Asking if you can have impact using digital advocacy is like asking if you can have impact using the telephone. Digital advocacy is a tool – it’s not a strategy in itself. Liba Beyer We have big dreams and ideas, and we go after them. We want to know that what we’re doing is making …
Continue reading “Video + Takeaways – How to Know If It’s Working”
Activism, amongst other things, involves being willing to bring ideas to people on an unsolicited basis when they’re not necessarily asking for it? So, what happens when you bring the future to them? Stuart Candy At the latest edition of Revolutionizing Activism: The Power of Utopia, Stuart Candy (Berggruen Fellow at the University of Southern …
Continue reading “Video + Takeaways – How to Strengthen the Vision of Your Advocacy”
At the latest edition of Revolutionizing Activism: Using Humor When Things Are Dire, Caty Borum Chattoo (Center for Media and Social Impact/ Yes, And… Laughter Lab) kicked off our discussion by underscoring the significance of humor across cultures and histories. Borum Chatoo notes: we find comedy in the most oppressive conditions over and over again, precisely …
Continue reading “Video + Takeaways – 3 Tips for Humorous Creative Activism”
Last Friday, at Revolutionizing Activism, Ibrahima Niang, the West Africa Advocacy Manager at the Open Society Initiative for West Africa kicked off our discussion with an important question – how can we as advocates use generosity to influence people? If we had any doubts about the power of strategic generosity, our incredible panelists showed us the …
This is a recording of the first edition of Revolutionizing Activism, our new online conversation series between advocates, activists, grantmakers, journalists, and artists. In our first discussion, moderated by Jeanine Abrams McLean, President of Fair Count, we discussed how we as advocates can use creativity to cultivate joyous civic engagement and overcome apathy. Featuring activist-artists …
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At the C4AA we like to say that: Imagination powers change. And changes power. But why is imagination so important to social and political change. In this encyclopedia article for The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible on “political imagination,” C4AA Co-founder Stephen Duncombe and C4AA alumnus Silas Harrebye explore the whys and hows of activist …
Over three days on a bridge in Copenhagen, C4AA Co-Founder Steve Duncombe and C4AA alumnus Silas Harrebye and a team of young researchers and activists set out to test whether creative forms of activism are more effective than conventional ones. (Spoiler: they are.) The findings of this first-ever public experiment in artistic activism is now …
Continue reading “The Copenhagen Experiment, Social Movement Studies”
Stephen Duncombe and Silas Harrebye’s evidence-based, empirical study demonstrates the effectiveness of creative activism The Copenhagen Experiment: testing the effectiveness of creative vs. conventional forms of activism On a busy bridge in Copenhagen, Denmark, C4AA Co-Founder and Research Director Stephen Duncombe, along with Silas Harrebye, designed and staged a public experiment. They tested the comparative …
Continue reading “New publication! Creative vs. conventional activism”
Government meetings can become a key performance venue with some clever planning. The bar is already set so low that one can easily say their peace and do it with panache! Get inspired by these fun examples… There are situations where open public comment, response, or testimony is invited; shareholder meetings, city council, Q&As, and …
A special course in March & April 2021, sponsored by Voqal. SuperCorsa (formerly known as the Master Class in Artistic Activism) will be an online course taught by the experts at Center for Artistic Activism. It is free to you, thanks to Voqal’s sponsorship. The SuperCorsa will take place over four 2-hour sessions in March …
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This was sent out with Michael Young’s memorial announcement this past week. This is the Michael we worked with an his words are worth highlighting: “We are stronger together than going it alone. The pure nature of us, as social justice organizers, activists, researchers, policy advocates and progressive champions, is to debate, collaborate and innovate …
We’re so excited about this. Keyti is based in Senegal, one of our Artistic Activism trainers for the Regional Creative Hubs, and a co-founder of Journal Rappé. The project takes current affairs and in-depth reporting, puts it to a beat, and edits together a 10+ minute report published on YouTube. This year, their work was …
Continue reading “Online Panel: Journal Rappé and The Peace Poets”
“Free the Vaccine for COVID-19” is the first implementation of our Advocacy Innovation Labs, designed to train participants in artistic activism while generating new, creative, and innovative tactics to solve urgent problems. The Issue: What’s the Problem We’re Addressing? It’s hard to imagine the day we read the headline “COVID-19 Immunizations Begin.” However, history shows …
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From the mid 1950s to the early 1970s the Civil Rights movement involved tens of thousand of people and changed the civil rights for millions. It was also a consciously creative campaign.
Avram discusses collectivity and communicating in public space for participants of the Free the Vaccine for COVID-19 campaign. At our last Free the Vaccine for COVID-19 meeting some participants said they wanted to know more about working in collectives. We immediately went to Avram Finkelstein who has a wealth of experience with working in collectives …
During COVID-19, we can creatively adapt activism and advocacy campaigns to keep social connection while maintaining physical distance. Here’s how…
Diplomas and degrees are markers of ones rigorous study and indicate to others a measure of achievement. Unfortunately, if you want a PhD in Albania, it’s within reach. Just find the right administrator and be prepared to pay. Be careful who you approach because some may prefer sexual favors to cash. This problem makes everyone’s …
Continue reading “Creative Anti-Corruption: Facing down the education system in Albania”
Debbie Almontaser was part of Center for Artistic Activism workshop in 2015. We selected her because of her past accomplishments and we’re so proud of the work she’s done since! Check out this video about the 2017’s New York Bodega Strike and let your heart swell. Debbie has a new book out also, Leading While …
Roy Wood Jr. does his own form of audience testing. In this interview for the Good One Podcast, Wood talks about how he developed a hilarious bit called “Black Patriotism?” for his special, Father Figure. In the interview Wood talks about testing his jokes on different kinds of audiences in different parts of the country …
What is this? We wanted a clear, concise list of prompts to remind us of important things to remember when planning an action. We offer this to you and hope it helps. A Strengthening Tonic for Stronger, Leaner, More Æffective Creative Actions The Foundation Dream Have you wandered through your imagined utopia lately? First Steps …
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