Why Arts?

Nanvi Jhala at Emergent Inquiry Studio
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Why Arts? is a video podcast series created by Nanvi Jhala—educator and designer, and a recent graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Drawing from her experience in Reggio-inspired schools, public education systems, and democratic learning spaces, Nanvi explores how the arts shape the way we learn, relate, and imagine. Through conversations with educators, artists, and thinkers, the series looks at arts beyond it's final products to the processes of creating, questioning, and making that nurture meaningful learning.

Episodes

  1. Episode 10 of Why Arts? – Museum Education & Object based learning with Sarah Lieberman

    2 MAR

    Episode 10 of Why Arts? – Museum Education & Object based learning with Sarah Lieberman

    In Episode 10 of Why Arts?, I’m in conversation with Sarah Lieberman — museum educator, thoughtful listener, and someone who deeply believes that art belongs to everyone.As a child, Sarah made outfits for her dolls out of napkins and scraps — experimenting, imagining, redesigning. That early instinct to transform everyday materials into something meaningful never really left her.Today, Sarah is the Assistant Educator for School and Teacher Programs at the RISD Museum, where she designs object-based learning experiences for K–12 students in Providence. Before this, she was a Cunningham Fellow at the Harvard Art Museums, teaching interdisciplinary university courses, mentoring graduate students, and building family and teen programs.In our conversation, we talk about:• What object-based learning really looks like in practice• How museums can become spaces of dialogue rather than quiet compliance• Why there isn’t one “right” interpretation of an artwork• How confidence grows when students realize their voice mattersMuseums should feel welcoming. Families should feel invited. Students should feel trusted.🎧 Listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio📲 Follow along on Instagram: @nanvi_at.el.ier#WhyArts #MuseumEducation #RISDMuseum #ArtForAll #ObjectBasedLearning #CreativeLearning

    28 min
  2. Episode 9 of Why Arts? – Community Building with Creativity with Exa Kutler

    24 FEB

    Episode 9 of Why Arts? – Community Building with Creativity with Exa Kutler

    In this episode, Exa Kutler shares their journey exploring creativity, community, and hands-on learning.Exa’s work often involves designing simple structures for people to think, make, and learn together — whether through drawing, conversation, or shared experience. They are interested in how creativity functions as a practical tool for connection, reflection, and collective understanding. Exa loves facilitating, graphic notetaking, designing workshops, and making art. From leading community workshops with Creative Mornings and creating spaces where curiosity, imagination, and mistakes are embraced, Exa reflects on their experience in T550, which gave them a language for their thinking and allowed them to explore ideas they already felt. They recall:"I just love playing. My happiest place is facilitating experiences and creating a journey for participants. With Karen, we had weekly topics and theorists, and we’d blend them with hands-on activities. One week was about fear and mistakes — I found a bucket of ‘mistake’ keys in a key store, and we made them into meaningful things. That’s my favorite part — pulling from everything around you and turning it into an activity." Exa also shares their approach to experimentation and community-building:"Not being afraid to break the norm, or to try something that might not work. You just never know. We’d make placemats about the zone of proximal development, bookmarks — all kinds of experiments. That’s how I approach creativity and community — seeing what might work, without promising anything." Through these experiences, Exa demonstrates that creativity isn’t just a skill — it’s essential for learning, connecting, and understanding the world. 🎧 Listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio 📲 Follow along on Instagram: @nanvi_at.el.ier #WhyArtsPodcast #CreativityMatters #ArtInEducation #HumanConnection #LearningThroughArts #CommunityBuilding

    23 min
  3. Episode 8 of Why Arts? - Arts Leadership with Rosario Ubiera-Minaya

    21 FEB

    Episode 8 of Why Arts? - Arts Leadership with Rosario Ubiera-Minaya

    In this episode with Rosario Ubiera-Minaya — Executive Director of Raw Art Works, cultural strategist, and antiracist advocate — we explore how arts can become a force for healing, leadership, and systemic change.We talk about how creativity can become a tool for healing, leadership, and social change through the work and journey of Rosario Ubiera-Minaya, and how her leadership at Raw Art Works shows that art is not an extra but essential infrastructure for young people’s growth and wellbeing. We explore how arts spaces nurture identity, belonging, and confidence. 🎧 Listen on YouTube and Spotify - Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio📲 Follow along on Instagram: @nanvi_at.el.ier

    19 min
  4. Episode 7 of Why Arts? - Dance education with Jessica Baynes

    16 FEB

    Episode 7 of Why Arts? - Dance education with Jessica Baynes

    In this episode, I’m joined by Jessica Baynes, a dance educator, choreographer, and performer whose work spans classrooms, stages, and communities. A TEDx speaker and Harvard Graduate School of Education alum, Jessica brings over a decade of teaching experience with learners of all ages—from toddlers to older adults—and a deep belief in the transformative power of movement. We talk about how dance education nurtures connection, empathy, and self-expression. From her work teaching adaptive ballet through Healing in Motion Dance to her experiences at Ballet West and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance, Jessica reflects on how movement can help us access parts of ourselves, build communities, and imagine new possibilities. This conversation explores the joy, vulnerability, and curiosity at the heart of dance, and how the arts support learners in growing not just as artists, but as humans. 🎧 Listen on YouTube and Spotify - Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio 📲 Follow along on Instagram: @nanvi_at.el.ier

    32 min
  5. Episode 6 of Why Arts? - Arts Leadership and community building with Rasheen Jamison-Richardson

    13 FEB

    Episode 6 of Why Arts? - Arts Leadership and community building with Rasheen Jamison-Richardson

    In this episode, I’m joined by Rasheen Jamison-Richardson, founder of Legacy School of Performing Arts Training Institute, Inc. and alum of Harvard Graduate School of Education, to explore what it really means to build through adversity. We talk about how arts access builds confidence, identity, and even life-saving awareness in young people. Rasheen shares how integrating the arts strengthens math, literacy, and character development—and why removing arts programs destabilizes entire communities. This episode is about resilience, redemption, and why the arts are essential—not extra. 🎧 Listen on YouTube and Spotify - Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio 📲 Follow along on Instagram: @nanvi_at.el.ier

    46 min
  6. Episode 5 of Why Arts? - Theatre Education with  Rick Westerkamp

    30 JAN

    Episode 5 of Why Arts? - Theatre Education with  Rick Westerkamp

    In this episode, I’m joined by Rick Westerkamp, an educator and theater artist I had the joy of graduating alongside at Harvard Graduate School of Education. I was constantly inspired by Rick’s care, clarity, and deep commitment to arts-centered learning—so this conversation feels especially meaningful. Rick brings experience from classrooms, leadership roles, and professional stages. From his work as a drama teacher and dean, to his time at HGSE and the American Repertory Theatre, Rick reflects on how theater education nurtures empathy, collaboration, and resilience, and why joy and connection are essential for learning. We talk about creating brave spaces where students can take creative risks, embrace mistakes, and show up as their full selves—and how the arts help young people grow not just academically, but as thoughtful, compassionate humans. 🎧 Why Arts?Find Emergent Inquiry Studio on YouTube and Spotify.

    34 min
  7. Episode 4: Why Arts? - Museum Education with Nicola Wallis

    21 JAN

    Episode 4: Why Arts? - Museum Education with Nicola Wallis

    In episode 4 of Why Arts?, I’m joined by Nicola Wallis, who spent 19 years as a Practitioner Research Associate in Early Childhood and Collections at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge and has recently transitioned into her new role as Early Years Program Manager at the National Portrait Gallery, London.With a background in primary and nursery education, Nicola specialises in understanding how museums and art galleries can support babies, young children, and the adults who care for them. Her work focuses on creating meaningful, inclusive arts experiences—particularly for families facing barriers to participation—and on the role of cultural institutions in advancing access, inclusion, and social justice.We talk about museums as informal learning spaces that foster inclusion, dialogue, and community, particularly for families who face barriers to accessing arts and cultural institutions. Nicola reflects on research-informed models for working with families, emphasizing learning with children rather than for them, and how museums can act as civic spaces that support care, belonging, and multiple perspectives.🎧 Why Arts? Find Emergent Inquiry Studio on YouTube and Spotify.📲 Follow along on Instagram: @nanvi_at.el.ier#WhyArtsPodcast #EarlyChildhood #MuseumLearning #ArtAndImagination #FamilyEngagement #InclusiveEducation #CulturalLearning #SocialJusticeThroughArts

    42 min
  8. Episode 3: Why Arts? - STEAM and the Power of Tinkering with Ryan Jenkins

    15 JAN

    Episode 3: Why Arts? - STEAM and the Power of Tinkering with Ryan Jenkins

    In the third episode of Why Arts?, I’m joined by Ryan Jenkins—co-founder of Wonderful Idea Co. and a longtime educator, tinkerer, and designer working at the intersection of art, science, and making. Ryan’s work grows out of years spent at places like the Exploratorium and Tinkering 0School in San Francisco, where curiosity, experimentation, and hands-on learning are at the center. He has designed and prototyped projects for Maker Faires, science museums, schools, and libraries around the world, creating playful entry points into STEAM learning for learners of all ages. In this conversation, we talk about Ryan’s own journey—from feeling intimidated by science to finding joy and confidence through making—and how art can open up new ways into science and technology. We explore tinkering as a way of thinking, why hands-on learning matters, and how setting thoughtful constraints can actually deepen creativity and innovation. Why Arts? is a podcast that looks at the arts not as a separate subject, but as a way of thinking—one that helps people explore ideas, take risks, and make meaning across disciplines. Image credits: Emil Steixner, Sebastian Funk and Oak School 🎧 Listen on YouTube and Spotify📲 Follow along on Instagram: @nanvi_at.el.ier

    36 min
  9. Episode 2: Why Arts? - Arts as a way to build democratic learning spaces

    7 JAN

    Episode 2: Why Arts? - Arts as a way to build democratic learning spaces

    In the second episode of Why Arts?, I’m joined by Linda Nathan—educator, author, artist, and Lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Linda’s work centers on designing democratic schools, organizational change, and learning environments that place equity, creativity, and relationships at the core. She brings decades of experience founding and leading schools within the Boston Public Schools, including the Tobin Bilingual Middle School for the Arts, Fenway High School, and Boston Arts Academy. In this conversation, we talk about what it really means to build arts-centered and democratic learning spaces, how leadership and school design shape culture, and why creativity and the arts are essential to meaningful, just education. Why Arts? is a podcast that explores why the arts matter—not just as products, but as processes that shape learning, community, and imagination. 🎧 Listen on YouTube and Spotify 📲 Follow along on Instagram: @nanvi_at.el.ier

    24 min
  10. Episode 1: Why Arts? — Arts as Relationship, Play, and Learning with Lisa Goddard

    2 JAN

    Episode 1: Why Arts? — Arts as Relationship, Play, and Learning with Lisa Goddard

    In the first episode of Why Arts?, I’m joined by Lisa Goddard, a PhD Fellow in Reggio Childhood Studies at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia / Fondazione Reggio Children. Lisa’s work explores children’s play and pedagogical approaches that support deeper relationships between humans and more-than-human worlds. She brings experience as a preschool teacher, pedagogista, curriculum developer, and educational consultant across Italy and the U.S.In this conversation, we explore what arts integration really looks like in Reggio-inspired learning, how art-making supports relationships and inquiry, and how children learn when we pay close attention to play, materials, and environment. Why Arts? is a podcast series that explores why the arts matter—not just as products, but as processes that shape learning, community, and imagination. Listen to the podcast on Youtube and Spotify. Follow on instagram to stay updated - @nanvi_at.el.ier

    39 min
  11. Episode 0: Why Arts Podcast hosted by Nanvi Jhala

    1 JAN

    Episode 0: Why Arts Podcast hosted by Nanvi Jhala

    A child who rarely spoke found their voice through clay.That moment didn’t show up in test scores—but it changed everything. Why Arts? grew from moments like these. Not just visual arts—and not just art as a subject—but the arts as process, inquiry, relationship, and meaning-making. This podcast explores the arts not as an “extra,” but as a way of thinking, relating, and learning—across classrooms, studios, and community spaces.Hosted by Nanvi Jhala, educator, artist and designer (Harvard Graduate School of Education ’25). Why Arts? features conversations with educators, artists, dancers, theatre-makers, designers, and leaders who use artistic processes to explore ideas, teach across disciplines, and create belonging. If you care about process over product, listening over rushing, and learning that honors the whole human—this is for you.

    6 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

Why Arts? is a video podcast series created by Nanvi Jhala—educator and designer, and a recent graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Drawing from her experience in Reggio-inspired schools, public education systems, and democratic learning spaces, Nanvi explores how the arts shape the way we learn, relate, and imagine. Through conversations with educators, artists, and thinkers, the series looks at arts beyond it's final products to the processes of creating, questioning, and making that nurture meaningful learning.

Information

  • Creator
    Nanvi Jhala at Emergent Inquiry Studio
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Nanvi Jhala at Emergent Inquiry Studio
  • Show Website
    Why Arts?