FESTIVE EVOLUTION: Art & Activism in the 21st Century

The main hub of Sara's work, Festive Evolution celebrates and nurtures the artist's ability to tell the stories that most need to be told, give voice to the voiceless, and inspire audiences, large or small, to participate actively in bringing about necessary social and political change. All of Sara's initiatives, past and present, fall under the Fest Ev umbrella, including  ARTemis: Women, Art and Change-making, FAIRVIEW: An American Conversation, STILL/WILD: Contemplative Practice for Change-making Women and, most recently, THE LETTERS PROJECT: Letters from Across the (political) Divide.

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FESTIVE EVOLUTION: A Brief History

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Festive Evolution was originally called Festive Revolution. The name changed after we invited Pete Seeger to an event (in 2003), and he sent a thoughtful note cautioning us about the nature of revolution. As much as I treasure that letter (which I still have!), it probably wouldn’t have prompted a name change on its own. Around the same time, however, members of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA began showing up in our orbit and were very clear that they believed violent revolution was the only path forward. Because Festive Revolution was never about violence, the moment clarified things for us. The name changed accordingly: Festive Revolution became Festive Evolution.

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Festive Evolution, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to helping artists mobilize their art and fan bases for social and political change, sprang into being in the months leading up to the Iraq War. In response to the media blackout the anti-war movement was experiencing, the organization focused on politically outspoken artists with significant public platforms. The board of directors and advisory board included Sean Penn, Steve Earle, Sheryl Crow, Danny Goldberg, and other well-known and emerging artists. Early plans included a three-day art and activism workshop for artists already speaking out against the war, culminating in a televised concert at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. At the time, Sean Penn cautioned that if we didn’t pull the trigger quickly, the event wouldn’t happen. As it turned out, we didn’t pull the trigger quickly, and the event didn’t happen. Once the war began, the effort lost steam almost immediately.

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But something powerful had been set in motion. Festive Evolution went on for years, serving as an umbrella for a wide range of politically engaged art and activism—supporting issues-oriented docudramas, women-led arts initiatives, writing projects, and other creative efforts that aimed to inspire civic engagement and social change.

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More than two decades later, the core idea behind Festive Evolution still feels urgent: movements need their artists. They also need connection, resilience, and spaces where people can gather, exchange ideas, (dance!) and remember they are not alone. In a time of deep polarization, rising authoritarianism, and widespread exhaustion, Festive Evolution is re-emerging not as a new initiative but as cultural scaffolding — bringing together artists, advocates, nonprofits, and neighbors to strengthen the ecosystem around the work already being done on the front lines.

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Below: Several years ago, Festive Evolution published a series of artist interviews. In light of the heartbreaking events in the Middle East, we have pulled from our archives interviews with internationally renowned Israeli singer-songwriter David Broza, Arab-Israeli singer-songwriter and actress Mira Awad, singer-songwriter Steve Earle, and Fest Ev founder Sara Sharpe LaMance. May the artists continue to shed Light in dark corners.