The sunflower grows rapidly, spreads quickly. They purify contaminated soil, replenishing a communities ability to provide healthy food. And they are beautiful beacons of hope: an apt metaphor for the coming People's Climate March. We're joined this week by Lani Fu of Superhero Clubhouse and arts organizers from 350.org including David Solnit, Rachel Schragis, and Jayeesha Dutta to discuss the role of the arts in the climate justice conversation.

Season 1, Episode 8: SUNFLOWER

Vangeline, Artistic Director of Vangeline Theater and founder of the New York Butoh Institute discusses the importance of balance, impact, and effort. Her recent piece Wake Up and Smell the Coffee used upwards of 1000 used coffee cups collected around New York City to address the waste we generate and our loss of effort in the need to address the issue.

EXTRA: EFFORT

It's our season one finale! We're joined by Matthew "Levee" Chavez of Subway Therapy, who was also our first guest, and Sofiya Cheyenne is back! We discuss Keith's trip to the People's Climate March in DC and the necessity for free art and freedom of expression. The conversation was good so y'all are getting a finale to the finale, that we're calling the Epilogue, tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Season 1, Episode 9: FREE

We're wrapping up Season 1 the same way we came in: with an extended interview from Subway Therapy's Matthew "Levee" Chavez. He gives us an update on where he's been since he became a viral success putting stickie notes on subway walls after the election. Sofiya and I discuss the series with him and attempt to answer our own question: is art now more important than ever? We still have lots of questions.

The Epilogue

Art matters. But why? A podcast series investigating the elements needed for artistic expression in an urgent political climate. We talk. And listen.

Episodes come out on the first and third Sunday of each month. Thanks for listening. 

Let's make some art. 

Hosted by Keith Paul Medelis and Sofiya Cheyenne.
Recorded and edited by Eben Mannes.
Music by Benjamin Weiner.
A podcast series of the Upstream Artists' Collective.

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