Arts Unscriptedwith Monica Holt

A great exhibition or performance can draw people in, but a strong institutional brand shapes how they understand the experience—and whether they feel invited to return.

As our attention becomes increasingly fragmented, the value of being fully present together has never been greater. The most memorable experiences go beyond spectacle and create a clear sense of place, invite participation, and give people something meaningful to feel together.

Join Monica Holt for a live recording of Arts Unscripted with Marc Bamuthi Joseph, an internationally acclaimed cultural strategist, spoken word artist, and Chief of Impact at SOZO.

A festival lasts only a few weeks or months each year, but the work of leading one never stops.

Beth Callen follows her curiosity wherever the music leads. A multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and educator, she has traveled from indie folk stages and an all-female Guns N’ Roses tribute band to some of Broadway’s most acclaimed productions, including Head Over Heels, A Strange Loop, Suffs, and now The Lost Boys. 

Victor Vazquez has spent his career expanding the possibilities of who gets seen onstage and whose stories Broadway embraces. As the founder of X Casting and casting director for CATS: The Jellicle Ball, Victor has helped build one of the most joyful, original, and culturally electric productions of the season from the ground up.

Allison Blackwell knows the power of ensemble storytelling firsthand. Currently appearing in Ragtime at Lincoln Center Theater as Sarah’s Friend, Allison is part of the acclaimed company behind one of Broadway’s most resonant productions this season. She has built a career defined by extraordinary versatility, emotional depth, and a deep commitment to collaboration onstage. 

Creative work is often romanticized as spontaneous: a flash of inspiration, a breakthrough moment, a burst of talent. In reality, many artists discover that creativity is less about sudden genius and more about the systems, rituals, and relationships that help ideas grow over time.

Arts organizations thrive when teams stop operating in parallel and begin building together.