Arts & Culture

From artistic collaborations to creative problem solving, the arts have the power to lift us up and transform our future. These stories celebrate art, creativity, and culture in all its forms.

Image: Person pulling the deckel off of a freshly made piece of paper

Turn Your Junk Mail into a Masterpiece: How to Make Paper!

Stop throwing away your junk mail! With a little water, that recycling could become your next notebook, card, or to-do list. Let's rethink our conceptions of waste and think critically about recycling, all with a fun new activity: paper-making!

5 min read

These Moving Mirrors Reveal a New Reflection of Yourself

Have you ever peered into a mirror made of troll dolls, penguins, or folding fans? Dive into this artist's world to see yourself in entirely new ways!

5 min read

Image: a mushroom foraging trip -- basket with a knife and some found mushrooms

Miss Traveling? Join This Mushroom-Hunting Adventure in Romania!

Have you been bitten by the travel bug recently? Join us on a trip to a dinner table far far away to enjoy the delicacies and adventures of a place you probably have never been to before!

5 min read

Shattered Glass Portraits Highlight Beauty in What’s Broken

Let's think big about the possibilities of materials we encounter every day! Playing with light, transparency, and dimension, Swiss artist Simon Berger creates stunning portraits with nothing but a pane of glass and a hammer. His work shows us that whether it's by recycling, creating art, or just reusing, everything can be repurposed.

5 min read

Embracing the Spice of Life: Why Grow the World’s Hottest Pepper?

Can following our passions lead to a world-wide phenomenon? When Smokin' Ed Currie invented the Carolina Reaper, he was driven by curiosity and creativity, inspired by one question: how hot can a pepper get?

5 min read

The Secret for Success Hidden in a Paper Cut

Could there be a secret to success so easy that anyone of us can use it no matter our talent or or skill level? This artist may have stumbled upon a recipe for success that any one of us could start on right this moment. Here's how to "just do it" with the Tiny Blades Project!

5 min read

Image: Emmi Peltonen jumping in the air in the arctic rink

Pushing the Limits of Our Passions: Figure Skating in the Arctic Circle

Want to reignite a passion of yours? There's always something new to learn, even with something we've been mastering for decades. We're heading to the Arctic Circle to discover how one master tested her limits, skating into entirely unknown territory and creating one of the most beautiful performances we've seen.

5 min read

Image: People on boats going down a canal in Giethoorn

How This Little Town Survives without Roads or Cars

What if you never had to hear the sound of cars outside of your window again? For the residents of this Netherlandish town, that's reality: most of Giethoorn isn't accessible by four wheels, but rather by canal boat! Here's a lovely look at a world without roads.