COVID-19 transformed how San Francisco nonprofits serve unhoused communities. This episode features leaders like Kevin Adler (Miracle Messages), Shannon Eizenga (Gubbio Project), Mary Kate Bacalao (Compass Family Services), and researchers from Foundations for Social Change. When food pantry demand exploded from 800 to 20,000 monthly requests, organizations innovated with virtual buddy systems, guaranteed income programs, and hotel-based wraparound services. Key findings: Direct cash transfers ($500-$7,500) helped people exit homelessness faster without increasing substance use, saving governments money. Solutions include layering comprehensive support—housing, healthcare, employment, counseling—and replacing police with compassionate alternative response teams. The crisis revealed that addressing the root cause—lack of money—combined with community connection, creates lasting stability.

Peak pandemic hunger. Collapsing safety nets. Radical local solutions. This highlight episode maps how communities fought to keep food, dignity, and essential services flowing.

Part one opens a three-episode highlight arc drawn from our special COVID-19 series. During the pandemic's depths, the series provided a platform for local businesses to share their services and struggles. Across this highlight episode, Bay Area entrepreneurs and experts unpack small-business survival—what failed, what worked, and what’s next.

Former Mayor Michael Tubbs, community organizers, students, and educators share insights on Stockton's reinvention through collaborative initiatives addressing violence, educational inequities, and authentic community engagement.

Stockton’s reinvention is collective. Family, faith, and Black history nurture young leaders, reinforced by high expectations and visible role models, urging the city to unite. Mentorship opens doors:Phoenix Scholars guides first-gen, low-income students from junior year to college. Cross-sector coalitions confront safety, health, blight, housing, culture, and inclusion citywide.

This episode explores how arts drive economic impact, elevate youth leadership, and influence policy, offering innovative solutions through cultural equity, creative workforce development, and civic engagement. Discover more by listening to this full episode of "Where Arts Meets Impact Season Two Highlights Part Two".

How can we ensure artists thrive? Speakers from the California Arts and Culture Summit tackle three key issues: the economic instability facing artists, the challenge of integrating arts into healthcare, and the need for new business models beyond traditional non-profits. Solutions include guaranteed income programs, "Arts on Prescription" partnerships, and fostering artist entrepreneurship. Hear the innovators behind these ideas. Discover more by listening to the full episode of "Where Arts Meets Impact Season Two Highlights Part One".

This compilation explores how arts organizations and community leaders are tackling key issues like affordable artist housing, economic development through creativity, and vital arts funding in our communities.

In this special highlight show of the Arts for a Better Bay Area "State of the Arts Summit" - Maria Jensen, Ralph Remington, Jonathan Moscone, Jenny Cohn, Cary McClelland, and Vallie Brown outline equitable funding, creative‑workforce jobs, tech‑enabled access, and audience retention tactics powering a resilient cultural revival across the Bay Area’s arts ecosystem

In this episode of Where Art Meets Impact, guests Kristen Sakota, Michael Alexander, Ron Muriera, Meghna Bhat, and Josiah Bruny discuss arts advocacy, economic empowerment, storytelling, arts and health, and youth leadership—offering solutions for funding, policy change, and community engagement. Watch, listen, and get inspired!

Join us as we highlight powerful insights from the California Arts & Culture Summit, featuring discussions on fair pay standards, reimagining creative economy education, and the importance of place-keeping. Hear expert recommendations and solutions that empower artists and communities while addressing systemic challenges. Discover how you can take action to support the arts.

Our Panelists discuss homelessness solutions, emphasizing long-term housing, safety, mental health support, and community collaboration. They highlight actionable ways to get involved through donations and volunteering.

This episode of Voices of the Community, recorded live at the California Arts & Culture Summit, highlights policy wins like Fresno's Measure P and the California Creative Corps. Join arts leaders as they discuss advocacy, partnerships, and data-driven strategies to elevate the creative economy and tackle issues like equity and climate resilience.

Host George Koster interviews leaders from local organizations supporting San Francisco’s unhoused community. They discuss post-pandemic challenges, innovative programs like family reunification, safe spaces, and basic income pilots. Listeners are encouraged to volunteer, advocate for supportive policies, and promote safe spaces to drive meaningful change.

In "Building Better Bridges in the Arts Economy - Case Making for Collaboration," Tracy Hudak and Jackie Melendez discuss the vital intersection of arts advocacy, economic development, and urban planning. Learn how artists and cultural organizations can engage local governments to ensure the arts are recognized as essential for inclusive economic development and a thriving community.

Join us as experts discuss the challenges and solutions at the intersection of creativity and technology. Learn strategies for navigating fair pay, disruption, and resource access to build a more sustainable and equitable future for the creative sector.

Join us for a crucial conversation on economic justice in the arts. We'll explore how gentrification, redlining, and the power of ownership impact artists and communities. Hear from cultural leaders fighting for equity. Listen and discover how art can drive change.

Join us for a discussion on the powerful intersection of art and health, featuring experts from Stanford University, Art Pharmacy, and Johns Hopkins, University of San Francisco and NeuroArts Blueprint. Discover the evidence-based impact of arts on well-being and innovative programs integrating arts into healthcare.

Welcome to the first episode of our second season, shining a spotlight on the vibrant and resilient arts and culture scene, a driving force in our community's identity and well-being. Our second season features highlights from the second annual California Arts & Culture Summit, organized by our partner California for the Arts with the theme, "Art Work is Real Work,".

Dive into the innovative world of the Artist Space Trust: Revolutionizing artist housing with unique real estate solutions! Meg Shiffler, the esteemed Director of the Artist Space Trust, graces us once again with her presence, offering profound insights into the Trust’s mission, its vital role in protecting artists’ legacies, and how creatives can actively participate in shaping their futures.