ORIGINS

By Jessica Solomon, Founder & CEO

How Art in Praxis came to be…

In 2008 I was in an experiential Organization Development (OD) graduate program while also devising and producing community theater (Shout out to The Saartjie Project <3). I had a growth spurt as both a cultural worker and OD practitioner and I needed those worlds to inform each other.

I saw how change theory and group dynamics called for storytelling and the ways culture made theoretical concepts more accessible and relatable.

So, I started launching low-ish stake experiments that connected cultural workers to social justice organizations. Back then, I was solely in the changing hearts and minds business - getting people to recognize the transformative nature of the arts and conspiring with artists to become more civically-engaged. Today, we’re also in the behavioral and structural change business because external environmental realities impact hearts & minds and behavior. (This framework is adapted from the Wheel of Change by one of my teachers, Robert Gass. I like to think of culture as lubricant to move that wheel!)

Our North Star…

We are animated (pun intended!) by the belief that culture holds radical insights into reshaping and reimagining our organizations, communities, and systems. We know that transformative work doesn't happen inside meetings, organizations, and systems that don't invite participants to bring their experiences and their most creative selves. Progressive social sector organizations should be sites of collective action, creativity, healing, and care.

What does Praxis Mean?

1. practice, as distinguished from theory. "the gap between theory and praxis, text and world"

2. action, practice: such as. a : exercise or practice of an art, science, or skill. b : customary practice or conduct.