Why Arts?

Nanvi Jhala at Emergent Inquiry Studio
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Education
  • Updated Weekly

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.

  1. Aug 12

    Episode 29 of Why Arts? — Making Creativity a Practice with Dr. Cyndi Burnett

    I am in conversation with Dr. Cyndi Burnett, founder of Creativity and Education, where she works with educators and school leaders to bring creative thinking into everyday classroom practice. She is also the host of Fueling Creativity in Education, a podcast exploring how creativity can become a meaningful part of teaching and learning. With a background in performing arts, creativity research, higher education, and curriculum, Cyndi brings together different perspectives on what it means to teach and develop creative thinking. She is also the co-creator of Createtubity and co-editor and co-author of several books on creativity and education. In our conversation, we explore what Cyndi has learned from her experiences as a performing artist and how those experiences shaped the way she thinks about creativity and learning. We talk about the science of creativity, what research tells us about creative thinking, and why creativity is not simply an innate talent. We also discuss how creative thinking can be taught, practiced, and strengthened, and how educators can build everyday habits and classroom environments that help children develop a creative mindset. Episode 29 — listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio. 📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr

    Episode 29 of Why Arts? — Making Creativity a Practice with Dr. Cyndi Burnett

  2. Aug 7

    Episode 28 of Why Arts? — Building Equitable Arts Education with Emmanuel Toledo

    I am in conversation with Emmanuel Toledo, Senior Program Director for the Performing Arts in the Boston Public Schools Visual and Performing Arts Department. With over a decade of experience in arts education, Emmanuel works across curriculum, instruction, professional learning, and partnerships to expand access to high-quality arts education for students across Boston Public Schools. Emmanuel brings together his experiences as a professional clarinetist, music educator, and arts administrator. Before joining BPS, he built and directed a culturally responsive band program at Lawrence High School, expanding access to instrumental music through repertoire including hip-hop, bachata, merengue, and reggaeton. His work is rooted in the belief that students' cultures and identities can be powerful assets in arts learning. In our conversation, we explore why arts education matters in shaping confident, creative, and capable individuals. We talk about the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for students to express themselves, see their identities reflected in the arts, and develop a sense of belonging. We also discuss the role of educators, families, schools, and communities in advocating for and strengthening arts education—and how building partnerships can help create more equitable and connected arts learning opportunities for every child. Episode 28 — listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio. 📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr #WhyArts #ArtsEducation #MusicEducation #ArtAndAccessibility #CreativeLearning

    Episode 28 of Why Arts? — Building Equitable Arts Education with Emmanuel Toledo

  3. Jul 31

    Episode 27 of Why Arts? — Bringing Arts and Accessibility to Every Child with Clare Murray

    I am in conversation with Clare Murray, Co-Founder and Executive Director of cARTie, Connecticut’s first and only nonprofit art museum bus for children. Clare is passionate about children's rights to meaningful art and museum-based learning experiences.With a background in early childhood museum education, Clare is also a doctoral candidate at Teachers College, Columbia University, where her research focuses on developing a new museum in Paraguay for children and communities who have traditionally had limited access to museums. She is a two-time Fulbright Scholar and holds an M.Ed. in Art in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Clare has also recently published her first book on museum design with, by, and for young children.In our conversation, we explore what it means to make museums and meaningful art experiences accessible to every child. We talk about the importance of building long-term relationships with schools and communities, creating trust, and using art as a way to nurture curiosity, collaboration, critical thinking, identity, and belonging. We also discuss how art can become a shared language through which children make sense of themselves and the world around them—and how bringing art into children's lives can help them see themselves as active participants in their communities.Episode 27 — listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio.📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr#WhyArts #ArtsEducation #MuseumEducation #ArtAndAccessibility #CreativeLearning

    Episode 27 of Why Arts? — Bringing Arts and Accessibility to Every Child with Clare Murray

  4. Jul 28

    Episode 26 of Why Arts? — Creativity as a Deliberate Practice with Beth Miller

    I am in conversation with Beth Miller, the Executive Director of the Creative Education Foundation (CEF), a nonprofit dedicated to the power of deliberate creativity. With more than a decade of leadership at CEF, Beth has worked to expand the organisation's reach through the Creative Problem Solving Institute and the Florida Creativity Conference. Beth is a leader, educator, and scholar who believes that creativity is not just an innate talent, but something we can intentionally develop and practice. Her work focuses on fostering creative and collaborative environments and using creative thinking to strengthen organisations and create meaningful impact. In our conversation, we explore what it means to think about creativity as a deliberate practice and why creativity is a skill that can be developed over time. We talk about the importance of creating space to practise creative thinking, how we can become more comfortable with uncertainty and new possibilities, and what it looks like to bring deliberate creativity into our everyday lives, organisations, and learning environments. Episode 26 — listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio. 📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr

    Episode 26 of Why Arts? — Creativity as a Deliberate Practice with Beth Miller

  5. Jul 24

    Episode 25 of Why Arts? — Music Education, Creativity & Community with Vincent “VFerg” Ferguson

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Vincent “VFerg” Ferguson, an artist, educator, community builder, and Founder of Amplify the Human. Originally from Evans, Georgia, and now based in The Bronx, Vincent works with people to unlock their potential through creativity, music, and technology. Vincent specialises in social-emotional learning and creates transformational experiences for communities and school environments. He also tours globally with his record label, Higher Level Music, and facilitates cultural exchanges through music, film, and storytelling. A Morehouse College graduate and Harvard Graduate School of Education graduate, with a former career in Wall Street banking, Vincent brings together creativity, business, education, and community in his work. In our conversation, we explore the role of music education in shaping students' lives and how creative spaces can give young people opportunities to develop agency, collaborate, express their identities, and connect with their communities. We also talk about the power of music as a tool for cultural expression, social-emotional learning, and building meaningful connections—and how educators can create environments where students feel empowered to find their voice and contribute to something larger than themselves. Episode 25 — listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio. 📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr

    Episode 25 of Why Arts? — Music Education, Creativity & Community with Vincent “VFerg” Ferguson

  6. Jul 12

    Episode 24 of Why Arts? — Reggio Emilia, Documentation & Children's Agency with Vaidehi Desai and Maggie Oliver

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Vaidehi Desai and Maggie Oliver, educators at Newtowne School, a Reggio Emilia-inspired early childhood programme in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Vaidehi began her journey working with young children in Mumbai before moving to the United States to pursue an M.A. in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin. She later earned an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education with a focus on the Reggio Emilia approach while teaching at Boulder Journey School. Her work is deeply rooted in inclusion, anti-bias education, and supportive social learning, with a strong belief that children are capable citizens with inherent rights. Maggie Oliver is an early childhood educator and graduate of Clemson University, where she studied Elementary Education along with American Sign Language and diversity in education. After teaching at a Reggio Emilia-inspired school, she joined Newtowne School, where she continues to cultivate environments that honour children's curiosity, relationships, and collaborative learning with families. She also then got masters in curriculum and teaching from Boston University. In our conversation, we explore how thoughtfully designed environments can nurture creativity, why documentation is more than recording children's work—becoming a powerful tool for reflection, communication, and research—and how giving children meaningful choices strengthens their agency and ownership of learning. We also discuss integrating creativity across academic disciplines, creating learning experiences that are both intellectually rigorous and deeply meaningful, and what it takes to build classrooms where children, educators, and families learn alongside one another. Episode 24 — listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio.

    Episode 24 of Why Arts? — Reggio Emilia, Documentation & Children's Agency with Vaidehi Desai and Maggie Oliver

  7. Jul 6

    Episode 23 of Why Arts? — Dance Education & Project-Based Learning with Jada Wooten

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Jada Wooten—educator, choreographer, and founding dance teacher at City Arts and Sciences Academy (CASA), a STEAM middle and high school where she is building the school's inaugural dance programme. Outside of teaching, Jada continues to deepen her artistry by training and performing with Urbanity 2, Dancing Legacy, and Modern Connections. She did her undergrad from Brown University and Masters in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Jada is developing a project-based dance curriculum for sixth and ninth graders that explores movement, play, social dance, and a range of dance techniques. Alongside teaching, she is designing CASA's first advanced dance company, advising a cohort of sixth-grade students, co-teaching interdisciplinary STEAM projects, and continuing her own artistic practice as a performer.In our conversation, we explore the role of dance within a project-based learning school, what it means to centre creativity, movement, and humanness in education, and how dance can become a powerful language for inquiry, identity, collaboration, and self-expression. We also discuss interdisciplinary learning, cultivating belonging through movement, and why the arts are essential in helping young people make sense of themselves and the world around them.Episode 23 — listen on YouTube and Spotify — Why Arts? by Emergent Inquiry Studio.📲 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whyarts_wnanvi?igsh=aHRkYWhuMHB2MWVz&utm_source=qr

    Episode 23 of Why Arts? — Dance Education & Project-Based Learning with Jada Wooten

  8. Jun 22

    Episode 22 of Why Arts? — The Atelier, Reggio Emilia & 100 Languages of Children with Sarah Browne

    In this episode, I am in conversation with Sarah Browne — Atelierista, presenter, and Social Media Curator for the Africa Reggio Emilia Alliance (AREA), whose work explores the role of the atelier, creativity, and children's rights through the Reggio Emilia approach. Sarah has worked in education for nearly three decades across a range of contexts in South Africa, teaching children from birth to age 12. She is currently the resident atelierista at Reddam House Waterfall Early Learning School, where she leads Reggio Emilia-inspired professional development and has developed innovative spaces such as the Everywhere Atelier and South Africa's first Digital Landscapes Atelier. In our conversation, we discuss the role of the atelier and the atelierista, the importance of the arts in children's learning, and what it means to honour the hundred languages of children. We also explore the Reggio Emilia approach in the South African context, children's rights, creative pedagogy, documentation, and how schools can cultivate cultures of curiosity, research, and meaning-making.

    Episode 22 of Why Arts? — The Atelier, Reggio Emilia & 100 Languages of Children with Sarah Browne
See All (30)

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
    2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Nanvi Jhala at Emergent Inquiry Studio
  • Show Website
    Why Arts?

You Might Also Like