172: Jordan Seaberry - What Use is Art Making When Freedom is Under Fire?

172: Jordan Seaberry - What Use is Art Making When Freedom is Under Fire?

From ART IS CHANGE: Strategies & Skills for Activist Artists & Cultural Organizers by Bill Cleveland

April 8, 2026 · 56 min · Episode 172

About this episode

The episode explores the role of art in advocating for freedom and civic engagement through a conversation with artist Jordan Seaberry.

What use is art making when freedom is under fire? From the Center for the Study of Art and Community? This is Art is Change, a chronicle of art and social change where activist artists and cultural organizers share the strategies and skills they need to thrive as creative community leaders. My name is Bill Cleveland This episode is part of a special Art In Action series we're producing in partnership with the Charles F. Kettering Foundation Democracy and the Arts program. In these episodes, we'll be speaking with artists, cultural organizers and arts leaders who are navigating and challenging current efforts to to limit free creative expression and free speech. Together, we'll explore what freedom of expression means in practice, not as an abstract right, but as a lived responsibility at the heart of democratic life. This show features my conversation with painter, organizer, educator and “root waterer” Jordan Seaberry,about what happens when art moves beyond decoration and entertainment and becomes a powerful civic practice for listening, organizing and building people power. Jordan's work, which spans painting, policy, comics, teaching and movement building, is all grounded in…

People in this episode

Host: Bill Cleveland

Guest: Jordan Seaberry

Topics covered

  • art and social change
  • freedom of expression
  • civic practice
  • community organizing
  • creative leadership

Keywords

  • art making
  • freedom
  • civic practice
  • community leaders
  • creative expression
  • activist artists

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Center for the Study of Art and Community, Charles F. Kettering Foundation, Roger Williams University School of Law

Places: Chicago, Rhode Island School of Design, Oregon

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