We’re reimagining the building blocks of democracy We are thrilled to share that our Unstoppable Voters program as led by our Programs Director, Rachel Gita Karp, has been selected for the inaugural cohort of Keseb’s Democracy Innovation Lab (iLab)! Keseb is a nonpartisan, pro-democracy nonprofit organization building a vibrant transnational civil society ecosystem for learning, …
Author Archives: The Center for Artistic Activism
Forging Anti-Fascist Futures: A Political Imagination Workshop
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 | 12pm ESTon Zoom | FREE | Workshop FULL No Longer Accepting Applications What if we could design “screenshots” from futures that don’t exist yet? What if we used imagined futures like these to stretch our political imagination, clarify what’s possible, and build stronger solidarity in the present? Imagining the future …
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Give the Gift of Artistic Activism
A meaningful gift for someone you love. If you’re still searching for a last-minute gift or if you’re resisting the push to buy more things we don’t really need, I want to offer another possibility. Give the gift of creativity, courage, and change. Make a donation to the Center for Artistic Activism in honor of …
Bright Spots in a Big Year
Our 2025 Year in Review As 2025 winds down, we’re looking back with pride and joy at the dozens of programs, hundreds of actions, and thousands of people we supported over the year. At the end of 2024, we promised that we were ready for the hard work ahead. In the face of some of …
Special Event: The 2025 Field Tests
Learn How We’re Proving Pathways to Success What really works in advocacy right now? This year, we partnered with four of our favorite organizations to find out. On Thursday, December 11, from 1-2pm ET, we’re sharing all we discovered. Join us and our collaborators — American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), Be The Ones, …
Anti-Authoritarian Artistic Activism — The Afterglow
More than 400 people joined us live for Anti-Authoritarian Artistic Activism, but if you missed it, we’ve gathered everything here for you. What We Learned, What We Can Do How can creativity challenge authoritarianism—and make resistance irresistible? Together, we looked at how activists and artists across the world: Scroll down for the takeaways and for …
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We’re a Finalist for an Anthem Award! (cue the confetti cannon)
BIG NEWS: The Center for Artistic Activism is officially an Anthem Awards Finalist for our Unstoppable Voters program! We’re being recognized in the Human & Civil Rights: Community Engagement category, and we’re feeling extremely unstoppable about it. The Anthem Awards celebrate changemakers who use creativity to spark real-world impact, and that’s what Unstoppable Voters is …
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Join us for “Anti-Authoritarian Artistic Activism: What We Can Learn, What We Can Do” on 10/15
[Please note: This event has concluded. You can still complete the registration form at the bottom of this page to receive a recording of the event.] If you’re like so many people we’re talking to these days, you might be wondering: What the heck can I do right now? What actually works to push back …
How One Foundation is Taking a Stand Against Authoritarianism
I bet that, like us, you’re thinking a lot about how the philanthropy field is addressing (and not addressing!) our current moment. That’s why we applaud and thank the Scherman Foundation for being a leader—standing up clearly and proactively against authoritarianism by fueling innovation and action. The Scherman Foundation recently announced that they are “countering …
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What Happens When the Facts Don’t Work?
By Brett Davidson, Center for Artistic Activism Board Member I first got in touch with the Center for Artistic Activism after I read about them on a news site somewhere. My job was to support our grantees of the Open Society Public Health Program in media advocacy. We and our grantees were grappling with the …
An Encore for Audience Energizer Lab
We’re bringing back the biggest aha’s, loudest laughs, and stickiest strategies from the Audience Energizer Lab, where we tackled one giant question: “How do we move our audiences from “meh” to “LET’S GO”? Get cozy. Get curious. And get ready to re-energize your approach. What We Explored Stages of Change From “Huh?” to “Hell yes!” …
The most effective weapon against a dictator? A joke.
What if we told you the best way to take down a dictator might involve… an alpaca? Or a sex strike? Or smacking a barrel with a baseball bat in the middle of a street? No, this isn’t a fever dream. It’s a strategy, pulled from the real, wild, world-tested playbook of Gene Sharp, the …
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Action Energizer Lab Recap
Whether you joined us live or are just now tuning in, we’ve gathered the best insights, wildest moments, and biggest takeaways from the Action Energizer Lab — so you can catch the spark, keep it burning, and maybe even pass it on. What It Was All About The Action Energizer Lab was a fast-paced, joyful …
We Bring the Spark to Convenings
Whether you’re planning a campus summit, a national conference, or an online gathering, the Center for Artistic Activism brings bold ideas, hands-on strategy, and joyfully rebellious energy to the room. We don’t just speak at convenings – we help make them unforgettable. What We Do C4AA offers creative programming and support for gatherings of all …
Impact Study Methodology
Our methodology combined quantitative and qualitative research to assess the Center for Artistic Activism’s impact. It included data collection from workshops, surveys, interviews, and evaluations. Responses were analyzed for recurring themes, which were grouped into eight categories, revealing how C4AA’s training influences strategy, creativity, community engagement, and advocacy outcomes worldwide.
Study: 15 Years of Impact
We wanted to understand what effect we’ve had in our decade and a half of existence, so we commissioned this self-study of our impact. The project seeks to understand the Center’s impact on people and communities at multiple levels.
Transformative Impact Framework
By analyzing data from surveys, interviews, feedback, and statements from 15 years of Center for Artistic Activism alumni, key impact themes emerged. Initially identifying 30 themes, we condensed them into eight categories.
Journal Rappé (Senegal)
Through the training, Journal Rappe integrated structured processes and strategic planning into its creative work. This clarity improved project execution and enhanced the team’s ability to communicate strategies effectively with both internal collaborators and external stakeholders.
SWEAT (South Africa)
The Center provided SWEAT with the tools to bridge theory and practice, enhancing both their internal team and broader movements by making their activism more strategic, effective, and creatively impactful.
Fair Count (USA)
The training by the Center transformed Jeanine Abrams McLean’s, approach to civic engagement. She learned to integrate joy with creativity and strategic objectives, moving beyond enthusiastic efforts to structured, impactful projects.