What happens when food insecurity and arts funding collide? In this conversation, Angela Meleca and Lynnette Shy (Confluence Art Solutions) explore how we can discuss the arts’ impact in a world where millions face hunger and crises of basic needs. Angela challenges arts leaders to reframe their messaging so it isn’t tone-deaf to broader societal struggles—arguing that art is food for the human spirit.
Together, they unpack how arts participation strengthens empathy, confidence, and belonging—the same human outcomes that sustain communities through hardship. The two discuss whether decades of undervaluing arts education have led to a creativity deficit, how automation has reshaped our sense of humanity, and why creativity may be the only truly cross-sector skill that connects us all.
This is a powerful conversation about reframing relevance: positioning the arts not as “extra,” but as essential nourishment for human resilience and connection.
This is ARTS Redefined.
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www.melecacreative.com
www.https://confluence-arts.com/