ARTS. WORK. LIFE.
Performing artists and arts workers are essential, and it's important than ever that the world understand what it's like to work in the performing arts. Hear the bold, untold personal stories from behind the scenes. Produced by APAP and made possible with support from the Wallace Foundation.
Episodes
What does the future of the performing arts look like? In this final episode of Season 5, four artists and arts workers share stories of evolution — a hip hop musician who found his true calling at the Paralympics, a violinist who left her elite classical bubble to ask who the arts are really for, a conductor who decided to stop waiting for permission and take the helm, and an Ethiopian-American singer whose journey from "We ...
Advocacy takes many forms — a circus performer demanding labor protections, a flamenco dancer who refusing to believe her passion has an expiration date, an arts worker fighting for equal access to the arts, and a playwright with Alzheimer's who keeps taking the stage because he knows theater can change minds in ways policy papers never will. In this episode of ARTS. WORK. LIFE., four artists and arts workers share what it lo...
Trust is hard to build and easy to break. And in the performing arts, it's everything. In this episode of ARTS. WORK. LIFE., four stories explore what trust really looks like: a second-generation theater owner learning to listen to her community, a singer who had to find her way back to her own artistic voice after being let down, a leader who made a promise to herself about the kind of workplace she'd build, and a choreographer wh...
Laughter isn’t always the best medicine – art is. From a hospital room, a piano bench, a barn, or a dance floor, this episode of ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is about how art can heal someone, body and soul. Featuring a music therapist who helped a paralyzed teenager write his way back to hope, a farmer-turned-musician who used songwriting as a lifeline through grief, a dancer who learned to finally listen to her body, and a perfo...
A career in the arts can take many different paths, and how sometimes it’s the most unexpected events that lead you to where you were meant to be. In episode two of season five, we hear from a puppeteer who discovered the healing power of telling your own story, a producer who left New York City's arts world to follow their intuition into the unknown, a performer who learned to say yes to the room he was in, and an actor who ...
In this first episode of Season Five, we revisit the stories that started it all: a mime who contracted COVID before doctors knew what it was, a Chicago blues singer who found a new way to perform, a trauma therapist who discovered the healing power of shared stories, and an arts administrator who had to rebuild from the ground up.
We also reflect on how the events of 2020, from the pandemic to the racial reckoning, are still impac...
On June 2nd, Season 5 of ARTS. WORK. LIFE. premieres! You'll hear some familiar voices, and we'll explore some of our favorite topics from the past while looking at how the industry is evolving.
Turn on automatic downloads and follow APAP's YouTube channel for the video version of the podcast—new this year!
ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is produced by the Association of Performing Arts Professionals and made possible with the generous supp...
At last year’s APAP|NYC conference, we followed three arts professionals from sun-up to sun-down, capturing the excitement, ambition, and energy of the conference.
Featuring:
Ryan K. Johnson, the executive artistic director of SOLE Defined, based out of Washington, D.C.
Danielle Devlin, an agent and manager with Canis Major Music from Sheldon, Vermont
Aaron Shackelford, director of programming at DukeArts in Durham, North Carolin...
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 ON...
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 ac...
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.
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” wit...
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&r...
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): &ldquo...
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.
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