Jumblies Theatre was founded in 2001 to create socially engaged art projects and performances “with, for and about the people and stories” in the immigrant and low-income communities of Toronto. But the company’s roots go back more than a decade to founder Ruth Howard’s introduction to the British concept of “community play”—highly visual, activist theatre on an epic scale. Beginning as a costume designer, Howard would go on to design other community plays across Canada and Britain before producing her own art projects and launching Jumblies.
Profiles - Artists, Organizations, and Projects
Looking for a comprehensive list of Artists, Organizations, and Projects involved with arts for change work?
Use the map and listings below to browse 45+ pages of profiles, or use the filters and keywords to refine your search. You can also view the listings separated by Artists, Organizations, and Projects.
New Orleans, LA
Junebug Productions is a professional African American arts organization located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, Junebug's mission is to create and present artwork of the highest quality that encourages and supports African Americans who are working to improve the quality of life available to themselves and others who are similarly oppressed and exploited.
Los Angeles, CA
In its Justice Cycle Project, Cornerstone Theater Company created a series of six original community-based productions that examined the complex ways laws shape and disrupt communities in Los Angeles. Immediately following each performance, audience members were invited to join in dialogue with Los Angeles’s civic and cultural leaders to discuss urgent issues of justice in the city and beyond. The four-year project began with Los Illegals, a bilingual play by Michael John Garcés that explored the issue of undocumented immigration.
Washington, DC
Justice Through Music (JTM) works with musicians and bands to organize, educate, and activate young people about the importance of civil rights, human rights, and voting. The goal is help eliminate political and social apathy. The JTM web site includes information about social issues and a link to an online voter registration form. This profile courtesy of Air Traffic Control
Pittsburgh, PA
Just Seeds is a decentralized North American art collective advocating for social change through graphic design. Founder Josh MacPhee was searching for a way to promote radical design work; his collaboration with other artists on the Celebrate People’s History Poster Project led to the formation of the group. Originally based in Portland, Just Seeds now maintains an office in Pittsburgh. Its members can be found all over North America, from Montreal to Aztlán. The artists work in a variety of media. Screenprinting dominates, but it isn’t unusual to see blockprinting or puppet-making.
Baltimore, MD
As a filmmaker, activist and researcher it is my goal in life to bring talented people together to make social change palatable and real. I use my video work to bring awareness of issues impacting LGBT people and to help propel activist movements across multiple sectors. Additionally, I am a researcher who focuses on creating opportunity for resource sharing and asset mapping around issues ranging from public health to cultural vibrancy.
Topeka, KS
The Kansas Arts Commission provides opportunities for the people of Kansas to experience, celebrate and value the arts throughout their lives. The Commission serves artists, nonprofit organizations, schools and government agencies through grants to support the arts in communities. The Commission also provides seminars, workshops and one-on-one consulting in business development, grantwriting, strategic planning, marketing and other areas of nonprofit arts management.
Pine Lake, GA
A founding member of Alternate ROOTS, a service organization for community-based artists in the South, deNobriga served as ROOTS' executive director and planning/development director for ten years. A current board member of Alternate ROOTS, deNobriga is a certified mediator in the State of Georgia, and after three terms as Council member deNobriga now serves as Mayor for the City of Pine Lake. As mayor, deNobriga continues to advocate for arts and community development.
Somerville, MA
As a documentary photographer and multimedia producer, Kelly Creedon explores social issues including economic and housing justice, labor rights, and immigration. She frequently partners with nonprofit and grassroots organizations to use image, sound, and story as tools to help shift public dialogue and policy around important social issues. Ms. Creedon is the creator and artist behind the project We Shall Not Be Moved: Stories from the grassroots struggle against foreclosure.
Baltimore, MD
As a football coach, it is my duty to be dedicated to these young boys the way they are dedicated to showing up on the field. Our goal is take these young boys and make great role models in their communities and in their schools.
Louisville, KY
The Kentucky Foundation for Women supports feminists that that are advancing social change.
Coconut Creek, FL
Khawam gallery represents emerging, mid-career and established visual artists with focus on new abstract expressionism, representational and conceptual art in both paintings and sculptures in variety of media.
Durham, NC
Kidznotes’ mission is to change the life trajectory of underserved k–12 students through orchestral training. We strongly believe that access to this opportunity is critical to lifetime achievement and well-being, and our goal is to empower those who otherwise would not have access to high-level musical opportunities. Our innovative, scalable model is building a thriving network of children, families, and partners where passion, excellence, and collaboration in music unleash the human potential to transform lives and communities.
Kimberly McCoy
Syracuse, NY
Knoxville, TN
In 2013, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra received a Getty Education and Community Investment Grant through the League of American Orchestras to further expand its KSO Music & Wellness program primarily at the University of Tennessee Medical Center’s Cancer Institute. The program, which currently provides live musical performances for patients, visitors and staff, aims to enhance the healing process and benefit patients, visitors and staff in various healthcare settings.
Kubla Khan Productions, LLC is a gay and lesbian video production company dedicated to creating short form issues based documentaries and narrative features that focus on LGBT equality and civil rights.
Chicago, IL
Kuumba Lynx seeks to provide access to programs that preserve, promote and present urban arts & culture. It focuses on empowerment, health and creative literacy. Kuumba Lynx seeks to empower youth and their communities by employing Hip-Hop culture as both an art form & vehicle for intergenerational and cross-cultural dialogue. It aspires to help develop healthy hearts, minds, and bodies so that strong community foundations can thrive.
Berkeley, CA
La Pena (gathering place) is a nonprofit community cultural center based in Berkeley, California where people can experience art and culture from Latin America and from around the world and where community groups involved in both domestic and international issues can organize cultural and educational programs to foster respect and understanding among the diverse peoples of the world.