPA project, with Seattle-based organizers: Imani Sims of Hope Corps, Jac Smith of The Hydrant, Friends of the Waterfront, and Blue Cone Studios; Reese Tanimura of Northwest Folklife. Together they discussed sustainable pathways and support systems for creative careers, moderated by Vee Hua 華婷婷.
• 

  Hot Seat Sessions & Cyphers

  Hot Seat Sessions & Cyphers | Naudia Miller aka “Just Call Me Nas”

  Hot Seat Sessions & Cyphers was an invitation to attendees to share about their organizations or projects, recite a poem, share a quick burst of art, or whatever else they wanted to do in three minutes of anything-goes presentations in front of the whole audience.
• 

  Beyond Corporations and Nonprofits: What Is an Artist-Led Economy?

  Beyond Corporations and Nonprofits: What is an Artist-Led Economy? | Julie Chang Schulman, Stella J. Brown, Njuguna Gishuru, and Amy L. Piñon

  This online conversation was centered on arts entrepreneurship and growing ecosystems of support towards a more human-centered creative economy, asking: How can artists not only survive but thrive while still seeking to transform existing systems? What are some common pitfalls and barriers to collective abundance under capitalism, and how can we better collaborate to mutually uplift others? Seattle filmmaker and creator of “AND OTHER OPPRESSIVE DYNAMICS” Amy L. Piñon, Stella J. Brown of Chicago’s Buddy, Njuguna Gishuru of People’s Economy Lab, and Julie Chang Schulman of Seattle Artists Coalition for Equitable Development and Forever Safe Spaces came together in this conversation.
• 

  Network Mapping

  Network Mapping | Tony Patrick, Daniel Sharp

  Saturday’s program kicked off with a Network Mapping workshop facilitated by Tony Patrick and Daniel Sharp, an online participatory event to excavate our shared ecosystem, articulate pre-existing and intangible resources—including each other—and identify aspirations for continued collaboration and relationships post-event.
• 

  WHAT NOW? Welcome Event

  Welcome Event | Yingzhao Liu, Ken Workman, Vee Hua 華婷婷, Julie Chang Shulman, Elisheba Johnson, Kristel Baldoz, E. Maude Haak-Frendscho, Sheetal Prajapati, and Chris Tyler

  The weekend-long gathering, beginning in the afternoon of Friday, Sep 30, opened with a Welcome Program that framed themes of network organizing, introduced partners, and oriented attendees to on-site and virtual gathering spaces alike. Ken Workman, Council Member of the Duwamish Tribe and Descendant of Chief Seattle, opened the gathering with a welcome and land acknowledgement. Designer and strategist Yingzhao Liu shared principles of network organizing, grounding the event in how and why we come together.
• 

  WHAT NOW? Towards Artist-Led Movements - Introduction

  An introduction and preview of the audio series documenting the Common Field convening WHAT NOW? Towards Artist-Led Movements, held in Seattle from September 30-October 2, 2022.