Framing the Hammer

Episode 18 of Framing the Hammer finds us in etymological and philosophical hilarity with cartoonist Ellis Rosen. A cartoonist of many decades, Rosen has been featured in The New Yorker in addition to dozens of other publications, online, and restaurants in Manhattan. We explore his career, cartooning’s place in the creative economy, as well as 4A Arts’s study of the wellbeing economy. Additionally, we explore several rabbit holes of art’s purpose, the definition of “success,” and what really...

“Democratization of American Arts and Culture” means lowering or removing barriers to experiencing, creating, and sharing art. Through this process, ideas are explored, questions asked, humanity exposed, bonds created, and communities are greatly strengthened. Democratizing the arts also helps strengthen American democracy, by strengthening communities, building belonging, and advancing interest in participatory citizenship. This is why Democratizing the Arts is one of the pillars of the 4A A...

In episode 114 of Framing the Hammer, we chat with Richard Deming, Yale Director of Creative Writing and author of the recently published, This Exquisite Loneliness: What Loners, Outcasts and the Understood Can Teach Us About Creativity. In the book, Deming profiles six historic figures who publicly wrestled with loneliness and used creativity to cope (Melanie Klein, Zora Neale Hurston, Walker Evans, Walter Benjamin, Egon Shiele, Ron Serling). Their legacies leave us tools for better understa...

In episode 12, we chat with Hilary Perkins, founder of Whippoorwill Arts (www.whippoorwillarts.org) a nonprofit advocating for music and musicians that recently underwent a comprehensive report on recommended wages for working musicians. We talk about the report that makes suggested base and graduated pay for musicians of all types, stripes, and locations. 4A Arts believes that arts and culture are basic human rights and powerful tools for building a whole and healthy society. Pl...

4A Arts dives into another aspect of the creative economy in our discussion with creative director Danielle Venne of Made Music Studio. Her firm specializes in “sonic branding” or, “The audio equivalent of a visual logo” as Danni says. 4A Arts believes that arts and culture are basic human rights and powerful tools for building a whole and healthy society. Please follow our efforts and growth to change the narrative around American creativity and consequently to increase support f...

In this episode of Framing the Hammer, we speak with Elena K. Holy, founder and director of the New York International Fringe Festival as well as the 4A Arts general manager. Elena has spent a lifetime as a theatrical producer with a passion for solving problems and creating more outlets to share more innovative theatre with the largest variety of theatre-goers. 4A Arts believes that arts and culture are basic human rights and powerful tools for building a whole and healthy society. Ple...

Framing the Hammer episode 106 brings us Troy Plumer, a Louisville, KY-based master’s student in history. Troy is an aficionado, though not a trained expert by his own admission, with the era around the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of the Great Depression and arts funding during that period. Troy contributed a guest blog to the 4A Arts website that’s full of interesting historical tidbits and soaring rhetoric around how art lifts us all to new heights. This interview on Framing the Ham...

Enjoy this conversation with an art therapist who works with violent criminals. Her nonjudgmental compassion for her patients and artistic process bring insight into the multitude of ways art restores our humanity and helps our self-understanding. We don’t share her last name or work location for reasons of privacy, particularly to protect her workplace, however we get into some deep topics regarding those she helps on a daily basis. Originally from Japan, this art therapist has a diffe...

Everyone is an artist! 4A Arts founder Charlie Reinhart explores creativity, inclusion, and how art belongs to everyone. Discover your creative side! Find our show notes here. 4A Arts believes that arts and culture are basic human rights and powerful tools for building a whole and healthy society. Please follow our efforts and growth to change the narrative around American creativity and consequently to increase support from elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels.&nbs...