Renewal Well

What is it?

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, ripples, responses, remedies, and resources.

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)

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?

Examples in arts and culture

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.