Performing artists and arts workers are essential, and more than ever, it's important that the world understand what it's like to work in the performing arts. Hear the bold, untold personal stories on workplace and work culture from behind the scenes. Produced by APAP and made possible with support from the Wallace Foundation.
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=12Calling all performing arts workers! Submit your bold, untold, personal story for season four at apap365.org/podcastFINAL 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.
3/29/25 • 00:58
Calling all performing arts workers! Submit your bold, untold, personal story for season four at apap365.org/podcastPriority 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.
1/28/25 • 00:58
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: “A Path Through The Dark” with Lisa Hilas, president and director of Onstage Vacaville in Vacaville, California.Act Two: “A Full-Circle Moment” with Ersian Francois, an opera singer, producer and arts administrator in Washington, D.C.Act Three: “Finding Your Footing” with Rukhmani Mehta, co-artistic director of Leela Dance Collective in Los Angeles, California.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-3-episode-6/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
8/13/24 • 31:07
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, the Director of Community Engagement and Rehearsal Director for Brooklyn Ballet in Brooklyn, New York.Act Two: “Strings Attached” with Sheila Gaskins, a teaching artist and puppeteer from Baltimore, Maryland.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-3-episode-5/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
7/30/24 • 31:18
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 Francisco, California.Act One: “Parallel Tracks” with Heidi Latsky, a dancer, choreographer and artistic director of Heidi Latsky Dance in New York City.Act Two: “Striking A Chord” with Azadi Amaan, a pianist and composer in Shelton, Washington.Act Three: “Body Signals” with Maura García, a dancer and choreographer living on the homelands of the Tāp Pīlam Coahuiltecan Nation in Texas.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-3-episode-4/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
7/16/24 • 30:04
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 artist based in Washington, D.C.Act Two: “The Kindness Of Strangers” with Dennis Porter, a variety artist and owner of Happy Faces Entertainment in Kansas City, Missouri.Act Three: “Bravery in Brass” with Dr. Jazzie Pigott, a tuba player and composer in Baltimore, Maryland.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-3-episode-3/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
6/25/24 • 30:28
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 Forward” with Daniel Phoenix Singh, the executive director of Metro Arts Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-3-episode-2/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
6/11/24 • 26:04
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 cruel twist of fate, or through thoughtful consideration, these necessary adaptations reveal what truly guides performing arts professionals.Act One: “Remix” with Jono Gasparro, the co-founder of Electric Root in Los Angeles, California.Act Two: “Rework” with Ziiomi Law, an administrative care worker and artist. They are currently based in Atlanta, Georgia.Act Three: “Reimagine” with Perla Batalla, a singer and recording artist in Los Angeles, California.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-3-episode-1/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
5/28/24 • 25:06
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/
5/21/24 • 01:40
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 website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-2-episode-6/You can find the resource Luke mentions in their story, Gender Expansive Practices in Dance Spaces: An Introduction here.Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
8/8/23 • 34:00
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 coordinator for the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming.Act Two: “Lifeboat” with DJ Doza The God, an international DJ currently based in Chicago, Illinois.Act Three: “Strength In Numbers” with Shenea Stiletto, a circus arts advocate in Las Vegas, Nevada.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-2-episode-5/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
8/1/23 • 34:17
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.Act Two: “Into the Fold” with Mari Lee, the CEO and artistic director of Salon Séance in New York, New York.Act Three: “Walking Between Worlds” with Leland Faulkner, a performing artist and arts educator. He lives in Maine on Mi'kmaq, Penobscot, Passamaquoddy and Abenaki tribal land.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-season-2-episode-4/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
7/25/23 • 36:13
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=AOvVaw1pqWG05J4RM0YCpKgiuISTAct One: “High Stress on the High Wire” with Amancay Kugler, the executive director of Yes Ma’am Circus in Chicago, Illinois.Act Two: “A Magical Existence” with Beatrice Thomas, a creative producer, drag performer and educator, and former director of Drag Queen Story Hour in California.Act Three: “Clog A Mile In My Shoes” with Brian Bon, a clogger, arts educator and director of Powerhouse Percussive Dance in Anaheim, California.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-2-episode-3/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
7/18/23 • 30:47
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 Forward” with Dominic Moore-Dunson, a choreographer in Akron, Ohio.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-2-episode-2/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
7/11/23 • 28:12
“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 performing artist based in Austin, Texas.Act One: “Flipping The Script” with Audrey Rose Dégez, a playwright and producer for CP4P International Productions who splits her time between Pittsburgh and Paris.Act Two: “ On The Road Again” with Gracie Meier, a multimedia artist and artistic director for The Exodus Ensemble in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Act Three: “Stooping to New Heights” with Kendra J. Ross, a dancer, choreographer, community organizer and founding director of STooPS in Brooklyn, New York.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-2-episode-1/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
7/4/23 • 27:56
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.
6/20/23 • 01:33
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 need fancy equipment or any previous podcasting experience. Plus, you will be paid! We want to hear from all arts workers, so if you know someone who has an important story to tell, encourage them to send it in! We welcome ALL performing arts workers and especially those who are under 35, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities. Visit ArtsWorkLife.org to learn more. We look forward to hearing your stories!
4/20/23 • 02:07
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.
3/7/23 • 33:03
This special bonus episode is a live recording from the APAP|NYC+ 2023 conference in New York City. Arts workers from across the country came together for a panel titled “Stop Talking. Start Listening: Finding Common Ground with Young Arts Workers and the Future of Our Field.”Young arts workers Javier Stell-Fresquez, Lexis Hamilton, Bobby Cento and Tariq Darrell O'Meally discuss pay equity, job-hopping, performative activism, social media, work/life balance, and how all generations can come together to build a more equitable future.
2/28/23 • 31:47
Even a simple setback can derail a career, so knowing when it’s time to change direction – or step away entirely – is invaluable. The storytellers in Episode 6 share their experiences navigating health crises, job transitions, and personal loss and the unexpected and welcomed relief, joy, confidence, and grace that can follow.Content warning: This episode mentions eating disorders from 2:15 to 3:23 and from 5:05 to 8:24. You can find mental health resources on APAP’s website.Intro: “Pushing Buttons” and Act One: “A Coda and A Compromise” with Roselie Samter, the founder and violist in the Videri String Quartet.Act Two: “Encore” with Randall Prestwood, a theater consultant, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.Act Three: “Aha Moment” with Madia Cooper-Ashirifi, the chair and associate professor of dance at Brenau University.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-1-episode-6/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
8/2/22 • 28:38
An organization is the sum of its people, so decisions about who to recruit, who to hire, and who to fire radically shape an organization's work culture. This is especially true in the human-centered work of the arts, where culture matters. The storytellers in Episode 5 put the human back in human resources as they share personal experiences about barriers to hiring, tokenism, layoffs, and what we can learn from other industries before it’s too late.Intro: “You and Whose Army” with Yukio Kuniyuki, executive director of the San Angelo Performing Arts Center.Act One: “Turning The Page” with Emily Marks, arts programmer at the Cossitt Public Library.Act Two: “An Inside Job” with Monique Martin, a creative producer and presenter.Act Three: “Essentials” with Carolyn Van Brunt, VP of guest relations and ADA compliance for The Music Center in Los Angeles.Listen to Carolyn’s poem: https://soundcloud.com/arts-work-life/to-whom-it-may-concernYou can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-1-episode-5/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
7/26/22 • 27:43
“Community” is a popular buzzword in the performing arts, but how do we truly deliver on its promise? It takes intentional effort to build a supportive work community, secure community gathering spaces, find a place to belong, and truly serve our audiences. The storytellers in Episode 4 share their unique experiences with space, place and community.Intro: “Make Some Noise” with Rick Whitaker, the concerts and theater manager for The Italian Academy at Columbia University.Act One: “For The Record” with Taylor Abrahamse, a singer, songwriter, voice actor and entrepreneur.Act Two: “Stirring The Pot” with Ariel Davis, co-founder of the Arts Administrators of Color Network and director of communications for the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund.Act Three: “The Stuff of Legend” with Andee Joyce, a singer and songwriter.You can find a transcript, episode guide and resources related to all the themes discussed in Episode 4 on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-season-1-episode-4/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
7/19/22 • 28:11
Arts workers often walk a tightrope between healthy boundaries and total burnout. But can we achieve balance? Episode 3 tells the stories of professionals assessing risks to physical and mental health, promoting work/life balance in the workplace, and finding harmony in arts, work and life.Content warning: This episode mentions depression from 20:38 to 21:28 and suicide from 23:22 to 23:37.You can find mental health resources on APAP's website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-1-episode-3/Intro: “Off Balance” and Act One: “Body and Soul” with Tony Lopresti, a silent actor living in New York City and mime director for the Festival Musica sull'Acqua.Act Two: “Team Player” with Rachel Fine, CEO of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Pasadena, California.Act Three: “Harmony” with Paige Alyssa, a singer/songwriter in St. Louis, Missouri.You can find a transcript, episode guide and resources related to all the themes discussed in episode 3 on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-1-episode-3/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
7/12/22 • 26:34
Let’s leave the “starving artist” trope firmly in the past -- The stories in Episode 2 are all about money: staying in the green while promoting pay equity, doing the hustle, healthcare scares, and making money by making change.Introduction: “In The Green” with Lynn Neuman, who lives in Benton Harbor, Michigan and is the artistic director of Artichoke Dance Company, which is based in Brooklyn, New York.Act One: “Running The Numbers” with Thamara Bejarano, the executive director of Open Scene, a Spanish-language theater company outside Orlando, Florida.Act Two: “Out of Pocket, Out of Luck.” with Taylor Gordon, a freelance dancer in New York City.Act Three: “Making Money by Making Change ” with Craig Knudsen, an artist representative and musician living in Berkeley, California.You can find a transcript, episode guide and resources related to the themes discussed in episode 2 on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-1-episode-2/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
7/5/22 • 24:27
The word inclusion is heard a lot in the arts industry, but are we truly inclusive? Episode 1 explores who is and isn't in the room, disability and access, the toll of leading DEI efforts, and choosing which community to serve and why.Introduction: “Language Barriers” with Claudia Norman, an independent producer, artistic director and cultural worker based in Queens, New York.Act One: “The First Step” with Lynne Jordan, a Chicago-based singer, band leader, writer and emcee.Act Two: “Unfiltered” with Michael Sakamoto, the performing arts curator and director of the Asian and Asian-American Arts and culture program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Fine Arts Center.Act Three: “Going In Circles” with Anthony Torres, former trauma therapist and executive director of Combat Hippies, a Miami-based theater group for Puerto Rican military veterans.You can find a transcript, episode guide and resources related to the themes discussed in episode 1 on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/arts-work-life-podcast-season-1-episode-1/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit
6/28/22 • 26:54
