Artivism: Artists Should Own Their Means of Production

<p>On this week’s episode, I sit down with Issac Alicea and Joshua Hughes - founders of ARTIVISM, a creative production company and cultural movement based in Washington, DC.<br /><br />What started as a shared vision at Howard University has grown into a community-driven space where artists can create, collaborate, and build real infrastructure around their ideas.<br /><br />The two founders met at as freshman at Howard University in the midst of a global pandemic. Both drawn to their mental health, education, and making a difference in their communities, the two became fast friends.<br />Issac is an entrepreneur, musician, educator, and creative strategist whose work lives at the intersection of creativity, business, technology, and community. Joshua is an artist, educator, organizer, and curator whose ability to connect people across generations has helped shape ARTIVISM’s heartbeat. <br /><br />Together, they’ve built more than a business — they’ve built a hub for creative empowerment.<br /><br />In this conversation, they share the origin story of ARTIVISM, the role Howard played in shaping their mindset, and why owning the means of production matters for independent artists. We also talk about entrepreneurship, sacrifice, community, and what it really takes to turn creative vision into something sustainable.<br /><br />Chapters<br /><br />00:00 Introduction to Artivism and the Guests<br />01:09 What is Artivism? Building an Ecosystem for Creatives<br />04:04 The Problem: Artists Struggling to Make a Living<br />07:19 The Power of Artistic Ownership and Control<br />12:02 Personal Journeys and Artistic Beginnings<br />15:04 Howard Hustle Culture and Entrepreneurial Mindset<br />18:41 The Birth of Artivism from a Campaign<br />23:24 The Meaning Behind the Name Artivism<br />28:11 Balancing Multiple Jobs and Building the Business<br />33:47 The Importance of Owning Your Content<br />37:29 Community, Influence, and Collaboration in Art<br />39:34 Lessons from Business Mistakes and Growth<br />43:17 What School Didn't Teach About Entrepreneurship<br />45:34 Inspiring the Next Generation of Creators<br />50:49 Future Goals and Expanding Artivism Globally<br />53:15 Rapid Fire: Key Takeaways and Insights<br /><br />Resources<br /><br />Website: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.artivismworld.com/" target="_blank">https://www.artivismworld.com/</a><br />Instagram: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/_artivism?igsh=MWFlOXR6cWRjYjgzdw%3D%3D&amp;utm_source=qr" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/_artivism?igsh=MWFlOXR6cWRjYjgzdw%3D%3D&amp;utm_source=qr</a><br />TikTok: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@_artivism?_r=1&amp;_t=ZT-97qvhdv859S" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@_artivism?_r=1&amp;_t=ZT-97qvhdv859S</a><br /><br /> keywords<br /><br />Artivism, creative entrepreneurship, artist ownership, community building, activism, independent artists, business lessons, Howard University, creator economy</p>