ARTS. WORK. LIFE.

Almost all of us have a mentor who shaped our path—a teacher, a family member, or even someone miles away. In the finale of season four, we explore what happens when creatives step into that role and give back to the next generation. From sharing skills to offering encouragement, we discover how mentoring can be just as transformative—and sometimes even more fulfilling—than creating our own work.

INTRO & ACT ONE: “Passing the Mic” with Dumisani “Dumi RIGHT” Ndlovu, a performance artist and educator working in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

ACT TWO: “Stepping Stones”...

Next week on ARTS.WORK.LIFE, we celebrate the finale of season four with stories about mentorship, teaching, and the invaluable act of paying it forward.

Episode six arrives August 26th.

They say that laughter is the best medicine, but so are human connection and genuine self-expression. In episode five, we explore stories about the healing power of the arts, not just for the creator, but for entire communities.

INTRO & ACT ONE: “Empty Barns, Not Empty Hearts" with Jeff Corle, a singer/songwriter from Windber, Pennsylvania.

ACT TWO: “Life Worth Living” with Sam Simon, a playwright, author and actor in McLean, Virginia.

ACT THREE: “Home Run” with Julián Silva, a music therapist based in Northern California.

You can find a full transcript...

Sometimes the best medicine doesn’t come in a bottle. Next week on ARTS.WORK.LIFE., inspiring stories about the healing power of the arts. The episode arrives August 12th.

Working in the arts requires imagination, intuition, and a belief in oneself because oftentimes, you have to follow your inner compass. On today's episode, hear stories about discovery, perseverance, and recalibrating your direction when the road ahead isn’t clear.

INTRO & ACT ONE: “Para-Lyrics” with Chad Harper,  the founder and CEO of Hip Hop Saves Lives in Madrid, Spain.

ACT TWO: “A Day in the Life” with Kersee Whitney, an actor, singer and dancer in Salt Lake City, Utah.

ACT THREE: “Art Therapy" with Angelica McCarthy, a doctor of athletic training in Clinton, Connecticut.<...

In the world of performing arts, the impossible happens every day. On stage, a special effect or optical illusion wows an audience. But what happens behind the scenes – what happens in the hundreds of small moments that shape a life in the arts – that’s where the real magic is.

Next week on ARTS.WORK.LIFE, stories from arts workers who hustle, reinvent themselves, and make the impossible possible.

Whether you are creating street art, launching a career, running a business, or building a “Globe-ette,” you can't do it alone. In this episode, we explore the breakthroughs, the challenges, the successes and the magic that comes from working together.

INTRO: “Each Brick In The Wall” with Sonia Clark,  owner and producer of Unicycle Productions in Niagara Falls, New York.

ACT ONE: “Flying High” with Karen Franzel, the manager and booking agent for Danny the Acrobat based out of Orlando, Florida.

ACT TWO: “A Day in the Life” with GregRobin Smith, the founder and managing direc...

Next week on ARTS. WORK. LIFE, we bring you four inspiring stories about how performing arts communities form and evolve, creating opportunities and connections along the way.

Episode three arrives July 15th!

Amid brutal competition, unpredictable hours, and variable pay, it’s important to remember WHY you chose a career in the performing arts. Episode two features four stories about listening to your inner voice and tapping into your passion.

INTRO: “Make The Most of It” with Jason Fletcher Christian Laws,  executive creative producer and founder of the Laws Group in Brooklyn, New York.

ACT ONE: “Expiration Date” with Ami Otero Minars, a flamenco dancer, producer, and founder of Admission Nation in Montclair, New Jersey.

ACT TWO: “A Day in the Life” with Dot McDonough, the director of...

Next week’s episode is all about WHY we do what we do. Not just for the applause or the paycheck, but what drives us through the beautiful, messy, essential journey of finding your place in the performing arts world.

Episode two arrives July 1st, so follow the podcast and turn on your automatic downloads.

Being the first to do something comes with accolades and recognition, but it can also be lonely. The premiere of season four features stories from four trailblazers who broke barriers, not just for their own advancement, but to create opportunities for others.

INTRO (0:00): “Trailblazer” with Precious Perez, a singer, songwriter, music educator, and disability activist based in Louisville, Kentucky.

ACT ONE (7:20): “Barre None” with Lydia Abarca Mitchell, a founding member of Dance Theatre of Harlem, now living in Marietta, Georgia.

ACT TWO (17:16): “A Day in the Life” with Magdalene Minnaar, the artistic director of Cape Town...

Season 4 of ARTS. WORK. LIFE. will take you around the world this summer with bold, never before-heard stories – now premiering in one week, on June 17th.

Because sometimes, just like ARTS. WORK. LIFE., things don’t go as planned, but we promise it’s going to be worth the wait.

Subscribe on your favorite podcast app and turn on automatic downloads to never miss an episode.

APAP’s award-winning podcast ARTS.WORK.LIFE. is back! On June 10th, we’ll premiere our new season, which is bursting with bold, untold stories from across the performing arts industry.

This summer, we’ll take you behind the scenes with stories from seasoned and emerging professionals – exploring the triumphs, lessons, and motivations of the people who bring the performing arts to life!

ARTS.WORK.LIFE. returns June 10th, with a new episode every other week!

Learn about how to submit a great story, and hear from past storytellers, by watching our recent webinar: https://youtu.be/eZ7a55-slLw?si=VvihOVwjV0W3bxQ6&t=12

Calling all performing arts workers! Submit your bold, untold, personal story for season four at apap365.org/podcast

FINAL deadline is April 10th. If your story is selected, you’ll work with a podcast team to bring your story to life and receive a $200 honorarium.

ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is produced by APAP (Association of Performing Arts Professionals) with support from The Wallace Foundation.

...

Calling all performing arts workers! Submit your bold, untold, personal story for season four at

apap365.org/podcast

Priority deadline is March 20th. If your story is selected, you’ll work with a podcast team to bring your story to life and receive a $200 honorarium.

ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is produced by APAP (Association of Performing Arts Professionals) with support from The Wallace Foundation.

Sometimes, we have to give up one dream and find another, providing an opportunity for growth and discovery.

The finale of season three features stories about the power of community from a high school teacher learning from her students, an executive challenged to remake her life, an opera singer realizing that the seeds she planted long ago have suddenly bloomed, and an Indian classical dancer who achieves a milestone for her community.

Intro: “Shine” with Anna Woods, former drama theater and theater director for Piedmont Hills High School in San Jose, California.

Act One...

In our final episode of season three, we bring you the story of an arts administrator facing a career-changing diagnosis and three other inspiring stories of second acts. Coming your way August 13.

Finding your voice is hard, but summoning the courage to use it can change your life and the lives of those around you.

Whether it’s helping others recover, how advocating for yourself becomes advocating for those like you, or re-claiming a harmful narrative, episode five brings three powerful stories from arts workers who use their stories to help others heal, grow, and learn.

Intro: “Harnessing Healing” with Payton Rhyan, a theater administrator and full time masters student in Performing Arts Administration at New York University.

Act One: “Leaps and Bounds” with Tristan Grannum, t...

The loneliness of being the only Black dancer, a revelation on horseback, and the touching story behind a magical puppet show for an audience of one.

Episode 5 features three inspirational, untold stories from arts workers. Coming to your ears July 30th.

Often, our sense of self can feel rigid. Like who we see in the mirror is who we’ll always be. But how we see ourselves is changeable, and sometimes a dramatic event shakes our self image to the core. Including stories from an artist who had to re-evaluate her career through her mother’s eyes and a dancer whose life was turned head-over-heels, episode four highlights significant changes in our perceptions of ourselves and how we fit into the world.

Intro: “This or That” with Chloë Zimberg, a dancer and creative director of ODC Theater in San Franc...

Next week, four inspiring stories about radical shifts in perspective. Turn on automatic downloads and tune in on July 9th.

Artists are often the voice for social movements. Some make it their life's purpose, while others are thrust into politics by circumstance. Episode three shares inspiring stories from artists navigating identity, society, and the industry. First we share a story from a singer with a mission. Then, from a performer dragged into a political battle. And lastly, from a groundbreaker who confronted racism and found a gateway to tell her story through art.

TRIGGER WARNING: There is discussion of disordered eating between 24:05 and 25:10.

Act One: “Songs In The Key Of Change” with Wayna, a recording arti...

Artists who are changing the world take the spotlight in next week’s episode, coming to your feed June 25th!

Systemic barriers to equality are apparent throughout the industry, but at a certain point you can't keep dancing around the red tape. You have to break through it. Episode two is all about arts workers that are breaking down barriers. But these storytellers don’t just shine a light on inequality, they offer a tangible and inspirational path forward.

Intro: “Eyes and Ears” with Sabrina Martinez, an audio describer in Houston, Texas.

Act One: “Tours and Tribulations” with Justine Bayod Espoz, the executive director of Torito Arts in Chicago, Illinois.

Act Two: “Mobilizing To Move Forw...

Episode two arrives June 11th – featuring inspirational stories of arts workers breaking down systemic barriers.

The audience was seated, the performers were waiting in the wings, and the musicians were just about to play the opening note when a powerful storm took out the electrical grid for the entire county. With the event suddenly canceled on the last night of their tour, Jono Gasparro’s company found inspiration in desperation. And that’s when the magic happened.

The first episode of the third season of ARTS. WORK. LIFE. explores what results when artists and arts workers must remix, rework, and reimagine their performances, their work life, and their art. Whether by accident, a cr...

Are you ready to shine? Season three of the award-winning ARTS. WORK. LIFE. podcast arrives May 28th! Twenty bold, untold stories will take you behind the curtain of the performing arts industry. Whether about failure and heartbreak or triumph and success, each story reveals an important truth from the perspective of a professional working in live arts and entertainment.

Subscribe or follow the show, turn on automatic downloads, and tell a friend about ARTS. WORK. LIFE. https://apap365.org/podcast/

ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is looking for your bold, untold stories for Season 3! Whether you work on-stage or behind-the-scenes, we want to hear from you.

The final deadline of April 9th is approaching! Submit your story at ArtsWorkLife.org.

Learn how you can share your personal story in Season 3. Visit ArtsWorkLife.org

Priority deadline is March 21st.

ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is produced by APAP (Association of Performing Arts Professionals) with support from The Wallace Foundation.

Being prematurely judged or misunderstood can be frustrating, limiting and even harmful. In the final episode of Season 2, artists and arts administrators share stories of pushing boundaries, subverting categories and defying expectations.

Act One: “Up-Rising” with Emily Isaacson, a conductor and the founding director of Classical Uprising in Portland, Maine.

Act Two: “Such Creatures” with Luke Greeff, a dancer, choreographer, circus artist, and educator in Chicago, Illinois.

Act Three: “More Than Madness” with Sam Simon, a playwright, author and actor in McLean, Virginia.

You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s we...

Content warning: description of sexual harassment between 9:10 and 10:05 and brief mention of sexual abuse of minors between 24:09 and 24:49.

The best workplaces provide safety and support for their teams: permission to innovate, protection from harassment, support during difficult times, and a safety net for workers.n Episode 5, artists and arts administrators share stories of how their workplaces either provided that safety and support—or didn't.

Introduction: “Starting From Scratch” with Josh A. Campbell, a curator and engagement and education professional in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Act One: “Breaking The Silence” with Lexis Hamilton, a presenter and program co...

Feeling like an “outsider” can be isolating, and sometimes you don’t even realize the weight you’re carrying until you find yourself in a place of belonging. In Episode 4, a circus performer, Shakespearean actor, classical musician, and Native storyteller share their journeys from “outsider” to “insider,” exploring representation, safe spaces, embracing identity and confronting privilege.

Introduction: “In The Spotlight” with Chris Rooney, a circus performer and founding member of the BIPOC Circus Alliance Midwest in Chicago, Illinois.

Act One: “Barred from The Bard ” with Farah Merani, an actor, writer and arts educator in Los Angeles, California.

Content warning: brief mentions of gun violence, suicide and child molestation between 18:16 and 19:32.

Whether you are an arts worker and parent, share your art with kids, or see arts education as vital, the intersection of kids and the arts can be joyful and challenging. In Episode 3, hear from a circus artist, drag performer and a clogger.

From the Intro: Watch the hilarious video of children reacting to the Opera on Max Grossman’s TikTok account: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.tiktok.com/@maxigrossman/video/7253994878726802734&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1689570168290561&usg=AOvVaw1pqWG05J4...

Our personal experiences, family history and cultural roots define who we are. But translating our roots into our work can be just as trying as it is fulfilling. In Episode 2, we explore what it means to find your unique voice, to feel the burden of representation and to follow the call of legacy.

Act One: “The Roots Remix” with Malou Beauvoir, a singer, songwriter and actress who lives in Brussels and New York.

Act Two: Seasons of Change” with Heena Patel, the CEO of MELA Arts Connect in Asheville, North Carolina.

Act Three: “Movement...

“The show must go on!” is a phrase associated with live entertainment for a reason. Arts workers have always had to think on their feet, respond to last-minute disasters and improvise their way through unexpected circumstances. But the past few years have presented the industry with some unique disruptions. For the first episode of Season 2, we bring you stories about improvisation from around the world including stories about how crises can help you grow, the strength in flexibility, and how too much uncertainty can grind you down.

Introduction: “In Tune” with Aruna Kharod, an ethnomusicologist and South Asian pe...

ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is back. This summer, hear the bold, untold stories from behind the scenes of the performing arts industry. Artists, managers, advocates, and educators share pivotal moments in their personal and professional lives.

Season 2 of ARTS. WORK. LIFE. arrives this summer! Performing arts workers: Share your story with the world, go to ArtsWorkLife.org by the final deadline of May 8th. In this post-pandemic world, we face new realities daily. What’s happening in your work life? Has it changed or evolved? Have you had an experience that transformed you? You don't need to submit a fully-written story. Bullet points will do. You can even send in an audio or video file. If your story is selected, we'll work with you on the best way to share your story, so you don't ne...

Season 2 of ARTS. WORK. LIFE. arrives this summer! Performing arts workers: Share your story with the world, go to ArtsWorkLife.org by the priority deadline of April 19th or the final deadline of May 8th.

In this post-pandemic world, we face new realities daily. What’s happening in your work life? Has it changed or evolved? Have you had an experience that transformed you? You don't need to submit a fully-written story. Bullet points will do. You can even send in an audio or video file.

If your story is selected, we'll work with you on...

In this special bonus episode, the panel from the “Stop Talking, Start Listening: Finding Common Ground with Young Arts Workers” session featured in the last episode reconvene to debrief and unpack audience feedback.

Javier Stell-Fresquez, Lexis Hamilton, and Tariq Darrell O'Meally respond to audience questions about authenticity, “paying your dues,” and connecting with colleagues from different generations and backgrounds.

In this special bonus episode, young arts workers gather to address feedback from the “Stop Talking, Start Listening: Finding Common Ground with Young Arts Workers” panel, featured in last week’s episode

Javier Stell-Fresquez, Lexis Hamilton and Tariq Darrell O'Meally answer listener questions about authenticity, “paying your dues,” and connecting with colleagues from different backgrounds.