I've worked with artists who have world-class work and no words for why it matters. I've worked with nonprofits who serve their communities beautifully, but sound like everyone else. I've worked with brands who want to fund culture authentically, and don't know how to talk with artists instead of at them. The work is rarely the problem. The language is. I talked about this with Rob Lee on The Truth In This Art. Language is the most overlooked tool in cultural strategy: what signals threat, and what actually connects us. Full episode in comments. If your grant, your pitch, or your website isn't saying what you mean, that's what the Narrative Session is for. One focused session, a written framework you keep. Where it goes from here is up to you.
Language is the most overlooked tool in cultural strategy
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Swipe to discover some more insights from our latest report, Shared Influence, where we go straight to the creators and nonprofit leaders rewriting the rules of impact work ➡️ ㅤ Access the full report now on our website: https://vist.ly/5hbzk Featuring: Alex Schmider (Senior Director, Entertainment, GLAAD) Amanda Taylor (Creative Director, Vote.org) Garrison Hayes (Creator @garrisonhayes, Mother Jones Correspondent) Mercury Stardust (Creator @mercurystardust)
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OURS TO MAKE | We spoke to Charlotte Steels about Burnley 2027 Year of Culture - what's coming up, how artists and creatives can get involved, the opportunities being created through new investment from Arts Council England, and why she believes Burnley’s creative community has an important role to play in shaping what happens next. Read via our Substack: https://lnkd.in/eaEavN4i
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Arts Lancashire caught up with Charlotte Steels recently to find out more about how plans for Burnley 2027 are shaping up and what difference our recent funding successes are going to make to creating opportunities and supporting the local creative sector… #ourstomake
OURS TO MAKE | We spoke to Charlotte Steels about Burnley 2027 Year of Culture - what's coming up, how artists and creatives can get involved, the opportunities being created through new investment from Arts Council England, and why she believes Burnley’s creative community has an important role to play in shaping what happens next. Read via our Substack: https://lnkd.in/eaEavN4i
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Recently, my colleague Guillermo Casasnovas and I published an article in the Journal of Business Venturing introducing the concept of civic listening, based on our research on Spanish community foundations (👉https://lnkd.in/ekmU4SZn) Building on this study, I contributed a short article to the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy that unpacks the core ideas of civic listening in accessible, practitioner-oriented language (👉 https://lnkd.in/eUjS2ZfF) At its core, civic listening enables community foundations to move from actively seeking local perspectives, to attracting community-led ideas, to bringing diverse stakeholders together to build shared understanding and drive lasting, community-led change. The figure below summarizes these dynamics. Special thanks to Michael D. Layton and Tory Martin for inviting me to contribute and for their thoughtful guidance throughout the writing process.
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Here's the truth: journalists aren't looking for another corporate statement about community impact. They're looking for the *story* - the real person, the measurable change, the moment that mattered. We've seen it happen hundreds of times: nonprofits and public sector organizations pouring energy into polished talking points, only to watch their pitches get ignored. Meanwhile, the organization down the street with an authentic community narrative lands front-page coverage. The difference isn't luck. It's strategy. Your organization has stories worth telling. We help you tell them in a way that makes journalists *want* to cover you - and turns media coverage into community trust. If your organization's impact is getting lost in the noise, let's talk about how to fix it.
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Here's the truth: journalists aren't looking for another corporate statement about community impact. They're looking for the *story* - the real person, the measurable change, the moment that mattered. We've seen it happen hundreds of times: nonprofits and public sector organizations pouring energy into polished talking points, only to watch their pitches get ignored. Meanwhile, the organization down the street with an authentic community narrative lands front-page coverage. The difference isn't luck. It's strategy. Your organization has stories worth telling. We help you tell them in a way that makes journalists *want* to cover you - and turns media coverage into community trust. If your organization's impact is getting lost in the noise, let's talk about how to fix it.
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Welcome to Episode 6 of Be a Part of Implementing Vision 2030 Jamaica! 🇯🇲 In this episode, we take a quick look at the Development Concepts used in the Vision 2030 Jamaica – National Development Plan and the Medium Term Socio-Economic Policy Framework (MTF) 2024–2027. A word or concept can mean one thing in one field and something completely different in another. Understanding these Development Concepts helps us better understand and effectively support the implementation of Vision 2030 Jamaica through the MTF. Visit https://lnkd.in/dUXQKpU2 and check MTF or Recent Publications to access the Development Concepts document. Stay tuned for Episode 7! ✨ Jamaica, the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business. #Vision2030Jamaica #Vision2030 #DevelopmentConcepts #MTF #NationalDevelopment #Jamaica
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Reducing Stigma Through Storytelling: This Week's Recovery Month Focus Authentic storytelling is one of the most effective tools for shifting public perception of recovery. When individuals share their experiences in community spaces, precincts, council meetings, and public forums, they influence how policies are written and how resources are allocated. Organizations like NAMI and Faces & Voices of Recovery have demonstrated that shared experience builds community, improves outcomes, and grows recovery-affirming cultures. At ESCSB, we recognize that every recovery story shared helps build a more recovery-ready Eastern Shore. #RecoveryMonth2026 #StopTheStigma #RecoveryIsPossible
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One of the most powerful shifts in storytelling is changing who we allow to lead the narrative. For too long, survivors of trafficking and modern slavery were portrayed only as people in need of rescue. But survivors are not simply stories of what happened to them. They are leaders. Changemakers. Cultural creators. And when we change the narrative, we change who gets to shape what comes next. A powerful reflection from one of our panel conversations at Austin- Texas. #storytelling #womenwholead #socialimpact #changemakers
https://www.thetruthinthisart.com/episodes/yes-please-and-thank-you-georgina-coka-trevino-on-cultural-strategy-art-and-connection