What if the arts could unlock solutions to some of the world’s most pressing development challenges?
Ready for CreativeChange+ ?
We are excited to launch CreativeChange Plus—a renewed global study, inviting artists, designers, and creative social organizations to share projects that don’t just talk about sustainability—but live it. We’re looking for creative work that offers real, imaginative, and actionable responses to today’s most urgent environmental and social challenges. Whether through materials, process, storytelling, or space-making—your voice matters.
We want to spotlight initiatives that:
Provide practical solutions, not just awareness
Address key themes like climate resilience, water and food security, health, energy, and mobility
Use low-tech, high-tech, or hybrid approaches—from community murals and traditional crafts to immersive media or AI-assisted storytelling
Embrace multidisciplinary, cross-cultural, and intergenerational collaboration—especially partnerships between older adults (60+) and younger generations.
The stories will be highlighted in an upcoming study, and selected submissions will appear in the next edition of art’ishake—with opportunities for future showcases, collaborations, and educational initiatives around the globe. By responding to this survey and sharing your content, you grant Art4Development.Net permission to feature your work—with full credit. Content may also be used for educational and awareness-raising purposes, always with respect and acknowledgment to contributing artists and organizations.
For Youth Participants (Ages 18–30): Are you an artist using creativity to help drive change? We invite digital submissions of original artwork that explore how youth and the arts can help advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—from climate action and gender equality to education and inclusive communities.
Share your work, and let’s amplify together the power of the arts and creativity to drive positive, sustainable impact.
CreativeChange: 20 Years of Creativity, Action, and Impact
Launched in 2004, Creative Volunteerism for Social Change and Development—better known as CreativeChange—was a first-of-its-kind digital initiative designed to elevate volunteerism, social responsibility, and the transformative role of the creative sector in global development.
Through global learning surveys, youth art contests, hands-on workshops, and community exhibitions, CreativeChange brought people together to explore how the arts can drive progress on the world’s most pressing challenges. From the start, it sparked conversations and inspired real, measurable action.
As part of the launch, we conducted a volunteer-led international study to map current efforts and best practices at the intersection of creativity and development. Responses from over 30 countries informed the CreativeChange e-book—a free digital resource highlighting stories of artists and organizations using creativity as a catalyst for meaningful change. The publication also introduced the concept of “Creative Social Entrepreneurship*,” emphasizing how arts and cultural initiatives can go beyond volunteerism to become purpose-driven, arts-infused business models. It called for a fundamental shift in how we approach global challenges—advocating for multidisciplinary, cross-sector solutions grounded in creativity and social impact.
*Insights from the CreativeChange study were featured at the 2009 conference Creative Entrepreneurship and Education in Cultural Life, co-hosted by Arts, Entertainment and Media Management Department Columbia College Chicago and ENCATC— the European Network of Cultural Administration Training Centres.
Nil Navaie, founder of Art4Development.Net, spoke about the vital role of creative entrepreneurship in advancing both economic and social development. She emphasized how the creative sector not only generates employment and drives tourism but also fosters personal, community, and cultural growth. Navaie shared examples of global creative enterprises addressing social challenges and underscored the need to promote creative entrepreneurship as a viable career path for future generations. (Chicago, 2009)
In partnership with TakingITGlobal and the UN Millennium Campaign, we co-facilitated the Vision 2015: Your Future Youth Arts Contest. Young artists were invited to express their hopes and fears through visual and multimedia art. Selected works were exhibited online and in-person—from the U.S. to Nigeria—featuring 50 youth artworks ranging from photography and painting to soundscapes and poetry, curated to provoke reflection and inspire change.
Beyond exhibitions, CreativeChange hosted interactive workshops and expert-led dialogues to explore arts-infused solutions to global development challenges. Over the years, it has been featured in numerous international forums, conferences, public libraries, and street-level displays, amplifying the voices of artists and changemakers around the world.
The CreativeChange Worldwide e-book continues to serve as an inspiring and insightful resource for those exploring the intersection of creativity and social impact.
Why it Still Matters
More than two decades later, one thing remains unchanged: the commitment of creative individuals and communities working to make a positive difference.
The role of the arts in driving social impact is increasingly recognized, yet significant challenges persist—from financial sustainability and the digital divide to the ethical use of AI, ableism, ageism, and the ongoing lack of equitable access and representation in decision-making. These barriers continue to limit the full potential of artists and the wider creative sector.
A central focus is the intergenerational dimension. Across regions, stark contrasts exist between aging societies and countries with rapidly growing young populations, while global migration further reshapes community dynamics—often without clear channels of communication. Strengthening intergenerational connections, whether within families or across communities, is vital to reducing isolation, disconnection, and conflict. Such bonds provide meaningful benefits for all generations, including improved mental and emotional health, a stronger sense of purpose, greater empathy, enhanced social skills, and economic opportunities.
How can the arts serve as a bridge across generations—fostering dialogue, understanding, and collaboration in communities worldwide?
As we reflect on this journey, we invite you to join us in shaping the future through CreativeChange Plus—a renewed call for stories, ideas, and creative action.
Want to Explore CreativeChange?
CreativeChange Worldwide is a 80+ page digital publication that celebrates the rise of creative social entrepreneurs—artists and cultural leaders tackling today’s toughest issues like climate change, inequality, conflict, and displacement.
From murals and theater to music, design, and digital storytelling, this e-book captures real-world examples of how creativity is building stronger, more just, and sustainable communities. CreativeChange highlights stories of hope and innovation, calling on everyone to support and grow this movement. It introduces the concept of Creative Social Enterprises (CSEs) and highlights the innovations of grassroots changemakers blending purpose, community, and art.
This publication is a powerful reminder that creativity isn’t just for inspiration—it’s a tool for building a better, more sustainable future. Today, the publication also functions as a fundraising resource for our ongoing arts-integrated efforts.
📘 Get your CreativeChange Worlwide copy (PDF) for a $10 donation (or pay what you can). 100% of proceeds (fully tax-deductible) support Art4Development.Net’s arts education and development programs. Questions? Reach out to us at info[at]art4development.net