Social Arts for Dialogue Podcast

The episode opens questions on intuition as a form of knowing, the responsibility of “decentering” in leadership, and the role of mentorship in shifting the field. A conversation from 5 years ago with Marc Weinblatt, founder of Mandala Center for Change, tracing a life and practice of listening, balance, and social transformation. Reflecting on hiw work with applied theatre, Marc reflects on the interplay between action and reflection as the Yin and the Yang of Social Arts Practice.Read more and connect with Marc' and his work at:https://www.mandalaforchange.com/about/our-teamStay tuned to the part 2 of this conversation and our next episode Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

A conversation with Luca Urbano, co-founder of Inhabit, exploring ecological corridors as living infrastructures that reconnect fragmented landscapes in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. He describes these corridors as pathways that allow key species like jaguars to move freely, restoring ecological balance. The conversation frames corridors through systems thinking—as networks that exchange energy and information, capable of regenerating when protected.A central shift emerges from ownership to stewardship, where people act as caretakers and advocates for nature. Luca introduces pagamento, a practice of giving back to the land through intention and reciprocity, supporting both ecological and cultural renewal. Inhabit extends this approach through tools like blockchain-based stewardship, enabling global participation in protecting biocultural territories.If you want to go deeper, you can explore more about their work at inhabit.one, and also follow the parallel thread of Soilify soilify.it, an emerging project mentioned in the episode that translates soil data into a sensory experience to foster emotional connection with the earth. To stay connected with the wider research and practice, you can join the Substack, consider becoming a paid subscriber, or take part in the upcoming practice spaces over here: lu.ma/mentoring Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

This month’s Living Library revisits a flashback episode from the first season of Imagine Action: Social Arts Across Borders, returning to a conversation recorded over five years ago with Ravi Resck, presented as a time-travel capsule whose insights remain strikingly relevant today. Ravi reflects on how growing up within a family engaged in social-environmental theatre and grassroots social entrepreneurship in Brazil shaped his commitment to curiosity, social justice, and independent thinking. Looking ahead, Ravi shares a vision of an ecocentric society grounded in “mollification,” shifting from large centralized systems toward localized cycles of production and care, and concludes by reflecting on the ImaginAction network as a living organism sustained through shared rituals, transparent onboarding, and light, adaptable agreements rather than rigid institutional structures. Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

The Legislative Rainbow is a participatory theatrical methodology that blends Augusto Boal’s Rainbow of Desire and Legislative Theatre, adapted for small communities. It enables groups to surface shared tensions, embody collective desires and “demons,” and rapidly co-create living norms and codes of conduct.Read more about the practice on the website and the resources it offers: legislativerainbow.com Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

In this Living Library, Uri talks with Marina Pallarès Elias, a theater practitioner and researcher, about her journey creating the Theatre of Yes! Together, we explore how theater can drive social transformation while maintaining artistic quality.Follow-up links:* Theatre of Yes Online (5th Edition) training register on Eventbrite* Learn more about Marina Pallers and the Theatre of Yes* ImaginAction Upcoming events on Lu.ma and Theatre that ReconnectsSee below a presentation made by NotebookLM based on this conversation Do consider becoming a paid subscriber an support our work with ImaginAction Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

Through the Spiral — Day 2 | Honoring the PainThrough the Spiral is a 5-day collective journey rooted in the Work That Reconnects (Joanna Macy), Mutima Imani’s Expanded Spiral model, and Theatre that Reconnects (Uri Noy Meir)—exploring gratitude, grief, new vision, liberation, and integration through embodied, collective practice.Day 2 focused on Honoring the Pain as a necessary passage toward liberation. Through sharing, deep listening, and playback theatre and social presencing theatre, participants gave voice to personal and ancestral grief.🌱 Interested in supporting or joining Through the Spiral 2026 and the Fellowship (from Feb 2026)?Reach out — at [email protected] Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

Ruth Cross reflects on her experience during our 2016 journey with ImaginAction. As we prepare for our next Learning Journey to Senegal (2026), we invite you to be part of opening THE Regenerative Arts Fellowship—where arts and community meet.🌍 Join or Support the Journey:https://opencollective.com/imaginactionet/events/senegal-learning-journey-2026-6a58c373✨ Upcoming Sessions 💫 Embodied Teamwork — Using Theatre to Build Trust and FlowHosted by Uri Noy Meir📅 Wed, Nov 5, 2025 — 2:30 PM GMT+1 (30 min, Zoom)Explore how simple embodied practices can deepen trust and connection.🔗 Join for free🌿 Making Space for Connection — Shifting AwarenessHosted by Uri Noy Meir📅 Wed, Nov 12, 2025 — 2:15 PM GMT+1 (30 min, Zoom)A short experiential session to practice presence and attunement in virtual spaces.🔗 Join for free🎭 Beyond the News — Theatre in the Post-Digital World📅 Thu, Nov 6 – Thu, Dec 4, 2025An in-depth 5-week online course exploring newspaper theatre and social polarization in the 21st century.🎟️ Super Early Bird (€75) | 🎓 Scholarships available (€100, +donation)🔗 Register here (need extra support to join in, let us know)🌱 Theatre That Reconnects — Practice SpaceNext session: Fri, Nov 28, 2025 — 14:15 CETAn embodied, participatory space blending The Work That Reconnects, Theatre of the Oppressed, Social Presencing Theatre, and Dragon Dreaming. This is a caring, open environment for previous participants and new explorers alike—to practice techniques, share stories, and deepen connection within this emerging field.💧 Pay-what-you-want (including 0€): Register here Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

Ten years ago, this journey changed many of our lives. As Ruth Cross shared from our 2016 experience in the video aboveJoin us, support, or sponsor a participant:👉 Senegal Learning Journey 2026#TheatreThatReconnects #KadduYaraax #ImaginAction #AppliedTheatre #LearningJourney #Senegal2026 Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

In a heartfelt conversation with Uri, Maoz Inon shares his journey of grief and transformation following the October 7th Hamas attack, in which he lost his parents, close friends, and their children. Born in a kibbutz near the Gaza border, Maoz describes life since the attack as a freefall into an abyss of violence and despair. Yet, he insists that hope must be made, not found—and that hope is born through action. Despite the pain, Maoz chooses the path of radical forgiveness, inspired by Palestinian peace activists who also lost loved ones. He has forgiven both Hamas and the Israeli government, framing forgiveness as a form of self-liberation. For Maoz, the way forward lies in focusing on a shared future, rooted in values like dignity, equality, and healing, rather than being trapped in irreconcilable past narratives. His vision is bold: peace between Israel and Palestine by 2030, guided by a five-step path—dreaming, agreeing on values, building partnerships, creating a roadmap, and taking action. Through initiatives like reopening the Fauzi Azar guesthouse as a peace retreat, organizing mass peace rallies, and co-authoring The Future is Peace with Aziz Abu Sarah, Maoz puts vision into practice. He and Uri close by reaffirming the power of small, committed actions to ignite hope even in the darkest times. Follow up links https://www.iinteract.orghttps://linktr.ee/maozinon https://linktr.ee/urinoymeirhttps://imaginaction.org Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

Adrian Hales works with people to awaken their innate well-being, peace, and happiness, guiding them to live, lead, and create from there. Success flows naturally, coming from an inner sense of well-being, so you're not waiting for success to feel happiness, joy, love, enthusiasm, and engagement. You’re coming from that. We had a powerful conversation full of story and wisdom on the Lviing Library!Stay tuned and read Adrian’s wisdom on Substack Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to this Episode where we enter a conversation with Inger-Mette about rebuilding the Library of Alexandria. We explore the Gaia theory by listening to the earth as well as the Delphic Council and its connection to the arts, culture, and wisdom. Join us in shaping our understanding of the world, and the necessity of aligning with our inner selves and the wisdom of the earth.Inger-Mette Stenseth: “- in this context, I am an imaginator!Being part of the global and distributed team of Imaginaction, gives me hope. I come from a place of everyday creativity and life as our playground. In the commercial stage of the fashion business, the highest zest is transformation. The arts and the creative art of living life in all its diversity, we even transcend our complex challenges – and community and hope rise. Imagine that!”Interdisciplinary Curator – creative entrepreneurship for a sustainable future.Inge Mette is both founder and galvanising force behind ground-breaking deep ecology projects that bring together specialists in business, the Arts, science and education from around the globe. Dedicated to positive interaction with the natural environment and cultural preservation, her work has included: Augural Youth conference at the Library of Alexandria, Egypt, co-founding 360hub Global ( 2001) co-founding of World Climate School (2020). As part of the Nordic Scene, and the Nordic Think Academy, she is on the board of Norwegian Climate Network, Climatfestival §112, and Project Manager for different youth projects funded by Erasmus Plus, Europe: www.c6world.euInger-Mette Stenseth is a trained facilitator in System Thinking and brings forward creativity as a meta-skill in bringing forward transformative and systemic change. Based on her fashion enterprise in Norway, circular economy and sustainable fashion is her strategic profile.She lives in the city of Molde, Norway – in the northwestern part of Norway – and facilitate online to all corners of the world. The situation of Covid19 has accelerated international projects, and the rethink of the rethink is part of her build back better perspectives. Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

Play and Learn more about Elowyn at:https://www.earthwise.global/elowyn-gameDr. Anneloes Smitsman (Ph.D., LLM), is the founder and CEO of the EARTHwise companies. She is a futurist, serial entrepreneur, systems scientist, award-winning pioneer in human development and systems change, and award-winning bestselling author. She leads the EARTHwise faculty and is the lead architect of the EARTHwise Constitution and architect of the EARTHwise Game, Elowyn: Quest of TIme. She was awarded the 2022 Visioneers Lifetime Achievement Award and was crowned overall African winner in the category "Human Development" of the 2022 Africa’s Most Respected CEOs Awards by The Business Executive in collaboration with the Economic Development Board Mauritius. She is also a winner of the BIZZ 2022 Business Excellence Award by WORLDCOB. She holds a Master’s degree in Law and Judicial Political Sciences from Leiden University, the Netherlands, and received a degree of Doctor from the Maastricht Sustainability Institute at the School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, the Netherlands. Anneloes is based in Mauritius and the Netherlands. Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

Bernardette Castilho brings her book to the Living Library, Bernardette's travels using the 12 senses, a concept from anthroposophy, in places such as France, Germany, Italy, and Egypt, and places connected to women such as Matilda of Canossa, Mary Magdalene, and the Templars. Join us in reflecting on how a historical person's biography could be a doorway into discovering the self with others. Highlights from the conversation:● Matilda's importance as a historical figure and her role in the history of women's rights.●The interconnectedness of personal research and self-discovery.● The concept of incarnation and the connections between past and present.●The importance of sharing knowledge and inspiring others.●The role of travel and exploration in connecting with history and research.Overall, Bernardet's episode demonstrates that active hope can be found in the act of discovery, the study of history, and the exploration of connections between the past and the present, all of which can inspire personal and societal transformation. Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

David Diamond's episode of The Living Library focuses on the themes of certainty and uncertainty, drawing from his 45 years of experience with creating Theatre for Living. David emphasizes that while humans desire certainty, especially in chaotic times, the only certainty is that there is no certainty. He stresses the importance of being a good observer, listener, and creative artist while trusting the communities with whom he works to make the experience relevant to them. David shares personal stories to highlight how the impact of our actions is often unknown and unpredictable.David Diamond's talk emphasizes embracing uncertainty, the unpredictable impact of our actions, and active hope as a process of envisioning and creating a better future, not as a passive emotion. The group conversation explores how embracing uncertainty, instead of attempting to control all outcomes, can be a catalyst for creativity and change. Finally, they explore how to meet the shadow and embrace it becomes a creative force, as we recognize it, we can let go of pre-determined results. The next episode will feature Bernadette Castilho from Brazil, who responded to the call of the living library, and brings the story of writing a book on a woman that maybe many people do not know about, but is so central to all of us. Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe

The Living Library of Active Hope features conversations with individuals seen as "living books" sharing their stories, practices, and dreams of active hope. In this first conversation with Hector, Uri and the guests discuss his work with Reconnectando in Colombia and the practice of the "Council of All Beings”. This practice invites us to listen to the voices of the more-than-human world, such as animals, plants, and ecosystems, to challenge human anthropocentrism and recognize our interdependence. It involves a process of deep listening, dance, and theater, as ways to embody and integrate these “otherized” voices.key points from Hector's conversation:●"Council of All Beings” lowers the boundaries between humans and nature.●It reminds us of our role in the web of life and helps us reimagine new ways of being.●It is a space for creativity and Neopoetics, bringing new stories into the world.●Rituals are symbolic acts that can become transformative ways to honor our losses.● The Council connected us to ancestral wisdom inspiring action and healing.* We discussed possible follow-up workshops and learning journeys, to come soon.The next conversation in the Living Library is with David Diamond, with whom we explore the themes of certainty and uncertainty. Get full access to ImaginAction's SubSpace at imaginaction.substack.com/subscribe