Talks & Workshops
I give talks and lead workshops on creative activism, art in public space, and how to make the impossible possible. I’ve spoken at universities, museums, conferences, and festivals across six continents — from the United Nations to a church basement.
Whether it’s a keynote for thousands or a workshop with a dozen organizers, I bring the same energy: practical tools, laughs and surprises, and a belief in the power of the arts to shape our world.
Featured talks
Eyeo Festival — Closing keynote
The closing talk at Eyeo Festival in Minneapolis, a room full of artists, engineers, and technologists. I used the opportunity to ask the audience to volunteer their skills working with social movements, and told some stories about the 2016 AIDS Conference that I’d been waiting to tell.
frank Gathering — Creative activism in action
A 10-minute talk about one of our favorite projects at the Center for Artistic Activism – how we worked with the Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce to win campaigns in South Africa. Presented at the frank Gathering hosted by the Center for Public Interest Communications.
What I talk about
Creative activism & social change
How artists and activists can work more effectively. Drawing on two decades of projects and the work of the Center for Artistic Activism with organizations on six continents.
Art in public space
Why the street, the billboard, and the town square are the most important galleries. How public art can create meaningful interactions — and what happens when it does.
Utopia & imagining futures
What happens when we take utopian thinking seriously – not as escapism but as a practical tool for social change. Why the question “what kind of world do we want?” can lead to bringing that world closer to ours.
Capitalism, economics & culture
The intersection of art, economics, and public conversation — drawing on Capitalism Works For Me! True/False and a decade of conversations with thousands of people about whether the system works.
Selected venues
Talks, keynotes, panels, and workshops at universities, museums, conferences, and cultural institutions around the world.
Universities
- Harvard University
- Yale University
- Carnegie Mellon University
- RISD
- Parsons School of Design
- Bennington College
- Columbia College
- Grand Valley State University
- University of Florida
Museums & institutions
- United Nations
- U.S. Department of State
- New Museum, NYC
- Queens Museum, NYC
- Weatherspoon Art Museum
- deCordova Museum
- Eyebeam Art + Technology Center
- Creative Time
- Artsadmin, London
Conferences & festivals
- Prix Ars Electronica, Austria
- Re:Publica, Berlin
- Eyeo Festival, Minneapolis
- Transmediale, Berlin
- frank Gathering, Florida
- Festival of Live Art, Melbourne
- NeON Festival, Scotland
- 2degrees Festival, London
Workshops
Independently and through the Center for Artistic Activism, I lead workshops that give participants practical tools for making their activism more creative and their creative work more effective.
For organizations & movements
Multi-day intensive workshops for advocacy organizations, NGOs, and social movements. We’ve worked with groups around the world – from South Africa to Moldova to here in the United States.
For conferences & universities
Half-day and full-day workshops for conferences, academic departments, and student groups. Hands-on, participatory, and designed to leave people with ideas they can use immediately. Available as a standalone session or paired with a talk.
Interested in having me speak?
I’m available for keynotes, artist talks, panels, and workshops. I’m happy to tailor a presentation to your audience and event.
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