Renewal Well

ArtsPond's Renewal Well is a care-centered guide to unpacking and addressing complex barriers to prosperity and justice. Embracing perspectives from the personal to the planetary, it is based on five interconnected stages or streams, including:

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.