ARTS. WORK. LIFE.

Almost all of us have a mentor who shaped our path—a teacher, a family member, or even someone miles away. In the finale of season four, we explore what happens when creatives step into that role and give back to the next generation. From sharing skills to offering encouragement, we discover how mentoring can be just as transformative—and sometimes even more fulfilling—than creating our own work.INTRO & ACT ONE: “Passing the Mic” with Dumisani “Dumi RIGHT” Ndlovu, a performance artist and educator working in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. ACT TWO: “Stepping Stones” with Julie Opiel, the Director of Education and Community Engagement at BodyTraffic in Los Angeles, California.ACT THREE: “Freedom to Lead" with Alex Ketley and Bill Clark, two performance artists and educators collaborating in Vacaville, California. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

They say that laughter is the best medicine, but so are human connection and genuine self-expression. In episode five, we explore stories about the healing power of the arts, not just for the creator, but for entire communities.INTRO & ACT ONE: “Empty Barns, Not Empty Hearts" with Jeff Corle, a singer/songwriter from Windber, Pennsylvania.ACT TWO: “Life Worth Living” with Sam Simon, a playwright, author and actor in McLean, Virginia.ACT THREE: “Home Run” with Julián Silva, a music therapist based in Northern California.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

Working in the arts requires imagination, intuition, and a belief in oneself because oftentimes, you have to follow your inner compass. On today's episode, hear stories about discovery, perseverance, and recalibrating your direction when the road ahead isn’t clear.INTRO & ACT ONE: “Para-Lyrics” with Chad Harper, the founder and CEO of Hip Hop Saves Lives in Madrid, Spain.ACT TWO: “A Day in the Life” with Kersee Whitney, an actor, singer and dancer in Salt Lake City, Utah.ACT THREE: “Art Therapy" with Angelica McCarthy, a doctor of athletic training in Clinton, Connecticut.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

Whether you are creating street art, launching a career, running a business, or building a “Globe-ette,” you can't do it alone. In this episode, we explore the breakthroughs, the challenges, the successes and the magic that comes from working together.INTRO: “Each Brick In The Wall” with Sonia Clark, owner and producer of Unicycle Productions in Niagara Falls, New York.ACT ONE: “Flying High” with Karen Franzel, the manager and booking agent for Danny the Acrobat based out of Orlando, Florida.ACT TWO: “A Day in the Life” with GregRobin Smith, the founder and managing director of The Washington Shakespearean Festival in Seattle, Washington. ACT THREE: “In Family We Trust” with Juanita Anderson, the theater coordinator for Teatro Trail and Sala Catarsis theaters in Miami, Florida. You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/ Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

Amid brutal competition, unpredictable hours, and variable pay, it’s important to remember WHY you chose a career in the performing arts. Episode two features four stories about listening to your inner voice and tapping into your passion.INTRO: “Make The Most of It” with Jason Fletcher Christian Laws, executive creative producer and founder of the Laws Group in Brooklyn, New York.ACT ONE: “Expiration Date” with Ami Otero Minars, a flamenco dancer, producer, and founder of Admission Nation in Montclair, New Jersey.ACT TWO: “A Day in the Life” with Dot McDonough, the director of marketing and operations for the Spire Center for the Performing Arts in Plymouth, Massachusetts.ACT THREE: “Officially Obsessed” with Kieran Bailey, a content marketing specialist for Bauer Entertainment Marketing in Nashville, Tennessee.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

Being the first to do something comes with accolades and recognition, but it can also be lonely. The premiere of season four features stories from four trailblazers who broke barriers, not just for their own advancement, but to create opportunities for others.INTRO (0:00): “Trailblazer” with Precious Perez, a singer, songwriter, music educator, and disability activist based in Louisville, Kentucky.ACT ONE (7:20): “Barre None” with Lydia Abarca Mitchell, a founding member of Dance Theatre of Harlem, now living in Marietta, Georgia.ACT TWO (17:16): “A Day in the Life” with Magdalene Minnaar, the artistic director of Cape Town Opera in Cape Town, South Africa.ACT THREE (21;01): “Let It Rain” with Yura Sapi, the CEO of LiberArte based in Chocó, Colombia and New York City.You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit

APAP’s award-winning podcast ARTS.WORK.LIFE. is back! On June 10th, we’ll premiere our new season, which is bursting with bold, untold stories from across the performing arts industry.This summer, we’ll take you behind the scenes with stories from seasoned and emerging professionals – exploring the triumphs, lessons, and motivations of the people who bring the performing arts to life!ARTS.WORK.LIFE. returns June 10th, with a new episode every other week!

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.

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

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

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

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