Radically imagining more just futures has been the kindling to spark activism and bring about transformation in ALAANA+ communities for generations. Creativity is life-giving: art supports us as humans in truth telling, building authentic relationships, and affirming our dignity. When artists dream of different futures for themselves and their communities, how are those futures brought into the present, today? We asked artists to share what was in their radical imaginations. We welcomed artists to share more about themselves and their radical ideas for a racially just Boston.

Our radical imagination is a tool for decolonization, for reclaiming our right to shape our lived reality.

- adrienne maree brown

This program centers the creativity and well being of people of color - those most impacted by oppressive systems and structures. We move toward racial justice when policies, practices, attitudes, beliefs, and actions equate to equal opportunity and treatment for all. We seek to support artists of color to take space, breathe, reflect, and be ourselves. We know that envisioning radical world-building strategies, activating creative solutions, and testing ideas and actions for how racial justice can be realized is a lot of labor. We look forward to learning more about what racial justice means to this year’s cohort of artists.

Art allows us to explore the root causes of problems and experiment with creative solutions without apology or baggage.
- Culture Strike

People of color, and artists in particular, are often overlooked for knowing what is best needed to support the freedom and liberation of their communities. We stand on the shoulders of a seemingly infinite number of giants: ALAANA+ artists, writers, designers, gardeners, activists, poets, singers, neighbors, musicians, trailblazers, life-givers - ordinary and extraordinary human beings who have transformed the power of art and creativity into movements for social change. Rarely have they done this alone. How might artists collaborate with their community - neighbors, family, an organization - on a vision for a more racially just Boston? Whether artists have experience working collaboratively, or are just beginning to consider the possibilities, we seek to support creatives and projects that authentically reflect the interests, visions, and participation of communities of color in Boston.

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

- Maya Angelou

What do artists need to do this work well? For artists applying for grants of any amount, we asked that they devote a minimum of 20% of their budgets to some element of well-being, however defined. Often grants to artists and creatives support the aspects of projects that are the shiny highlights and polished products. We want to contribute in a meaningful way to creative people’s whole being - not “just” the product of their artistic vision. We hope this inspires artists to consider ways that they will allocate funds to intentionally cultivate joy, and to take the space, time, and/or resources to care for themselves in ways that doing this work often requires.

Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.

- Audre Lorde