Internal practices


Wisdom Well

Wisdom Well is a care-centered guide for deepening wisdom and knowledge with diverse groups in arts and culture. 

Context

Wisdom Well is a community-based approach to research that focuses on making the process more respectful, fair, and open to everyone. It includes five responsibilities or streams: knowledge seeking, sensemaking, shaping, stewarding, and sharing. These streams each help ensure that the legacies of knowledge and wisdom are valued, protected, and shared in meaningful ways. While they will each ideally happen all at once, beginners can go through them one at a time to better understand how they work together.

Knowledge seeking (grounding wisdom)

Curiosity-driven exploration, seeking information, insights, and experiences to lay foundations for deeper understanding and appreciation.

Knowledge sensemaking (contextualizing wisdom)

Making sense of knowledge to contextualize it within various worldviews and experiences. 

Knowledge shaping (evolving wisdom)

Actively evolving, deepening, and adapting knowledge to contribute to the emergence of wise practices in the future.  

Knowledge sharing (disseminating wisdom)

Disseminating wisdom, knowledge, and insights with others to enrich community dialogue and cultivate connections. 

Knowledge stewarding (respecting wisdom)

Safeguarding, respecting, and protecting the cultural heritage of wisdom and knowledge for future generations.  

Codicil

How to use Wisdom Well? To apply the practice, follow these steps:

Knowledge seeking (grounding wisdom)
Knowledge sensemaking (contextualizing wisdom)
Knowledge shaping (evolving wisdom)
Knowledge stewarding (respecting wisdom)
Knowledge sharing (disseminating wisdom)

Examples in arts and culture

1. Newcomers

A collective of immigrant and refugee artists comes together to explore the intersection of their cultural heritage and the contemporary challenges of displacement and identity. Using the Wisdom Well framework, they aim to deepen understanding, share collective knowledge, and create a platform for cultural preservation and innovation in the arts.

Revolution Well

Explore complex barriers to prosperity and justice in arts and culture and beyond.

What is it?

ArtsPond's Revolution Well is a care-centered guide designed to explore the complex barriers to prosperity and justice in arts and culture and beyond. Based upon five interconnected elements, it examines systemic causes, impacts, community reactions, solutions, and the role of individual leadership in driving transformative change. This approach embraces perspectives ranging from the personal to the planetary, aiming to cultivate equity, sustainability, and collective wellbeing in arts and culture. The five elements are roots (systemic causes), ripples (global impacts), responses (ecosystem reactions), remedies (community solutions), and resources (individual leaders).

For example:

Roots (systemic causes)

Identifying the underlying root causes of precarity and injustice at a systemic level.

Roots are the deep-seated causes of harms in different systems including arts and culture. Like the unseen foundations of a tree, these are the interconnected policies, practices, histories, and ideologies that have created inequality and instability in arts and culture. By identifying and naming these hidden drivers (such as structural racism, lack of funding equity, or exclusionary practices), we can better understand the underlying problems that perpetuate harm and prevent progress.

Ripples (global impacts)

Recognizing the ripple effects or consequences of precarity and injustice in different communities.  

Ripples symbolize the wide-ranging effects of the root causes, extending outward like waves in water. They reveal how injustice and precarity impact different communities across the globe. This element focuses on mapping how systemic issues like economic insecurity, cultural erasure, or climate change create visible and invisible consequences in arts and culture. By observing these ripples, we can see connections between the local and global, and understand how one community’s struggle reflects a larger pattern of harm.

Responses (ecosystem reactions)

Documenting the reactions of various communities, positive or otherwise, to the ripples of systemic precarity and injustice.  

Responses capture how individuals and communities react to the ripples of precarity and injustice. These reactions vary widely. They may be positive acts of solidarity and resilience, or negative responses like division or burnout. This element documents these diverse reactions to understand how communities navigate crises, collaborate, and innovate in the face of adversity, while also learning from setbacks or tensions that emerge.

Remedies (community solutions)

Sharing the diversity of changemaking solutions and caregiving therapies in response to systemic precarity and injustice.

Remedies focus on the healing and transformative solutions that communities develop in response to systemic issues. These include grassroots initiatives, policy changes, caregiving practices, or creative innovations that offer pathways to equity and justice. By amplifying these diverse changemaking efforts, this element highlights the power of collective wisdom and action in creating a more caring and sustainable future.

Resources (individual leaders)

Highlighting the importance of individuals who serve as visionary leaders for the future.

Resources shine a light on the individual leaders and visionaries who challenge the status quo and inspire change. These may be artists, activists, caregivers, or cultural workers who exemplify courage, creativity, and care in their actions. By sharing their stories and approaches, this element celebrates the essential role of people fostering systemic change and serves as a guide for others seeking to lead with vision and integrity.

How to use it?

To apply the Revolution Well framework, follow these steps aligned with its five stages:

Explore the roots (systemic causes)
Trace the ripples (global impacts)
Assess the responses (ecosystem reactions)
Amplify the remedies (community solutions)
Celebrate the Resources (individual leaders)

Examples in arts and culture

1. Indigenous

An Indigenous visual artist navigates the complex intersection of colonialism, data sovereignty, and artificial intelligence (AI) in the digital art world. The artist notices their traditional motifs and cultural expressions being appropriated by AI algorithms trained on Indigenous art without consent or acknowledgment. This leads them to explore ways to reclaim agency over their cultural heritage, address systemic inequities in the digital sphere, and advocate for Indigenous data sovereignty and ethical AI practices.

  • Roots
    The artist investigates the systemic causes of cultural appropriation in AI training models, such as the lack of consent in data collection and the historical erasure of Indigenous voices in art and technology. They highlight how colonial ideologies persist in the digital world, where algorithms replicate and profit from traditional art forms without engaging with the communities that created them.

  • Ripples
    The ripple effects of this systemic issue are visible in the global digital art market. The artist documents how AI-generated art featuring Indigenous motifs floods online marketplaces, diluting the cultural and spiritual significance of these symbols. This impacts both the cultural integrity of Indigenous communities and the economic sustainability of Indigenous artists whose works are devalued or overshadowed.

  • Responses
    In response, the artist collaborates with their community to raise awareness about these issues. They organize online discussions and exhibitions that showcase the ethical concerns surrounding AI in art. They also participate in solidarity networks with other Indigenous and marginalized artists to amplify their collective voice against exploitation in the digital sphere.

  • Remedies
    The artist works to create community-driven solutions by advocating for the development of ethical AI practices. They collaborate with technologists and cultural leaders to establish guidelines for AI use that respect Indigenous data sovereignty. This includes the creation of a digital registry where Indigenous artists can protect their work and specify how it can (or cannot) be used in AI training.

  • Resources
    As a visionary leader, the artist shares their story at international conferences and through their artwork, which critically engages with themes of colonialism, data sovereignty, and AI ethics. Their efforts inspire other Indigenous artists and technologists to challenge exploitative practices and innovate with care and integrity, cultivating a more equitable digital art landscape. They curate an exhibition and publish a resource guide celebrating the knowledge and wisdom of these Indigenous leaders.

2. Deaf

A Deaf youth artist from a rural community confronts the pervasive effects of ableism and audism in their artistic journey. They reflect on the barriers they face, from a lack of accessible art spaces to societal biases that devalue Deaf culture and linguistic diversity. Through their art, they aim to challenge these prejudices, highlight the richness of Deaf experiences, and create inclusive spaces that empower other Deaf artists.

Together Well

What is it?

ArtsPond's Together Well is a framework designed to guide groups in collaboratively addressing complex issues. It supports the creation of meaningful and equitable solutions through a process grounded in shared purpose, care, and collective intelligence.

Whether in the arts, culture, or other fields, the Together Well framework helps groups navigate the inherent challenges of collaboration by fostering a thoughtful and inclusive approach to working together. The framework's five interconnected stages are anchored in reflective and generative questions that deepen understanding, spark creativity, and sustain momentum. At each stage, the focus is on addressing the key elements of collaboration, including preparing, committing, harvesting, shaping, and impacting.

For example (with visual journey maps taken from ArtsPond's Together There residency on digital justice):

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Preparing (grounding collaboration)

Establishing a shared understanding, setting intentions, and addressing potential discomforts or uncertainties before beginning.

Guiding questions include: 

 

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Committing (building trust)

Creating clear roles, responsibilities, and channels for communication while fostering trust and mutual accountability.

Guiding questions include: 

 

2022-11-14-Journey-map-3.jpg

Harvesting (gathering insights)

Collecting and synthesizing diverse ideas, experiences, and knowledge to deepen collective understanding.

Guiding questions include: 

 

2022-11-14-Journey-map-4.jpg

Shaping (co-creating solutions)

Using gathered insights to collaboratively develop innovative and practical approaches to address the issue at hand.

Guiding questions include:

Impacting (sustaining momentum)

Implementing solutions and ensuring long-term impact through ongoing care, reflection, and adaptation.

Guiding questions include: 

How to use it?

To apply the Together Well framework in group collaboration:

Preparing (grounding collaboration)
Committing (building trust)
Harvesting (gathering insights)

Shaping (co-creating solutions)

Impacting (sustaining momentum)

Examples in arts and culture

A collective of urban and rural artists comes together to address environmental sustainability in their creative practices. Using the Together Well framework, they aim to explore how art can contribute to environmental awareness and actionable change while navigating the challenges of bridging geographical and cultural divides.

Demand Well

Disasters, Deserts, Dailies, Doulas, Desires

Activate Well

Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access (BIDEA)

Path Well

Path Well is a practice designed to identify and prioritize the stories and dreams of various groups across different levels of connection and experience.

Context

Path Well is a practice that helps identify and prioritize the stories and dreams of different groups, recognizing the diverse connections and influences that shape our world. The five paths include: 

People (individuals)

Focuses on the needs and stories of individuals in their personal, family, and professional lives.

Populations (groups)

Includes diverse groups such as families, collectives, companies, and other informal or formal communities.

Places (spaces)

Examines real, virtual, natural, and other spaces, including those that are seen, hidden, contested, imaginary, or forgotten.

Publics (communities)

Considers larger shared environments like cities, municipalities, and public spaces where people gather and interact.

Planet (systems)

Looks at environmental and systemic connections that shape the wellbeing of all living things on a global scale.

Codicil

Examples in arts and culture

Grow Well

Stories, Wisdoms, Ecosystems, Platforms, Impacts

Life Well

Real, Virtual, Natural, Dream, Ancestral

Renew Well

Autonomy, Cooperation, Innovation, Serendipity, Visibility

Heart Well

Harm, Hinder, Hack, Help, Harmonize

Care Well

Explore your care personality and how it shapes your life and community.

These are Care Personalities. Change to Care Plan ancestors Rights, Respect, Reconciliation, Reparation, Reciprocity.

What is it?

ArtsPond's Care Well is a framework designed to explore how care manifests in diverse communities and individuals. It expands conventional definitions of care by introducing five interconnected care personalities, including careseekers, caretakers, caregivers, caremakers, and careshapers.

These personalities represent different roles in the ecosystem of care, providing a lens through which individuals and groups can examine their relationships with care in a broader context. Each personality offers a unique perspective on how care is sought, provided, and transformed across personal, community, and systemic dimensions. 

For example:

Careseekers (recipients or beneficiaries of care)

Careseekers are recipients of care provided by others. They often view the world as precarious and focus on immediate to short-term needs (approximately a one-year horizon). Their goal is to reduce their personal vulnerability and meet thier basic requirements for security and survival. Careseekers are often seen as vulnerable. And yet, they are also resourceful and possess valuable insights into self-care that can guide those offering or shaping care. Despite limited capacity to effect systemic change, their first-hand experiences provide critical knowledge for identifying authentic care solutions.

Caretakers (guardians or protectors of care)

Caretakers act as guardians of care, protecting access to essential care resources for others. Like careseekers, they also perceive the world as precarious but focus on the medium-term future (around three to five years). These individuals work to safeguard care amidst present harms and future threats, often by uniting diverse groups. Caretakers are perceived as champions or companions to both careseekers and caregivers, though they may face risks to their own wellbeing due to resource gaps or insufficient support. With adequate assistance, caretakers play a pivotal role in identifying and implementing changes necessary for thriving futures.

Caregivers (providers or nurturers of care)

Caregivers nurture care by providing direct and empathetic support to individuals and smaller communities. Unlike careseekers and caretakers, they tend to view the world as prosperous and prioritize helping others in the present to near-term future (approximately two years). Though perceived as selfless and often overburdened, caregivers excel in fostering personal connections and offering essential care despite limited capacity to address systemic issues. Their patience and empathy inspire others to care and help maintain crucial support networks.

Caremakers (engineers or builders of care)

Caremakers are builders of care who focus on creating conditions for thriving futures over the medium to long-term (five to ten years). Seeing the world as prosperous, they lead and support both individual and collective approaches to care that strengthen the vitality of individuals, communities, and ecosystems. Often perceived as ambitious and empowering, caremakers confront resistance to push for transformative changes. Their creativity and compassion enable others to achieve accessible and sustainable care.

Careshapers (visionaries or architects of care)

Careshapers are visionaries of care who see the world as both it is and what it could become. They navigate its vulnerable complexity while imagining hopeful possibilities over the long-term (ten to twenty-five years or more). Careshapers prioritize understanding the causes and consequences of precarity and testing solutions, remedies, and therapies to cultivate systemic prosperity across ecosystems. Often seen as idealistic and innovative, careshapers challenge norms and encourage communities to envision better futures. Their ability to demystify complexity and share broad perspectives ensures knowledge and inspiration are passed across generations.

How to use it?

Follow these general steps to apply the Care Well framework in expanding awareness of care at all levels, including personal, familial, community-wide, and planetary. For another more detailed approach, take a look at the resource guide for ArtsPond's Care Game.

Expand awareness of care needs
Identify care roles and dynamics
Recognize barriers and opportunities
Co-design care practices
Promote holistic care solutions
Reflect and iterate

By approaching care as a multi-dimensional and interconnected system, the Care Well framework helps expand awareness of what care entails and how it can be effectively provided at every scale, from the personal to the planetary.

Examples in arts and culture

1. Public art

A collaborative network of artists, cultural workers, and community organizers comes together to create a public arts initiative focused on promoting mental health and resilience in underserved communities. By using the Care Well framework, the team identifies their care personalities and designs a multifaceted program addressing immediate and long-term needs.

2. Youth

A young artist, recently out of school, is navigating the complexities of balancing personal, family, and community responsibilities while building a creative career. They are a caregiver for chronically ill family members and volunteer in a mutual aid network that connects careseekers and caregivers. They aspire to use their creative practice to help care for other chronically ill and disabled individuals, eventually founding a community organization that challenges societal norms and fosters a more caring society. However, they face challenges in finding the support they need to realize their vision.

Justice Well

Spatial, Socioeconomic, Environmental, Disability, Digital

Illuminate Well

Courage, Power, Privilege, Process, Wisdom