Over the past few months, I’ve been in conversation with artists and filmmakers whose projects are grappling with some of the most urgent issues of our time—domestic violence, nuclear proliferation, immigration, the death penalty, Middle East relations, reproductive justice, infertility, spirituality. And that’s just a glimpse.
What an inspiration it’s been to witness such talent, passion, and layered storytelling. I’m convinced more than ever that artists are the first responders of social change.
Where else, besides art, do we get such a textured snapshot of the world as it is, and the world as it could be?
Your art has that same power. It can hold up a mirror. It can spark dialogue. It can shift how people see and engage with each other. But to do that—to truly make social impact—it needs to be rooted not only in inspiration, but also in strategy.
When I work with artists, we start by stepping back to ask some big-picture reflection questions like: which communities do I want to impact, what issues, topics and themes do I want to illuminate, which stakeholders do I need to engage, and where does my project sit in the cultural zeitgeist?
These questions ground the project in real-world contexts – policy, education, cultural dialogue – so the art isn’t just expressive, but also positioned to inspire action and change.
Then, once the foundation is clear, I encourage artists to test their project’s readiness for impact by asking themselves these 5 questions…
1. What community do I most want to reach?
2. What conversation do I want to spark or interrupt?
3. What do I want my audience to know or feel about the issue?
4. Who needs to be at the table for this work to thrive?
5. How might this project contribute to a larger movement?
Alas, art that makes change doesn’t just happen. It’s cultivated. It’s fought for. It’s worked into being.
If you feel the pull to connect your creativity to social change, but aren’t sure where to begin, know this: you don’t have to figure it out alone. This is the work I do with artists every day.