138: Self-Care: Why it Matters for Activist Artists & Cultural Organizers!

If you’re a cultural worker navigating the messy, magical middle ground of art and activism, who’s taking care of you?Now, if you’ve been with us over the last two episodes, you’ll know we’ve been tackling what we call the building blocks of effective community arts practice—those foundational elements that help artists not just make meaningful work, but do so in ways that are ethical, sustainable, and rooted in justice.In Episode 1, we explored Accountability: To whom, and for what, are we truly responsible in our work?In Episode 2, we examined Leadership: How do cultural workers lead without domination, and how do they grow others in the process?And today, we turn inward—to a topic that is as personal as it is political: self-care.Because the truth is, being a cultural activist is not just a calling—it’s also exhausting. In this conversation, my partners-in-crime—artist and historian Leni Sloan and cultural organizer Barbara Shaffer Bacon—and I dive into the real and raw question: How do we sustain ourselves in this work?We’ll talk about the material needs often left unmet—like housing, healthcare, childcare—and why self-care isn’t just bubble baths, it’s a structural necessity. We’ll share stories about burnout, soul-feeding practices, and what it means to build and rely on an ecosystem of mutual care.And as always, we’re not just reflecting—we’re passing on what we’ve learned over a collective century of practice. So whether you’re a parade leader, a prickly cactus, or a builder of the long tail, we hope this episode gives you room to breathe, reflect, and reimagine what sustainability can look like in the world of community-based art.Let’s get into it.Great! Below is a version of the requested list formatted specifically for show notes on Captivate.fm. It is optimized for readability, includes clickable hyperlinks, and presents the categories clearly to support podcast listeners looking to explore the episode’s references further.Series: Building Blocks of Effective Community Arts PracticeNotable Mentions🧑‍🤝‍🧑 People Bill Cleveland – Host of Art is Change and founder of the Center for the Study of Art and Community.Leni Sloan – Artist, activist, and former NEA program director, known for arts policy and cultural leadership.Barbara Schaffer Bacon – Educator, movement-builder, and co-director of Animating Democracy.Linda Stout – Community organizer and founder of Spirit in Action, supporting sustainability for activists.Liz Lerman – Choreographer and pioneer in community-based dance and social practice arts.Grace Lee Boggs – Philosopher and activist who emphasized the importance of reflection in movement work.

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