The wait is over for APAP's new podcast, ARTS. WORK. LIFE.
Framed by the last two-plus years—which saw the pandemic, the call for racial reckoning, and the great resignation—the new podcast features bold, untold stories directly from performing arts workers about what it is like to be an arts worker in this unique moment.
"The performing arts sector has been deeply impacted by the life-altering crises of the past few years," says APAP President and CEO Lisa Richards Toney. "As we reopen our venues, restart tours, and heal our professional community, we have an important opportunity to reset how we work together. This podcast unearths stories—of the performing arts professional—that have long remained behind the curtain. It’s time to shine a spotlight on our people to not only celebrate their accomplishments but more importantly lift up their experiences, and to be a positive force to bring forth change in our industry."
ARTS. WORK. LIFE. is hosted and produced by Claire Caulfield and is made possible with the generous support of The Wallace Foundation. Weekly episodes roll out every Tuesday through August 2, 2022, and feature stories from 22 performing arts workers—artists, agents, producers, venue operators, and other arts administrators—from across North America. Each episode hits on a key topic: Inclusion, Money, Work/Life Balance, Community, Recruiting, and Letting Go.
"I was struck time and time again by how many smart, kind, empathetic people are working overtime to make this field better," adds host and producer Claire Caulfield. "But also constantly reminded how much work there's left to do."
"The pressure from all that happened in 2020 onward cracked all of us right open, in society and in the arts," observes Jenny Thomas, the podcast's Executive Producer. "As a result, we are braver than ever in speaking our truths and empowering us to shape the future. 'Arts. Work. Life.' is a megaphone for these truths."
