INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINED CREATIVITY

Conversation Book Tours

**Eastern Michigan University** **(2017)**
*Artist as Culture Producer* Book Event.

ISC’s Living and Sustaining a Creative Life grassroots conversation book tours form the foundation of much of our programming and services. Since launching the first tour in 2013, these convenings have generated a rich body of collected data including insights, statistics, and surveys that continue to inform and guide our work. With more than 180 events held across the U.S. and abroad, engaging over 12,000 participants, every gathering advances our mission to support artists and strengthen creative communities.

At each place we visit, we convene diverse voices by cross-pollinating contributors from the books with local artists, critics, curators, thought leaders, nonprofit organizations, and members of the public. These conversations create space for shared learning, collective insight, pragmatic problem-solving, sharing resources, and developing a deeper understanding of the essential role artists play in society today.

Learn more about the series —> LiveSustain.org

Learn more about the data collected —> “What Do Artists Want, What Do Artists Need?

Formats:

**Brisbane, Australia (2017)**
Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA)
*Artist as Culture Producer* Conversation Book Event

Public forums and town halls
Open, community-centered conversations that support dialogue and collective problem-solving.
Panels and symposia
Structured discussions featuring diverse perspectives across disciplines and sectors.
Workshops
Practical, participatory gatherings focused on strategy, tools, and shared learning.
Facilitated conversations and informal exchange
Get-togethers for connection among artists, arts leaders, and organizations.
Exhibitions and curatorial projects
Formal platforms in museums and other nonprofit spaces that extend dialogue into public, experiential contexts.

**Bath, UK (2017)**
*Artist as Culture Producer* Book Event, with Anita Taylor, Executive Dean of Bath Art School of Design, Bath Spa University, United Kingdom.

Essential Details:

Critical issues are addressed that shape artists’ lives today, including financial security, healthcare, retirement, and the often patchworked realities of sustaining creative work. By listening closely to artists’ needs and aspirations, we develop pragmatic solutions that extend well beyond individual events.
Our work affirms artists as essential contributors to the well-being of others—not only through what they create, but through how they think, live, and engage with the world. The arts remain one of the last platforms for true freedom of expression, and our convenings actively reinforce that role.
Participants leave with tangible outcomes: clear, actionable pathways toward sustaining creative lives. These conversations support artists directly while also reframing public understanding of the value that artists bring to society.
We believe these exchanges are both timely and urgent. Held in brave, public spaces, they empower artists to engage in civic dialogue and foster intergenerational connections that generate new and meaningful opportunities.
Insights and data gathered through our tours inform case studies, exhibitions, and ongoing research, strengthening how ISC supports artists and advances sustainable creative lives.
The following documents outline in greater depth the reach of our book tours:
Book Tours Summary (PDF)
Book Tours In-Depth Report (PDF)