Filling the Well

On this episode, Ojibwe artist entrepreneurs Khayman Goodsky and Chi Ma’iingan share their paths to establishing themselves as independent creatives. They talk about the importance of supportive relationships, challenging the norm, and being guided by their values as Native artists.

On this episode, Donna Neuwirth and Jay Salinas, co-founders of Wormfarm Institute in rural Wisconsin, share how curiosity, presence, and time have helped them learn more about their community. Their farm and its artist residency program continually intersect the “rural” and “urban,” exploring what it means to belong and take pride in a place.

On this episode, embark on a thought-provoking exploration as Native artist advocates Christina Woods and Graci Horne dig into the intricacies of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990. This landmark truth-in-advertising law prohibits misrepresentation in the marketing of Indian arts and crafts, but many say that the legislation doesn’t go far enough to protect Native artists. 

In this episode, hear from two Ojibwe artists whose creative practices are deeply connected to the land. Birchbark and quill artist Pat Kruse and water walker Sharon Day share their perspectives on the importance of having a reciprocal relationship with the natural environment and caring for community.

On this episode, we talk with Sam Miltich, a professional jazz guitarist from rural Minnesota who lives with schizophrenia. Sam shares how he’s found solace in nature and how he’s been able to balance his music career and mental health. Please note that this episode contains discussion about attempted suicide.

Have a challenge that needs a creative solution? Rural arts practitioners Ashley Hanson and Anne O’Keefe-Jackson have a simple idea: ask your neighbor! Learn about their collaborations and ideas to improve quality of life through resource-sharing. Spoiler, you can do it too! After the episode, go deeper into ways to test these approaches in your own community.

At a time when there’s so much need, how can we best advocate for the arts and make changes that last? For two leading advocates, Emily Ruddock and Michelle Ramos, the answer is to start by showing up for others first. After the episode, explore more about how you can shift to solidarity and make meaningful changes to improve everyday lives.

What does it mean to be a truly welcoming organization and how can arts leaders be more inclusive hosts who foster belonging? Dig into a discussion with two artists who regularly tackle these questions, Ananya Chatterjea and Marcus Young. After the episode, go deeper and explore tangible tools to apply in your own spaces in this article by Welcoming America.

For any non-profit, funding is a perpetual worry. But what if philanthropy shifted power and encouraged organizations and communities to dream big? Explore trust-based funding models with two thought leaders, DeAnna Cummings and Tish Jones. After the episode, go deeper and consider how you could shift power and unlock creativity in your organization and beyond over in our Ideas Hub.

Creativity can be an antidote to challenging times, but we can’t show up for our communities if we’re burnt out. Dive into the art of taking care of you with two radical self-care strategists, Dr. Joi Lewis and Joe Davis. After the episode, go deeper and explore ways to put self-care at the core of your organization’s culture in this article from Joe Davis.

Filling the Well is a new podcast from Arts Midwest created to nourish, provoke, and inspire artists and arts leaders. Hear from creative changemakers as they share their takes on how to shift power dynamics, avoid burn-out, build authentic community, share resources, and advocate for support. With each episode, you’ll find links to explore these ideas further and act in your own community. (Filling the Well is a forum for dialogue, conversation, and learning. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Arts Midwest or the Barr Foundation.)