Creative Counsel

Creative Counsel partners with the arts and entertainment industry, visual artists and curators, musicians, writers, and other creative professionals to connect audiences to causes that matter. As an organization showcasing innovative work at the intersection of the creative arts and advocacy, one of Creative Counsel’s key resources is the 1000 Voices National Archive, a curated collection of dynamically linked video stories told by social change leaders across the country. Produced by a team of filmmakers, editors, musicians, and graphic artists, the 1000 Voices Archive taps the power of stories to encourage community conversations. It brings a human face to often difficult-to-understand policies related to immigration, discrimination, and access to healthcare, among other issues. Factsheets and other resources related to each video can be used to spark informed dialogue in classrooms, at faith gatherings, town halls, and policy meetings, or to take action to write directly to elected officials and media. Through an interactive map, search engine, browsing filters, and web tools, the archive makes visible an emerging cross-issue, cross-cultural public dialogue of our nation. Creative Counsel’s other ventures include: The Clarion Project: A series of goal-driven, interdisciplinary conversations that catalyze new projects, such as group exhibitions and prize programs, to showcase artists and artistic practices committed to social justice themes. The first Clarion Project conversation in early 2010 led to The New School’s Vera List Center developing an artist prize and curriculum program to be implemented in 2012. Clarion Project conversations in 2011 will take place in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Dallas. The Working Families Story Bank: A collaborative partnership with the 14-city Family Values @ Work Consortium that elevates the audio portrait stories of the working class as they advocate for better laws and policies. This project incorporates the volunteerism of photographers and audio editors in all 14 cities, and basic training sessions that familiarize advocacy organizations with the processes of story creation. Making Real the Dream/An Artists’ Tribute to the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King: A program of concert events in cities across the country that celebrate and teach values of community, opportunity, and human rights for all. Each event is produced in collaboration with artists and local community groups focusing on shared themes of social justice.