Why Arts?

I am in conversation with Ellen Winner , Senior Research Associate at Project Zero and Professor Emerita of Psychology at Boston College, where she directed the Arts and Mind Lab. Ellen has been a Project Zero researcher since 1973 and has spent decades exploring the psychology and education of the arts. Her work has contributed to major research projects at Project Zero, including Arts PROPEL, th...

I am in conversation with  Shari Tishman , Senior Research Associate and Principal Investigator at Project Zero. Her research focuses on the development and teaching of thinking, close observation, learning through the arts, and the role of  slow looking  in learning. Shari is also the co-director of  The Open Canopy  and co-creator and co-host of the  Thinkability  podcast. Her work at Project Ze...

I am in conversation with Dr. Cyndi Burnett, founder of Creativity and Education , where she works with educators and school leaders to bring creative thinking into everyday classroom practice. She is also the host of  Fueling Creativity in Education , a podcast exploring how creativity can become a meaningful part of teaching and learning. With a background in performing arts, creativity research...

I am in conversation with Emmanuel Toledo, Senior Program Director for the Performing Arts in the Boston Public Schools Visual and Performing Arts Department . With over a decade of experience in arts education, Emmanuel works across curriculum, instruction, professional learning, and partnerships to expand access to high-quality arts education for students across Boston Public Schools. Emmanuel b...

I am in conversation with Clare Murray, Co-Founder and Executive Director of cARTie, Connecticut’s first and only nonprofit art museum bus for children. Clare is passionate about children's rights to meaningful art and museum-based learning experiences. With a background in early childhood museum education, Clare is also a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University, where her...

I am in conversation with Beth Miller, the Executive Director of the Creative Education Foundation (CEF) , a nonprofit dedicated to the power of deliberate creativity. With more than a decade of leadership at CEF, Beth has worked to expand the organisation's reach through the Creative Problem Solving Institute and the Florida Creativity Conference. Beth is a leader, educator, and scholar who b...

In this episode, I am in conversation with Vincent “VFerg” Ferguson , an artist, educator, community builder, and Founder of Amplify the Human. Originally from Evans, Georgia, and now based in The Bronx, Vincent works with people to unlock their potential through creativity, music, and technology. Vincent specialises in social-emotional learning and creates transformational experiences for communi...

In this episode, I am in conversation with  Vaidehi Desai  and  Maggie Oliver , educators at Newtowne School, a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood programme in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Vaidehi began her journey working with young children in Mumbai before moving to the United States to pursue an M.A. in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin. She later earned an M.Ed. in Ear...

In this episode, I am in conversation with Jada Wooten —educator, choreographer, and founding dance teacher at City Arts and Sciences Academy (CASA ), a STEAM middle and high school where she is building the school's inaugural dance programme. Outside of teaching, Jada continues to deepen her artistry by training and performing with Urbanity 2, Dancing Legacy, and Modern Connections. She did h...

In this episode, I am in conversation with Sarah Browne — Atelierista, presenter, and Social Media Curator for the Africa Reggio Emilia Alliance (AREA) , whose work explores the role of the atelier, creativity, and children's rights through the Reggio Emilia approach. Sarah has worked in education for nearly three decades across a range of contexts in South Africa, teaching children from birth...

In this episode, I am in conversation with Nisha Nair — educator, researcher, designer, and founder of ArtSparks Foundation , whose work explores the transformative role of visual art in education. Nisha has taught graduate courses at Teachers College, Columbia University and Azim Premji University, and is currently a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University, researching transfo...

In this episode, I am in conversation with Yvette Kong — Olympian, founder, and transdisciplinary creator working at the intersection of human potential, creativity, and systems change. Yvette is the Founder and CEO of Arelyx, a human capacity intelligence company for the AI age, and Founder and Director of Transversal Lab, a cultural innovation studio working across art, design, technology, and s...

In this episode, I am in conversation with Dr. Louisa Penfold - educator, artist, researcher, Lecturer and Co-Chair of Arts and Learning at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and co-director of Project Zero’s ArtPlay. In our conversation, we talk about Louisa’s journey from Australia to the UK and the US, her work in museum education with children and families, contemporary arts in early childh...

In this episode, I am in conversation with Cristian Fabbi, an international early childhood education expert working with UNICEF on curriculum reform and teacher education programmes. Cristian is the Director of Fondazione Reggio Children and previously served as President of Reggio Children and the municipal preschool system in Reggio Emilia. With a background in psychology, early childhood educa...

In this episode, I’m in conversation with Eloisa - Remida project coordinator, Atelierista and Researcher in Reggio Childhood Studies. She has been working with the Reggio Children Foundation since 2012. In 2025, she completed her PhD in Reggio Childhood Studies. We talk about materials and our relationship with them—how materials are not just things we use, but something we listen to, respond to,...

In this episode, I’m in conversation with Ron Grady —an early childhood educator, researcher, and storyteller whose work centers the voices and lived experiences of young children. Currently a PhD researcher at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Project Zero doctoral fellow , Ron explores preschoolers’ peer cultures through art, photography, play, and conversation. Drawing from his exper...

In this episode, I’m joined by Peter H. Reynolds —an award-winning author and illustrator known for beloved books like The Dot, Ish, and The Word Collector . Through his work, Peter has inspired millions of children and educators to see themselves as creators. He is also the co-founder of FableVision and The Reynolds Center for Teaching, Learning & Creativity, where he continues to champion cr...

In Episode 14 of Why Arts?, I’m in conversation with Jean Appolon and Meghan McGrath , who are reimagining what dance can be as a space for expression, identity, and community. Jean Appolon, Co-founder and Artistic Director of Jean Appolon Expressions, is a choreographer and master teacher whose work bridges Haitian folkloric traditions and contemporary dance. Meghan McGrath, Executive Director, h...

In this conversation, I’m in conversation with Coco Allred , a visual artist and educator whose work explores the intersections of public space, aesthetics, and experimental pedagogy. From sculpture and printmaking to participatory environments, Coco creates experiences that invite people to engage, question, and learn with one another—activating space as a site for collective learning and resista...

In this episode, I’m in conversation with  Stacy Davidson Minicucci, M.Ed. , an Arts Educator at Nurtury Early Education whose work is rooted in early childhood, expressive arts, and mental health. Over more than two decades, Stacy has created art experiences that support young children’s emotional development, resilience, and self-expression. Stacy reflects on what it means to create a  “yes” env...

In Episode 11 of Why Arts?, I’m in conversation with Steve Seidel — educator, researcher, and the Bauman & Bryant Chair in Arts in Education , Emeritus at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Many of us know Steve for his long-standing contributions to the field of arts education and his work with Project Zero . But in this conversation, he takes us on a more personal journey — reflecting...

In Episode 10 of Why Arts?, I’m in conversation with Sarah Lieberman — museum educator, thoughtful listener, and someone who deeply believes that art belongs to everyone. As a child, Sarah made outfits for her dolls out of napkins and scraps — experimenting, imagining, redesigning. That early instinct to transform everyday materials into something meaningful never really left her. Today, Sarah is...

In this episode, Exa Kutler shares their journey exploring creativity, community, and hands-on learning. Exa’s work often involves designing simple structures for people to think, make, and learn together — whether through drawing, conversation, or shared experience. They are interested in how creativity functions as a practical tool for connection, reflection, and collective understanding. Exa lo...

In this episode with Rosario Ubiera-Minaya — Executive Director of Raw Art Works , cultural strategist, and antiracist advocate — we explore how arts can become a force for healing, leadership, and systemic change. We talk about how creativity can become a tool for healing, leadership, and social change through the work and journey of Rosario Ubiera-Minaya, and how her leadership at Raw Art Works...

In this episode, I’m joined by Jessica Baynes , a dance educator, choreographer, and performer whose work spans classrooms, stages, and communities. A TEDx speaker and Harvard Graduate School of Education alum, Jessica brings over a decade of teaching experience with learners of all ages—from toddlers to older adults—and a deep belief in the transformative power of movement. We talk about how danc...