FFI Senior Fellow Gary Anderson, a theater director and producer with over 36 years of experience, makes a compelling case for centering the arts as a pathway to wellbeing and democracy.
FFI Senior Fellow Gary Anderson, a theater director and producer with over 36 years of experience, makes a compelling case for centering the arts as a pathway to wellbeing and democracy. Drawing from personal experiences, historical context and contemporary research, Anderson explores how art serves as a transformative force that can heal trauma, build empathy and strengthen social connections. His paper, “You Got a Right to the Tree of Life,” weaves together JFK’s vision of arts as a measure of civilization’s quality with FFI’s wellbeing frameworks, demonstrating how accessible, meaningful artistic experiences are essential to creating an equitable society where everyone can thrive.
Katya Fels Smyth introduced WIATT (the Wellbeing Insights, Assets & Tradeoffs Tool) in a webinar for the American Planning Association, St. Louis.
Katya sat down with Equal Measure President and CEO Leon T. Andrews, Jr. to discuss the five domains of wellbeing, the importance of sustained funding for systems change, and FFI’s closure this year.
This discussion guide accompanies the video of the same name that introduces a powerful visual analogy for the systems that lead to unequal access to wellbeing.