S3 Ep12: Field Building with Käthe Swaback and Matt D'Arrigo

In this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Ashraf and Jeff discuss the field building support of the Creative Youth Development (CYD) field of practice in the United States. Ashraf interviews Kaäthe Swaback from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and Matt D’Arrigo from the Clare Rose Foundation and their work with the CYD Funders Forum. Ashraf and Jeff discuss definitions, multiple perspectives, power, and responsibilities to cultivate the conditions for this field to thrive!

In this episode you’ll learn:

  • How the many perspectives we bring from our past work can contribute to field-building a community of practice;

  • The ways that funders share knowledge and contribute to intertwined strategies; and 

  • Why we should invest small acts into a greater momentum of change.

Some things from the episode:

  • Clare Rose Center for Creative Youth Development: https://clarerosecenterforcyd.org/

  • Mass Cultural Council’s Creative Youth Development (CYD): https://massculturalcouncil.org/creative-youth-development/

  • CultureRx: Social Prescription pilot: https://massculturalcouncil.org/blog/study-unveils-benefits-recommendations-for-social-prescription/

  • Raw Art Works: https://www.rawartworks.org/

  • The Boston Youth Arts Evaluation Project: https://massculturalcouncil.org/creative-youth-development/boston-youth-arts-evaluation-project/

  • CYD National Partnership: https://www.creativeyouthdevelopment.org/

  • Youth Arts Impact Network: https://youthartsimpactnetwork.weebly.com/

  • 3C Data Alliance: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XYgdYZep1Xzs2n5PEx2e5vlH5gkHC5Zo/view

  • Ten dimensions of powerful arts education: https://hewlett.org/powerful-arts-education-practice/

  • Sign up for the CYD Funders forum by emailing katie@clarerosefoundation.org 


About Käthe Swaback

Käthe Swaback is a visual artist and arts administrator with an M.A. in art therapy. In 2019, Käthe joined Mass Cultural Council’s Creative Youth Development (CYD) team where she also co-leads the arts and health initiative, CultureRx: Social Prescription pilot. Her passion for exploring the impact of the intersections of social justice, health, and community building through the arts stems from and is fueled by over 25 years of work as an art therapist and program director in CYD organizations and collaborating in CYD initiatives (Raw Art Works, The Boston Youth Arts Evaluation Project, the CYD National Partnership, and currently, the Youth Arts Impact Network, and the 3C Data Alliance).

About Matt D’Arrigo

Matt D’Arrigo has dedicated the past 20 years of his life to being a champion and advocate for the arts and young people. He is the Director of Creative Youth Development at the Clare Rose Foundation and the Co-Founder of The Clare Rose Center for Creative Youth Development (CYD) in San Diego, CA. The Center is a backbone organization and philanthropic intermediary established to ensure that CYD funders, practitioners, organizations, and young people have access to the resources, tools, opportunities, and relationships they need to thrive. With a small team, D’Arrigo oversees local, regional, and national strategy, investments, advocacy, coalition building, and field building activities.

Prior to joining Clare Rose Foundation, D’Arrigo was the Founder and CEO of A Reason To Survive (ARTS), a nationally recognized CYD organization based in National City, CA. His work with ARTS was the subject of the 2013 Academy Award winning documentary short “Inocente”, featured on the Today Show, was a case study in the New York Times best-selling book "Decisive" by Chip and Dan Heath, and profiled in Darius Graham’s book “Being the Difference: True Stories of Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things to Change the World”. His work in philanthropy with Clare Rose was recently featured in the New York Times.

D’Arrigo is co-founder of the National CYD Funders Forum and Arts Amplifying Youth (AAY!). He sits on the boards of the National Guild for Community Arts Education, Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties, and is Vice-Chair of the San Diego Regional Arts & Culture Coalition. He also sits on the National Partnership for Creative Youth Development and the Arts Ed Impact Group for Grant Makers for Education.

This episode was produced by Ashraf Hasham. The artwork is by Bridget Woodbury. The audio is edited by Katie Rainey. This podcasts’ theme music is by Distant Cousins. For more information on this episode, episode transcripts, and Creative Generation please visit the episode’s web page and follow us on social media @Campaign4GenC.