On Saturday, May 16, the Academy of Urban School Leadership (AUSL) held their sixth annual Festival of the Arts & Sciences. AUSL is an organization that prides itself on bringing excellence to underperforming schools, and the arts programs are an important part of this.

Rachel Woodall attended the festival and spoke with Mariam Thiam (Manager of Curricular Enhancements for AUSL), Tim Sheldon (Principal of Chalmers School of Excellence), and several students who participated in the program. It was an eye-opening day, a great example of the powerful effects art can have in a child’s life.

Produced & Scored: Rachel Woodall & Tim Apuli
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Artistic License- 6th Annual AUSL Festival of the Arts & Sciences

Rachel Woodall chats with Jeff Zausch about his background, his motivations, and his time with "Naked and Afraid."

For the original audio and more Artistic License, check out WGNPLUS.com ~ 

Jeff Zausch is a born survivalist; from the tender age of nine, he's been testing the limits of his environment and his body in all sorts of outdoor survival situations. Perhaps one of his most adventurous (and certainly most public) has been his time on "Naked and Afraid" and "Naked and Afraid XL." The show pits survivalists in extreme situations and leaves them for 21 and 40 days, respectively. The catch? They're totally naked.

Artistic License - "Naked & Afraid XL" Eel Hunting Champ, Jeff Zausch [FULL INTERVIEW]

[For the original post and more Artistic License, visit WGNPLUS.COM] 
Shane Lewis is a travel and survival veteran. Throughout his adult life, he's traveled to 76 countries and stayed in every kind of accommodation you can imagine: from hostels to a sleeping bag upon a glacier. Perhaps one of his most adventurous (and certainly most public) excursions has been his time on "Naked and Afraid" and "Naked and Afraid XL." The show pits survivalists in extreme situations and leaves them for 21 and 40 days, respectively. The catch? They're totally naked.

Rachel Woodall chats with Shane about his many travels, his motivations, and his time with "Naked and Afraid."

Artistic License- Shane Lewis on "Naked & Afraid XL" & Survival Strategy [FULL INTERVIEW]

Rachel Woodall got the chance to sit down with R&B singer-songwriter, SoMo, before his recent performance at the House of Blues Chicago. They talked about everything from his rise on Youtube to his favorite thing about love, as well as his latest mixtape, My Life II. SoMo also discusses his favorite things about being on the road and his creative processes.

[Check out the original audio and an exclusive VIDEO with SoMo on wgnplus.com! Search Artistic License. ]

Artistic License- SoMo talks New Music, Love, and the Age of Youtube

[For the original audio and more Artistic License, visit WGNPLUS.COM]
Josh Clark and Charles W. “Chuck” Bryant are the hosts of the “Stuff You Should Know” podcast from How Stuff Works and Discovery, responsible for almost 800 episodes and 15 billion downloads. The podcast covers stuff you should know about…well, everything from lion tamers to the history of Pez.

Rachel Woodall chats with Josh and Chuck about the art of podcasting, their research processes, their stage show, and their tips for a successful podcasting career. They debunk Wiki-rumors and share their favorite factoids from over the years. This and more, on our special podcast about podcasts!

Artistic License - The Art of Podcasting with Josh Clark & Chuck Bryant of "Stuff You Should Know"

[For more content with Shane & Jeff - and for more Artistic License- visit WGNPLUS.COM]
Discovery Channel's "Naked and Afraid" pits two survivalists together in harsh environments, left to survive on their own for 21 days... completely naked. Shane Lewis and Jeff Zausch, both alums of the show, were chosen to return for "Naked and Afraid XL," a 40 day challenge with twelve participants total.

A huge fan of the show, I am fascinated by watching what these people do to survive. I wondered...could survival skills be considered an "art"? After speaking with Shane and Jeff about their backgrounds, their preparations, and what they've learned from it all, I think it's safe to conclude that, yes, survival is an art.

Artistic License- The Art of Survival with Shane Lewis & Jeff Zausch

[For a video of Drake Bell's exclusive performance, and for more Artistic License, visit WGNPLUS.COM]
The one and only Drake Bell joins Rachel Woodall & Tim Apuli at the WGN Radio studios. They chat about his music career, balancing several passions at once, charities he loves, and life beyond the Nickelodeon universe. Hear tidbits about Drake’s every day life, his writing process, and how he seems to do it all at once! This and more, on the podcast.

Artistic License - Drake Bell on Music, Acting & Life beyond Nickelodeon

What is​ art, anyway? Many people would list off the basics: painting, music, theater…but Artistic License is here to push those limits. Recorded at WGN Radio, Hard Times Records, and out in the field, and with original music highlighting each episode, Artistic License is a unique and multi-faceted listening experience. To supplement the podcasts, you can find photo galleries, videos, and blogs on WGNPlus.com. 

Artistic License

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