Tag 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.

3 min read

IMAGE: A pile of junk sitting in the outdoors, of which almost anything could be a flute!

Finding Music in the Mundane: Xavier Lozano Turns Everyday Objects into… Flutes?

Could that carrot be a flute? What about the wheel of your chair, or the hairbrush on your dresser? Xavier Lozano has been creating flutes out of everyday objects for close to 30 years, inspiring us all to think a little differently about how things appear at first glance.

11 min read

Image: Three Kukeri dancers walking through the streets of Belgium.

Monsters You Must See: The Bulgarian Kukeri Dance Away Evil

Why are people in Bulgaria dressing up in elaborate fur costumes and dancing through the streets at night in the dead of winter? Join us as we explore the wild, strange, and awesome tradition of Kukeri, and learn what it means to gather for the greater good—whether you are superstitious or not!

8 min read/watch

Image: Assorted bread being sold at a bakery

Beyond the Ruins: Baking Bread Like the Ancient Romans

Are you a bread-lover? Perhaps you were a pandemic sourdough baker—or lived with one. Maybe you are always on the search for a good crusty baguette, or to you there is nothing better than a piece of toast slathered in your favorite peanut butter. Wherever you fall, you are a part of a long lineage of loaf-lovers that dates back 14,000 thousand years.

66 min listen

Feeling Stuck? Use Street Wisdom to Navigate the World with More Curiosity with David Pearl (Episode #139)

Having a reliable routine for getting fresh perspectives and ideas can be a sanity-saver and a path to opening up new potential almost every day for you. In this episode, we learn about just such a path with David Pearl, who is leading a movement—Street Wisdom—that can be an energizing, simple way to find answers to small daily quandaries and your most challenging problems. And best of all, it’s a free, ever changing way to boost your sense of joy, wonder and well-being.

Image: A player for the Savannah Bananas doing a backflip off of a barrel in front of a cheering crowd.

The Savannah Bananas Bring Fun and Excitement to America’s Favorite Pastime

Have you heard of the Savannah Bananas? This Georgia based team has hit a real home run with their mission: to make baseball fans first, and most of all, fun! Roasting s’mores during a game, going up to bat on stilts, and a dancing umpire are just the tip of the iceberg of antics that go on at these games. And they make this, as the Bananas like to call it, the greatest show in sports!

5 min read

Image: Natalya Kishchuk, a Hutsul weaver from Ukraine weaves a traditional blanket on a loom

Ukraine Family Uses Etsy to Keep Heirloom Weaving Tradition Alive

In the Carpathian mountains of Ukraine, the Kischuk family has taken to the internet to keep the centuries old tradition of weaving lizhnyk blankets alive. From sheep to final shipping, Natalya Kischuk and her husband Yaroslov, along with their children, use traditional methods handed down for generations to craft beautiful blankets, rugs, and clothing that are now enjoyed by people around the globe.

Do As The Aussies Do, Lose the Shoes!

What’s the deal with Australians being barefoot all the time? Dip your toes into the history behind a cultural tradition that began just after WWII and remains prevalent to this day. You may just walk away feeling relaxed, with a newfound appreciation for your own feet!

Image: girl jumping rope double dutch style

How the Jump Rope Became an Elite Sport and a Symbol of Community

Double dutch may be one of the most underrated sports out there. These young athletes combine football star levels of footwork with the flexibility of gymnasts and the speed of sprinters. Better yet, they are a part of a community built to give them the support and love they need. Now this is inspiring!

5 min read

Symphony of Broken Instruments Raises Money for Philadelphia Music Programs

What do you do with a gymnasium full of broken instruments? Play them! Check out how this symphony of broken instruments repaired a community.

5 min read

Image: Japan's "Do-Nothing Guy" walking through Tokyo

Tokyo’s “Do-Nothing Guy” Shows Us the Power In Being Present for Others

Would you rent a guy to do absolutely nothing? In a society where productivity is praised, can someone make a living by just being around? Today we’re introducing Shoji Morimoto, Tokyo’s “Do-Nothing Guy”, who gets paid to simply show up. He’s enriching the lives of others without hardly saying a word, and his approach to making a career out of his seemingly useless talent is brilliant. Here’s why.

5 min read

Image: Three Andean children standing next to an alpaca in Cusco, Peru, smiling.

How Indigenous Knowledge Helped Plant Over 3 Million Trees in the Andes

Over 30 years, the work of one man eventually brought together 25,000 families to make an immeasurable difference in the lives of his community for generations to come. Using Indigenous knowledge to save the planet saves lives, and that has never been easier. How, you ask?

Image: People standing on a subway platform in NYC, a train rushing behind them. The place where Benny plays his trombone, after the accident where he lost all his memories.

If You Lost 29 Years of Memories, What Would Bring You Back to Life?

After a car accident, Benny couldn’t remember his name, that he had a son, or even where he was. But Benny had a trombone, and he did remember one thing: how to play it. With that, he brought his music to the street to bring joy to others.

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