Creative Economy

 
The Ensemble seeks to connect and inform all people who are committed to ensemble music education for youth empowerment and social change.

U.S. Programs Are Approaching ‘The Middle’ of Their Movement. Now What?

07-08-2026

There are seasons in any movement. The beginning, that electric moment when a new idea catches fire, is unforgettable. So is the end, when a movement gains a permanent foothold in society. But the middle—the developing stage—is different. The middle is where the path is no longer clear, where the just cause and the strategies for seeing it through are both tested. It’s my impression that, in many places of the world, El Sistema-inspired programs find themselves in that adolescent stage.

These growing years are critical to our future as a movement—just as the adolescent years are critical to our students’ growth. Here are a few discoveries being made by U.S. programs I’m familiar with, shared with the hope that they resonate with programs around the world.

Virtual Town Hall Series Explores Creative Youth Development and Workforce Development

07-08-2026

The Creative Economy Pathways Virtual Town Hall Series explores how Creative Youth Development is expanding career pathways for young people through arts-based experiences and youth leadership.

UNDP timbuktoo Creatives Lab Opens Applications

05-07-2025

We’re sharing this one just under the wire! Applications are due today for the timbuktoo Creatives Lab, a mentorship program run by the United Nations Development Programme and Craft and Design Institute to help grow creative businesses in South Africa and across the continent.

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