Every once in a while we have the good fortune of working on a project that we feel truly matters, a project that we’ll still be thinking about years from now. Maybe even something we can imagine telling our grandkids about – surely you’ve had moments like that where something you did in your professional life really mattered?

Brandon Sideleau

Way back in September of 2010, I came up with the idea of starting a database consisting of verified crocodilian attacks on humans, similar to the worldwide shark attack database that had already been up and running for quite a while at that point. The goal would be to use the data to help identify crocodilian attack “hotspots”, circumstances and potential contributing factors. This data could then be used to mitigate future attacks and influence management decisions. The database was intended to benefit both humans and crocodilians equally, since unmitigated attacks on humans can result in the eradication of the species from these “hotspots”. Read more>>

Darien Jewel

My business partner, Julian Mercado and I recently complete a project titled Hidden Creek. The story of an aging rancher names Jimmy Tucker who begins to suffer from the effects of Dementia. The plot then escalates into a conflict within the family as they try to sell the ranch out from under him, using his failing mental capacity as justification. Read more>>

Andrea Polnaszek

It is very important to me to be part of meaningful work. I feel passionate about creating a caring environment for people to thrive. As a social worker, I have worked as an individual and family therapist for the past 30 years. In that time I have worked to learn best practices to help fascilitate hard conversations. All of my work as a therapist has informed my writing. I believe relationships thrive when communication is good. Our first movie, Catching Faith is all about the power of being real over being perfect. The story is about a woman who’s life looks perfect from the outside but is falling apart on the inside. Read more>>

John Patrick Thomas

In 2023 I was invited to create three murals for Google’s Artist in Residence program. The murals were commissioned to celebrate the opening of their new Cafe and Community Spaces, the first locations on the campus that are entirely open to the public to visit and enjoy. It was great collaborating with the Google food team to learn about the thinking behind the food they serve, the ingredients they source and the cafe visitors who will use the space. I have a personal love of cooking, gardening, fishing, foraging and sharing food with friends, so creating a series of murals that not only celebrates shared meals but also centers the workers and labor behind them was meaningful. Read more>>

Cat Bachraty

My collegiate thesis to this day is the most meaningful project to me. I grew up from being a nerdy mythology loving kid into a nerdy mythology loving adult. As most college’s do; when developing your thesis you have to have some sort of deep, profound meaning behind it and as luck would have it my creativity had run out and I could not think of anything. So, I dug deep. What meant a lot to me that would make a statement to my professors? And then it hit me; we all have a base knowledge of mythology, and typically when you imagine a deity of war, you think something masculine. However, if you look, there are so many feminine divine beings of war. Read more>>

Lauren Van Stone

Currently I’m plugging away at a few comics, striving to get them pitched and published. I’ve also been focusing on a full length comic for Shortbox Comics Fair, which is a fantastic project that releases indie comics from about 100 or so artists every year in October. My work has always focused on family dynamics and interpersonal relationships with a hint of fantasy. The pitch I’ve been working on, Caroline the Great, follows a young witch who strives to be a professional in her craft. Caroline lives in a world where witchcraft is pretty common, albeit controversial. Caroline gets stuck in a private Catholic school instead of the high profile witch academy she dreams of. Read more>>

Ann Rosenthal

For over a decade, I collaborated with artist Steffi Domike on several art installations addressing a range of environmental issues. Our last project was the most ambitious in scope and concept. In 2013, environmental historian and writer Joel Greenberg was on a lecture tour to promote his book, “A Feathered River Across the Sky: The Passenger Pigeon’s Flight to Extinction.” Steffi and I heard him talk in Pittsburgh, where he encouraged people and institutions to develop programs marking the centenary of the bird’s extinction. Steffi and I decided to create an art installation, titled “Moving Targets,” to address the plight of this bird that numbered in the billions yet was wiped out in a period of 50 years. Read more>>

Vanessa Ozinger

Five Times in One Night Read more>>

Nathan Weidner

As of late there always seems to be something pretty spectacular that gets the ball rolling on a project. For A Story For Winter it was simply the realization that I could shoot a film on my iPhone rather than waiting for tens of thousands of dollars that might never come. I had already waited 12 years to shoot it, but once I made up my mind to use what I had in hand I was able to finally get it done in 2021. For The Name of the Sun it was the realization that there are numerous film school students who come home for the summers who might want to work on a feature film. I proposed this idea in September of 2021, and by the summer of 2022 I was on a set staffed fully by college film students. Read more>>

Gal Yosepov

A project that I’m currently working on right now! It’s my first self produced play that I’m producing along with two actor friends from drama school. The play is called “Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow” and it’s a modern and comedic adaptation of the classic “Three Sisters” by Anton Chekhov. I cast the actors, hire the director, crew, set designer etc… It’s a different experience when you’re not just an actor on set, more responsibility. We’re opening 01/17/2024 at the Herbert Von King Cultural Arts Center in Brooklyn NY, and couldn’t be more excited and proud of everything we managed to pull off! Read more>>

Matia Kalli

I grew tired singing at bars and felt uninspired as a singer. I almost gave up until I discovered spiritual music and rediscovered myself as a devotional singer. I realized I needed purpose to actualize a career in music. Read more>>

Frida Foberg

The driving force in all my projects is people—to offer a space for reflection. This winter, I curated a show called the Transformation Project. It was a collaboration between organizations within arts education, mental health, and addiction awareness, with the aim of raising awareness about Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and its impact on individuals, families, and communities through the lens of art. The project aimed to cultivate an environment of safety and inclusivity, encouraging individuals and their families affected by SUD to share their experiences through artistic expression. Through an open call, the project brought together a broad range of voices and creative expressions by visual artists, writers, musicians, and performers who showcased their works. Read more>>

Aslan Dalgic

This year, I am launching a non-profit organization called Devotion to Cinema, with a mission to elevate media literacy and appreciation of storytelling through cinema as a profound art form. We are producing a wide range of educational programming, including documentary series, video essays and interviews. Our commitment extends to nurturing innovation and creativity within the industry by sponsoring grants to support promising projects, championing new voices and talents in the cinematic world. Our future projects are to create media and journalism equipment to underfunded schools. Read more>>

Ré Phillips

It’s critical to, as a creative, cultivate projects that feel as meaningful as possible. If authenticity and alignment are important, then this is a nonnegotiable. Because part of the journey of being an artist, both existentially and professionally, is to bare your soul in a way that displays authenticity. That is an always an easy thing to do. In fact, it’s often one of the hardest things you can do as a human being. Case in point, after my father died, I had a real difficult spot, and that it became difficult to show up on the canvas honestly and authentically. It took me a year of professional coaching to overcome this hurdle of grief-induced artist block, and eventually I developed a work, a body of work that was meaningful; however, it was meaningful because it was authentic to the heart space i was in. Read more>>

Zane Zwicker

I think the most meaningful project I’m working on is the one I have currently in the works. For the last 8 years I worked on becoming a strong producer and engineer for my own music. But I would always put the music first rather than the lyrics or writing. I only started singing at all in 2018, so that’s been something I really wanted to improve on. With this new project I’ve been working on, my main goal was to put the lyrics/songwriting first. I think it really shows in the music, and I’m really excited for everyone to hear this new direction. Read more>>

Joi Najae

Ocean Water Clear has been the most meaningful project for me so far. I worked on the creative development of this song for a year and half. I first thought of ocean water clear during a phone conversation with my closest cousin, we were discussing our values in love and relationships. As we were conversing, she made a statement that sparked a light in me to write on what we were discussing. I then went into creative mode starting ocean water clear off at first as a poem, then I went searching for instrumentals to create the melody. As I was creating this song I was thinking about love in relationships and how in today’s time it is not very clear what relationships should consists of. Read more>>

Wesley Sontag

I have about 3 projects in the next 9 months that I’m incredibly excited about. The one I am most excited about is this project called ‘Life’s been crazy’ It’s super sunny, and beautiful. It contains very rich guitars, and bass’s along with pretty background synths, almost Fleetwood Mac banging drums, and weird out of this world vocals. It’s almost like psychedelic rock but with my own twist on it. You’ll hear my biggest inspirations peeking out throughout the project such as tame impala, lil Yachtys ‘lets start here’ project, Mac miller, Steve lacy, and Fleetwood Mac of course. Read more>>

Janssen

I think that your well-being is very important and that everyone should take care of themselves. I like to sit and think about my personal growth as an individual. Life experience is an indispensable catalyst in my creation of meaningful musical projects, serving as the wellspring from whichI draw inspiration, emotional depth, and perspective. The amalgamation of my personal encounters, triumphs, and challenges infuses the creative process. Read more>>

Marije Oosting

The most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on, was writing my latest song, “2023.” It was in the end of Spring 2023 when I was seriously feeling down and out. Life was a hot mess, and it seemed like every move I made was a wrong one. I was lonely, lost, dealing with a breakup, a busted heart, and motherhood felt like this giant mountain I had to climb. It was a tough time, and I was in a pretty bad place. So, one sleepless night, around 2 or 3 in the morning, I was about to grab a beer. But instead, I had a lightbulb moment. I decided to spill everything out on paper – every thought, fear, and pain, even if it didn’t make much sense. It was like therapy, just getting it all out there. Read more>>

Jay Deru

I recently released an album called “21st Floor” and i believe it is my most important and my most complete body of work. The project represent my growth and progress as an artist. My first album was called “Rooftops” because at the time my views were mostly local level. I didn’t understand the global impact my music would have and how far it would reach. With this new album i set my views higher. Everything had to be 10x bigger and better than the last because i knew where it could go. This is me stepping into a bigger role and taking the artistic leap onto the next level. Different flows, different production, different direction, just different in the best possible way. Read more>>

Brianna Kalisch

I’m currently working a project that means a lot to me. It’s titled {IN}TANGIBLE and tells the story of a woman and her family dealing with dementia. I’m calling it a “circus-play” because the goal is to fully fuse two art forms by using both words and circus movement to tell the story. It’s meaningful for several reasons; it combines my two worlds of theatre and circus and has pushed me beyond my comfort zone in a very positive way. Previously ‘writer’ wasn’t part of my multitude of hyphenates but after I experienced a loved one developing dementia I started to write. Read more>>

Joy Cannis

Beginning early in my career, I had the incredible opportunity and honor to come alongside families who are experiencing the loss of a child whether in utero or into young adulthood. On January 17th, 2014 I received a call that would change the trajectory of my life. Shortly after ending the call, I walked into the NICU with a few notes scribbled on a 3×5 card. – Full-term baby girl – 1st child for the young couple – being taken off life support – being taken off life support – cause undetermined Read more>>

Malavika Rao

Last year, as part of my MFA at Calarts, I exhibited my art in a solo exhibition titled, “dear ponnu,”. This exhibition was rooted into the imaginary worlds I created for myself as a child. These were the worlds that existed in the unrealized spaces of my childhood home, underneath the dining table and at the back of closets. In the installation, I harnessed the protection that these hidden spaces provided for my childhood self. During this time, I was in therapy for the first time. I began to realize that I felt extremely disconnected from my childhood self, they felt like another person to me. I was holding a lot of anger and hate towards her. Read more>>

Kendra Merritt

I have always had stories in my head, voices that won’t quiet unless I write down what they have to say. But for a long time, they were just other people’s stories that I got to be a part of for a little while. It wasn’t until a scoliosis surgery went badly that I found my own voice. I went into the operating room with a crooked spine and came out with partial paraplegia. I could wiggle the toes on my right foot and that was it. While I was recovering and learning how to walk again I realized that none of the fantasy heroes in my books looked or moved like me. And I desperately needed some. I needed to see myself represented in an adventure where someone like me saved the day, even if they couldn’t run or jump or swing a sword. Read more>>

Mike Lawrence

I am currently working on a set of Southwestern Images, all 8 x 10 acrylic paintings. My process combines my interest in design: shape, color and composition along with painting techniques of thick and thin paint with a liberal use of brush strokes. The images come out of my interest in Native American mysticism/spiritualism and the Old West. They are of figurative-abstract approach. This is planned to be a body of work of around 100 paintings, currently at 45. Got to keep on creating. Read more>>

Whitney Sprayberry

In my career, I have been fortunate enough to be a part of many meaningful works of art. It is hard to narrow down a single project. To start, making my Broadway debut in “Spiderman Turn off the Dark” will forever be a moment! The moment where everything you worked for, every dream you ever had, it all comes to fruition. As you take that first curtain call, bow, and tell yourself, “You did it! It was all worth it for this moment!” Adding to that, I have worked with renowned choreographers like Ryan Heffington on an immersive show entitled “Seeing You” in New York City, which was a show that followed the lives of Hoboken families as they grappled with the effects of World War II in their community. Read more>>

Dessy X

Honestly, my most meaningful project will be my FIRST Album, which will be dropping in February. I dive into my own mistakes in relationships, lessons I’ve learned and the hurt I’ve been holding onto for so long. It’ll be an 8 song Album with 3 features from Artists I’ve connected with over the years. I’m a little nervous to share this Album, ‘Confessions of a Bleeding Heart’, but I’ve put so many hours and so much energy/love into it. I honestly think it’s my best work as of right now. I’m ready to open up even more for my listeners. I’m excited for them to witness my growth and true love for music. Read more>>

Santo D. Marabella

I have been fortunate that I consider the bulk of my creative work to be projects I consider meaningful. Projects of other creators, such as This Is Reading, created by Tony-nominated and two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Lynn Nottage, and Finding Jenn’s Voice from Tracy Schott, award-winning documentarian, are just two of the projects that I believed in passionately. When it comes to my own projects, the one that comes to mind right now because I am in the middle of another re-write, is a play I wrote and had several workshop productions called, Getting: COMPLETE! Read more>>

Jessie Swimeley

My current project is called Botanical Heritage, which is a study of the native plants found in the High Plains Desert. Most of my work centers on plants found in Idaho, where I live. With the profound rise in interest in our wild spaces, it is important to grow people’s understanding of the fragility and resiliency of our environment. Part of caring for our wild spaces is learning about and understanding the flora native to the area. When people know, compassion grows. As a printmaker, I use traditional ink-based methods and the historic photographic process of cyanotype to explore the native plants of the High Plains Desert. In my experimental cyanotypes, I explore the connection between plants and their environment by altering the pH of my cyanotype emulsion to create new and surprising colors and patterns. Read more>>

Tanita Schneider

We all talk about impact. About making a difference. About more sustainability, better conditions, or progressive developments. But what truly makes a difference? What actions and decisions actually contribute to changing something? What exactly is meaningful, sustainable, ethical, or fair? This is what I asked myself and it is one of the reasons why I started my own business as a brand designer: I am convinced that we can make a difference with design, communication & creativity. When I started working full-time as a brand designer at the end of 2019, one of my main reasons and greatest motivations was to make a difference as a brand strategist and designer. Right from the start, I collaborated with purpose-driven companies and founders. Read more>>

Elyse Bruce

There hasn’t been just one meaning project I’ve worked on. I have several meaningful projects that happen every year from the Night Before Christmas campaign to the Missy Barrett Stamp and Sticker Search to International Missy Barrett Day: A Day To Do Good Deeds as well as projects other businesses and creatives ask me to help them with throughout the year. For me, meaningful projects are those that give back to the community and help those in need. Read more>>

Rafael Vasck

The project im working on now is called “Vasck”. I left my hometown at the early age of 18 and lived in cities like London and Los Angeles, so I have a lot of influences. I also study an Associate degree on music performance at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, that definitely took my career as an artists to another level. How I was saying rightnow we are working on the indie rock project “Vasck”, we just released a new single in collaboration with the andalusian artist Gordo Master. Previously we released our album “Aqluimia” produced by the grammy nominated producer “Paco loco”. We are composing and working in our next album. Read more>>

Jamie Nichols

I am currently The Head of Movement at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Hollywood, CA. and teach contemporary dance ARC Pasadena . Since 2016 I have been the curator of the Brand Associates Dance Series at the Brand Library and Art Center In Glendale, CA. We are getting ready for an amazing Dance Series for 2024. Stay tuned! We have 4 very diverse dance companies that will perform for free at The Brand Library and Arts Center. https://www.brandlibrary.org/dance-series Read more>>

Quincy Hinojos

The most meaningful projects that I have worked on I would have to say are my last few projects. Shine Time I released when I was on my way to Michigan. My Grandmother had passed away from Alzheimer’s and dementia and the track Summer Time was the track behind the whole project cause I was thinking back to summer times at my grandparents house on Lake Michigan in Charlevoix when I would sit on the balcony chitchatting it up with my grandfather and watching the boats going by his house. The next one I would have to say is Space Age Pimpin because that was my first time working with a Multi platinum Billboard music producer and we ended up doing a whole project together. Read more>>

Balint Banner

The most meaningful project I have worked on so far would be the TV show I am developing called Shine. Although I had the idea for a while, the project itself really started off as a screenwriting project for a class, but the more I worked on it developing characters and the world, the more invested I got so later I turned it into one of my thesis projects for my masters, and have been working on it since. I believe it is so meaningful because there is a lot of me in the show. It is a world I created and characters I spend so many hours with. It also revolves around the theme of the old vs the new, which interests me a great deal. Read more>>

Liya

All of my song-babies are very meaningful to me, but some of my most special projects were created this past year. I released the song “stupid for your love”, which I wrote for my then boyfriend (he proposed shortly after). I wrote SFYL with Justine Goggin and Troy Tang is the producer behind the catchy beat. One of the most meaningful projects of 2023 was also collaborating with Gregory Warfield and EndlessFilms as well as an amazing Boston-based crew to shoot the music video to “stupid for your love” completely independently. I was also so honored and happy to see that it got nominated for “Video of the Year” at the 2023 New England Music Awards. Another amazing project I worked on this past year is the single “wildwildwest.com” produced by Joseph Mossbridge and written my me, Maria Landi and Joseph. Read more>>

Lady P

The most meaningful projects I’ve worked on has been motivation of success in a woman’s perspective, as well as raising awareness for domestic violence. Nothing in my life has been handed to me, I’ve had to work for everything I have and want it easier for others. My music, our movement, I am Lady P, but first Sharis Allen, I went through many wars but it’s made me stronger and a fighter, I won’t give up. Music speaks to more people than most the time words, so between music and raising awareness for something I’ve personally gone through, I can tell you it’s more than meaningful it’s real. Read more>>

Dorothy Chow

Death in Cambodia, Life in America is a passion project where I interview my father on his horrific first-hand experience surviving the Khmer Rouge aka the Cambodian Genocide of the 1970’s. I launched the very first episode on Fathers Day 2021. I always knew I wanted to help my father tell his story in some way however I never knew what medium would work best. We had a local autobiographer piece together a sample of my father’s story, but after review we decided his writing was very dry and unportraying of my father’s experience. The hardest part of telling this kind of story is actually having a parent willing to be vulnerable and dig into the depths of his past – and since I already had that, I felt this pull to make sure the story got out. Read more>>

Casey Ferrand McGee

As a former news reporter turned public relations professional, I have seen first hand the impact that being on the news can have on a business. It can be the thing that destroys a business or it can be the thing that catapults a business into greater success. Many of the clients I work with are entrepreneurs or local small business owners who are doing amazing work behind the scenes to grow their business. I intentionally work with them because I know what its like trying to start a business by yourself and pouring everything you have into making it a success. Read more>>

Kā’eo Drumright

As a proud Kānaka (Native Hawaiian), I’ve always been interested in telling the stories of my people and sharing some aspect of my culture and identity in each project. A recent example is my short film, “Lono and the Pig” (currently in post-production), which is a coming-of-age modern fantasy about a Hawaiian boy losing his way in the woods and ultimately finding himself. As writer and director, I have dedicated over two years to developing the script, researching Native Hawaiian folklore, casting fellow Kānaka, shooting, and now editing the film. Read more>>