Artist-Led

Fred Villanueva & Darryl Ratcliff are the leaders of Ash Studios in Dallas, Texas. By speaking the language of both local artists and municipal officials, they've made a business model out of advancing creative projects that improve the surrounding community. In conversation with show host Nathaniel Kressen, Fred and Darryl speak to the role of that creativity in helping people stay connected...

Jamie Bennett is a systemic and creative thinker who works at the intersection of arts, culture, and equitable community development. Drawing inspiration from success stories around the country, he articulates the complementary nature between artistic and trade-based skill sets, and how banding together as collaborators can unlock positive outcomes. In conversation with show host Nathaniel Kressen...

Paloma Hernandez leads Urban Health Plan in the Bronx, a community health center serving one of the poorest congressional districts in the country. After witnessing what she describes as a "loss of hope" post-pandemic, her institution began incorporating the arts into patients' experience onsite, with positive results. In conversation with show host Nathaniel Kressen, Paloma describes the role tha...

Clyde Valentin of One Nation / One Project is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and cultural producer who has built his career around uplifting community. Often focusing his work around the intersection of art, technology, and social justice, he recently produced the 18-city single-day event Arts for Everybody that underscored the connection between the arts and health. In conversation with sh...

Bradley McGilvary Pitts of PLaCE (Peoples, Land, agriCultures, Ecologies) is a sculpture artist who is transforming a property in Copake, New York. His artist-led initiative has a multifaceted mission: to normalize regenerative farming practices, reconnect the indigenous populations with their homeland, and build affordable housing in an area that needs it. In conversation with show host Nathaniel...

Penelope Douglas of CultureBanq has had a wide-ranging career, from working as a fine artist to leading a Community Development Finance Institution. Her varied interests have come together in examining how artists might play a role in evolving systems meant to bring investments into struggling communities. In conversation with show host Nathaniel Kressen, she introduces the work of her design team...

The first episode in this series, "Guides on the Ground," weaves together conversations with creative practitioners from across the country who have moved beyond the proverbial studio to focus on systems change and community well-being. What if artists weren’t just shaping culture—but helping redesign the systems that shape our lives? Artist-Led introduces a new class of creative practitioners wor...

Follow the show and be the first to know when episodes drop. This limited series premieres on June 1st and continues on Mondays through June 29th. The first episode in this series, "Guides on the Ground," weaves together conversations with creative practitioners from across the country who have moved beyond the proverbial studio to focus on systems change and community well-being. What if artists...

Follow the show and be the first to know when episodes drop. This limited series premieres on June 1st and continues on Mondays through June 29th. What if artists weren’t just shaping culture—but helping redesign the systems that shape our lives? Artist-Led introduces a new class of creative practitioners working at the intersection of community, capital, and systems change. Some are embedded with...