I reconnect with an old colleague-turned-democracy advocate and share a powerful conversation about art, activism, and second chances — including a look at using art to restore dignity to prisoners serving life sentences.
In this episode, I reflect on a full-circle reconnection more than 20 years in the making — and on two people who convinced me, once again, that art has the power to change the world.
The first is Joni Doherty a former colleague from my teaching days at Franklin Pierce University, who commissioned my very first one-woman show decades ago. After losing touch for two decades, we reconnected when Joni — now Senior Program Officer for Democracy and the Arts at the Kettering Foundation — recommended me as a guest on a podcast hosted by the second powerhouse in this story: Bill Cleveland.
Bill is a pioneering arts activist, author, and founder of the Center for the Study of Art and Community, where he trains artists to become community leaders and creative change agents. I share what moved me most from our conversation together on his podcast, Art Is Change — particularly Bill's work bringing art into prisons, and the sense of self-esteem and agency it restored in prisoners serving life sentences.
Mentioned in this episode
Sponsor
Interabang Books — a Dallas-based independent bookstore named one of the country's top five by Publishers Weekly. Shop their curated online collection at interabangbooks.com.
Credits
Written and produced by Tricia Rose Burt. Produced and scored by Adam Arnone of Echo Finch. Executive producers: Amy Grant, Nancy Perot, and Sage Wheeler. No Time to Be Timid is a presentation of No Time to Be Timid Productions.
Do you think that art can change the world? Or more specifically, that you and your art can change the world? I think it can. And so do the two people I've just had the pleasure of talking with. The first one is Joni Doherty. We worked together more than two decades ago when I was an instructor at Franklin Pierce University here in New Hampshire. Joni was one of the first people to commission me to do my one-woman show, How to Draw a Nekked Man, for the school. We hadn't spoken in probably 20 years.
And she'd called a mutual friend to ask her if she knew anyone who hosted an arts podcast. And our friend said, Yes, I do, and so do you. So Joni and I reconnected, and it was a delight to talk with her again because she is a frickin' powerhouse. She thrives both as an academic and as an artist. She earned a BFA in painting, an MA in cultural studies, and a PhD in philosophy and art theory. Again, creative force.
In 2015, Joni brought her extraordinary mind and talent to the Kettering Foundation in Ohio. Now, the Kettering Foundation is a nonpartisan organization that serves to, quote, advance inclusive democracies by fostering citizen engagement, promoting government accountability, and countering authoritarianism. And Joni makes sure that art is in the mix of the foundation's work. She's the senior program officer for Democracy and the Arts, and frankly,
I didn't even know positions like that existed. And as an artist, it makes me excited that I can play a part in protecting and promoting democracy and that there's an organization that can be a resource on how to do it. Joni called to let me know that Democracy in the Arts, we're working with Bill Cleveland, who hosts the Art Is Change podcast. Bill talks to artists and leaders of arts organizations to explore how art and social activism meet to transform communities. Since I'm a storyteller and visual artist, Joni thought I might be a good fit for Bill's show. Now, like Joni, Bill is a powerhouse. And he's the second person who reinforced that art can indeed change the world. He's a pioneering arts activist, author, and community arts organizer. And he's the founder of the Center for the Study of Art and Community. Now, at that center, they teach artists the skills and the strategies they need to become community leaders. Basically, they help artists become creative change agents. And Bill practices what he preaches. He has done work all over the world using art to create change, build courage, and create a collective sense of solidarity. There's a point in our interview when he's talking to me about the work he's done teaching art to prisoners, many who are in prison for life. And I was so moved by his passion and commitment to these individuals and how the prisoners felt their self-esteem returned. How they felt a sense of agency, even inside the prison walls, all because they were making art. My episode on Art Is Change dropped last week, and I encourage you to listen to it. The link will be in our show notes. And the podcast is an amazing resource for ways you might be able to contribute in your own community. Maybe you can start an art program in your local prison, launch a writing program with teens who are looking for a way to make sense of the world or produce a community storytelling event. As Bill says in another interview, quote, the making of art, humans working together on something that didn't exist and manifesting it in the world is a very, very powerful way to create trust and a sense of fruitful collaboration that can happen very quickly. And as we say in the manifesto, creativity is not a frivolous pursuit. Make your mark now. And remember,
This is no time to be timid.
Thanks for joining us. And hey, if you have a minute, please check out my TEDx talk that's now live. It's called How I Redeemed 35 Years of Regret. I talk about a decision I made in my 20s that I regretted for three decades and finally made right in my 60s after making an audacious move. You can view it on my website at Triciaroseburt.com or on YouTube by searching for Tricia Rose Burt TEDx Portsmouth.
The story's been resonating with lots of folks. And if it resonates with you, please leave a comment and share it with your friends. This will help the story reach a broader audience. Thanks in advance for your support. And remember, this is no time to be timid.
I want to tell you about our sponsor, Interabang Books, a Dallas-based independent bookstore, which was named one of the country's top five bookstores by Publishers Weekly. They have a fabulous curated online collection, and it's just as easy to shop with them as it is with Amazon. Who doesn't want to support an independent bookstore? Please show them some love and check them out at interabangbooks.com. That's interabang, I-n-t-e-r-a-b-a-n-g Books dot com. No time to be timid is written and produced by me, Tricia Rose Burt. Our episodes are produced and scored by Adam Arnone of Echo Finch. And our executive producers are Amy Grant, Nancy Perot, and Sage Wheeler. I'd also like to thank contributors to my fractured Atlas fiscal sponsorship, which helps make this podcast happen.
No Time to Be Timid is a presentation of No Time to Be Timid Productions.