Impact Lab: Conversation with Steph Colbourn, Podcast Producer
Join Key Elements Group LLC President and CEO Lynette Zimmerman for a discussion with Steph Colbourn, a Montreal-based podcast producer and head of EDITAUD.IO. The two discuss the social utility of podcasting as well as what it takes to produce…
Artists Strike Back: Cultural Institutions Closed on J20 to Protest Inauguration
While calls for a general strike failed to materialize a nationwide walkout on January 20, the inauguration of Trump did spur one group to flex their economic value and mobilize: arts and culture workers. Dozens of organizations, museums, and spaces…
Trump Administration to Eliminate National Endowment for the Arts
Trump dislikes a lot of a people. Women, ethnic minorities, Muslims – there are few groups he hasn’t publicly denigrated in his demagogic path to the white house. In addition to these demographics, it turns out he despises arts and…
DIY Venues Under Siege: Fallout from the Ghost Ship Fire
As we discussed on Impact Tap following the tragic fire at the Ghost Ship DIY art space in Oakland – which claimed 36 lives – it is imperative to draw the right conclusions from the disaster. DIY venues provide healthy…
“Funeral Doom Spiritual” is Unlike Any Opera You’ve Heard
This isn’t your usual opera. “Funeral Doom Spiritual” – a monodrama that navigates race relations in a dystopic environment set 100 years in the future – will grace the stage of National Sawdust tonight for the production’s New York City…
Fox News Silenced Sexual Harassment Allegation Against Bill O’Reilly
Fox News has a rough track record when it comes to sexual assault. Former CEO and longtime conspiracy monger Robert Ailes fell from power last summer after two dozen women stepped forward following an initial lawsuit brought forth by Fox…
Impact Lab: Chicago’s Fifth House Ensemble
Join Key Elements Group LLC President and CEO Lynette Zimmerman for a conversation with Melissa Snoza and Dan Visconti of the Chicago-based Fifth House Ensemble as they discuss the group’s unique organizational structure, the application of their practices to business…
Meet Sonita Alizadeh: The Young Afghan Rapper Who Escaped Forced Marriage Through Music
Even with the end of Taliban rule – which imposed a highly rigid, patriarchal social code on the Afghan people – Afghanistan still ranks very poorly in terms of women’s rights. Women can be penalized for fleeing an abusive relationship,…
Lessons From the Ghost Ship Fire: We Need to Support Artists
Last Friday, a venue and live-work space in Oakland known as the Ghost Ship burned down, claiming the lives of 36 individuals, 35 of whom have been identified by authorities. This tragedy is immense, and has sent ripples through Oakland,…
Impact Lab: Discussion with Artistic Director of CabinFever
(Front page photo courtesy of Joy Jacobs Photography) Join Key Elements Group LLC President and CEO Lynette Zimmerman for a discussion with Elana Jacobs, choreographer and artistic director for the modern dance ensemble CabinFever.
Musical.ly: The App You Haven’t Heard About That’s Taken Generation Z by Storm
While Snapchat may still seem like an alien platform to many people 20 years and older, another application has emerged to quietly capture Generation Z’s attention. Musical.ly or “Musically” is a lip-sync app that enables users to make instant music…
Syria: Despite Bloodshed, Refugees Show Indomitable Spirit Through Art
There appears to be no end in sight. The Syrian Civil War, now in its 6th year, has forced a staggering 11 million Syrians from their homes, and resulted in 13.5 people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. If these…
Barack Obama’s Favorite Sci-Fi Films
In a first, the sitting president will take the reins of one of the nation’s biggest magazines. The November issue of WIRED will feature Barack Obama as guest-editor, exploring issues (both technological and personal) relating to the theme of frontiers….
Sound of Silence: The Philadelphia Orchestra Latest to Strike
On Friday, Philadelphia concert-goers were met with the sound of silence. The “Opening Night Gala” – slated to kick-off Philadelphia Orchestra’s season – was cancelled as musicians walked off the job to protest a new labor agreement that offered no…
Grime Artist Skepta Wins Mercury Prize in UK
Skepta, the popular grime artist from Tottenham in North London, has taken home this year’s Mercury Prize. Nominated for his fourth album Konnichiwa, the 33-year old beat out the likes of Radiohead and – in the first instance of a…
BAM to Present Opera About the Irish Famine
The Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) will present two performances of an opera that tackles the social injustices of the Irish famine head on. Hunger, written by Donnacha Dennehy, is based on first-hand counts of the Great Famine. The Brooklyn…