Working on something meaningful is a common desire – but how? We started asking folks to share the story of how they ended up working on a project they felt was meaningful because we wanted inspiration but also because we wondered if hearing from people from across a range of industries would help us identify patterns making it more likely for anyone to be able to find and work on projects that they would find meaningful.
Elijah Barnes
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on to date is my series “Somewhere On The Way To Freedom”. It dives into the intersection of black beauty, representation, identity, and the concept of freedom as a whole. It was the first project that launched me into the fine art space as a photographer and allowed me to create and execute my ideas exactly how I saw it in my head. Read More>>
Shawna Vesco Ahern
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on was curating the public art program for San Mateo County’s Office of Arts and Culture during the pandemic. At a time when the world felt fractured and isolated, I was tasked with imagining what public art could do—not just aesthetically, but socially, emotionally, and politically. We weren’t simply decorating the walls of the jury duty hallway. Rather, we were asking: How can art repair the civic fabric? How can it foster a sense of belonging, especially in communities that have long been excluded from cultural decision-making? Read More>>
Amor Roldan
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was building and creating the world of Yap and Stitch. Yap and Stitch started off as just an idea. The idea was that I wanted to bring people together who felt like they never had the space to fit in and feel seen, just like myself. I also wanted people from the community to bring in their love for fiber arts and crafts in general, to build connections with others who would join my idea of this thing called Yap and Stitch. Read More>>
Becky McKiddy-Gydesen
Being the owner of the Tucson Ghost Company, I have done a lot of research about the history and haunts of Tucson and surrounding areas. Learning about our history and coming care about the communities past and present.
Also being a paranormal investigator I have had the opportunity to help people within the community Read More>>
Spicy Lee Jones
The most meaningful project our company has worked on was organizing and hosting a (7) person comedy show at the Fort Lauderdale Improv in May. Traditionally, we are experts at putting together variety shows and smaller comedy shows at more local venues. However, this was the first project our company had where we needed to organize logistics and talent for over 150 to 200 patrons. We applied what we normally do as far as talent acquisition and research of how these larger shows are typically carried out. Read More>>
Laya
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is co-founding and chairing the San Jose District 8 Youth Council Committee (YCC), the first Youth Advisory Council in District 8 and first youth policy think tank in San Jose, an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between young people and the local policymaking process. One of our core focuses has been addressing youth homelessness, an issue that hits close to home. San Jose has the highest rate of unhoused youth in the United States, and as someone with a family history of poverty, I’ve always felt a personal responsibility to act. Read More>>
Pepe López Reus
Sangueo is a long-term, collaborative project that I’ve been working on since 2010, alongside drum makers, musicians, and community members in Todasana, a small town on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast. The project is a deep cultural exploration that documents the everyday life and sacred celebrations of the Afro-Venezuelan community, particularly focusing on their rich ritual and artistic expressions. Read More>>
Ruth Economy
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on this year has been launching my blog, Catching Economy. Writing has always been a lifelong passion, and I finally created a space to express it fully. Read More>>
Emily Alexander
Recently, I had a client ask if I could finish the preservation of her sister’s bouquet from a few years prior because unfortunately the artist whom started the preservation passed before she could complete it. This project was so meaningful to me because in this process and I was able to learn about the love and passion of a person without ever meeting her. In my form of art, it is my hope my clients see their pieces and are reminded of their special occasion, the love they share or the feelings they hold for a special person in their life. Read More>>
Gavis Dean
The most meaningful project that I’m working on besides myself is my new mission, my real mission, my divine mission: To change the world.
I want to make this world a better place. For far too long has humanity been opressed and enslaved. Those times are over, we are here to make a shift and we are changing the world. This is the mantra that I teach : we are changing the world. Read More>>
Tong Shen
“Equation” is a photographic series that explores the visual and conceptual connections between seemingly unrelated objects and scenes. The project grew from a realization: in our fast-paced lives, we often overlook the richness of our surroundings because we’re focused on getting somewhere, both literally and metaphorically. In doing so, we miss the beauty embedded in the ordinary. Read More>>
Jiyeon Kim
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my latest short film, Me: JFK, You: ICN.
It’s a 17:23 runtime narrative short about a Korean flight attendant, Ina, who tries to return home for her brother’s wedding, only to confront deeply buried trauma from her childhood. The film is set in liminal spaces, such as her room and airplane, capturing her emotional disorientation and silent struggle. Read More>>
Hasan Davis
As a living history interpreter, I have breathed life into the stories of Civil War Soldier: Angus Augustus Burleigh an Boxing Legend: Joe Louis. But the most meaningful project of my career so far, has been the journey of bringing the story of York—the only Black team member of the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition—to life. This work has spanned almost three decades and taken many forms: a one-man theatrical performance (researched, written, and performed by me), a published children’s book, and most recently, the ongoing Big Medicine: York Outdoors Project with the National Park Services, including the recently released documentary *Big Medicine: York Outdoors*, a film that invites communities across the nation to reckon with whose story gets remembered, who’s presence gets honored, and why. Read More>>
Heather Williams
It was the Fall of 2009. I answered an ad in the Classifieds in my local paper looking for dance artists to perform in an upcoming presentation. On a hot July afternoon, with dance shoes in hand, I headed to the provided address to audition. As I got closer to the final destination, I was met with a sprawling hill with large homes on the left and sheep and chickens on the right. I continued up the hill to find a hidden campus, complete with a gorgeous arts center, home to Matheny. Matheny is an organization founded in 1946 that cares for and houses individuals with medically complex disabilities. It’s Arts Access Program, founded in 1993, was looking for professional artists to perform the work of the program’s choreographers. Read More>>
Nanae Itoi
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was my very first art exhibition—it marked the beginning of my journey as a digital artist.
At the time, I had just graduated with a degree in Computer Science and Emerging Media. Most of my classmates were applying for software engineering or corporate jobs, and I felt pressure to do the same. Even though I dreamed of becoming a digital artist, I kept telling myself I needed to improve my coding skills first, then maybe I’d be ready. Read More>>
DeShon Washington Jr
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is an original animated series I’ve been developing called “Smoke Town.”
I won’t go too deep into the plot just yet, because I want the world to discover it the way I did: slowly, unexpectedly, and personally. But what I can say is that it’s a story about hope in the most unexpected places. It’s whimsical, raw, spiritual, deeply funny, and at times painful. The show is designed to look like chaos on the surface, but underneath it, it’s a love letter to Black creativity, found family, mental health, and the kind of childhood wonder many people feel they lost too soon. Read More>>
Sofia Sanchez Maestro
It’s difficult to name just one, because my work as a pianist has always been deeply connected to my personal growth and sense of purpose. But if I had to highlight a few turning points, they would be moments where music became a bridge between my inner world and my ambition to share my talent with the world. Read More>>
Jinglei Shu
The most meaningful project for me, without a doubt, was participating in the AR dance program Our Spring for Beijing TV’s 2022 Spring Festival Gala.
This was a program specially planned for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Its content came from interviews with a group of visually impaired children, who described their imagined visions of spring. These children had hardly ever truly “seen” spring, yet they drew apple trees blooming with lilacs, butterflies with four eyes, cats with round ears, and tailless puppies… These images were fantastical, childlike, and possessed a natural surrealism. They became the inspiration for the entire stage’s visual design. Read More>>
Michele Aitchison
Well, there’s my history, and where I’ve landed as a result. I started as an artist living in Chicago, then moved to rural Illinois, where I began tattooing and built a life rooted in art, on both skin and canvas. That led to the Bloom Project, an open-ended tattoo experience where clients could grow their ink over time. I documented this through photo shoots and social media, representing the process, and developed many professional friendships from shared time together over a 20-year time period. Read More>>
Theo & Chris
The0- I feel like they are all meaningful. The last thing I want to do is waste time & resources. Someone else’s or mine. I think we do a good job of curating shows & picking bands that we feel fit with what we do & want to accomplish. We’ve been pretty luck to have others believe in what we do.
Chris- For sure, I feel like anytime a young band gets to play a new venue because of us, or play to a bigger crowd than they’re used to, it’s meaningful. Read More>>
Royal Bias
Glennchy’s debut album is a decade of discipline distilled into sound. After five years navigating the world of professional basketball, Glennchy rolled over his relentless work ethic into songwriting and studio sessions. Juggling two cutthroat arenas—sports and music—we’ve learned how to capture the duality of hustle.
It’s the sound of someone who’s lived two lives, and told the story somewhere in the middle. For anyone walking multiple paths. Read More>>
Mihika Das
“Handwoven” is a documentary about Nikyle Begay, a non-binary Navajo shepherd & weaver from Ganado, Arizona. It is one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on as a cinematographer. Read More>>
Patrick Brownson
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve ever gotten to work on was a production of Amadeus a couple of years ago. I was offered the role of Antonio Salieri by a great friend of mine, who was the director of the show. While it’s always great to get offered roles, it was especially meaningful to me since this was by far the biggest and most complicated character I’ve ever gotten to play. It was also a little bit of a “six degrees of separation” case as my mom went to college with Tom Hulce, who played Mozart in the film version, and did some shows with him back then. Read More>>
Aldea Gerard
I’d have to say the work I do for the Native American Heritage Association has been some of the most meaningful to me. We took them on at Hey Alec Productions a couple of years ago to manage their social media, and it’s been an incredible journey ever since. Creating content that truly speaks to a cause takes a lot of research, and through that, I’ve learned so much about the culture of the Lakota Sioux. Honestly, I’ve always rooted for the underdog—but more than that, I’m drawn to what’s real. Read More>>
Anabel Rub Peicher
Teaching art to diverse people of different age groups and different social backgrounds, ranging from meals on wheels and Gilda’s Club, Atria Willowood Retirement community, persons with learning disabilities to private students online, prior to Covid ’till present.
Teaching people who have never created art and venture to try something new, they usually enjoy the process and the final product gives them great pride. They surprise themselves having created something. Read More>>
Leah Goodwin
Over the past ten years I have worked in the community and have always felt like art was missing. Working on this project gave me the opportunity and budget to create an art collection including a bronze sculpture and mediation garden in the neighborhood. Read More>>
Ashley Harris
I’ve actually had two recently that I would love to share. I started creating custom clothing – specifically jackets – out of client’s mailed in merchandise. I had a client mail me her dad, uncle and cousins’ sports team shirts that have passed away to create her piece from and another client mailed me her dog’s that have also passed away, their sports team pieces to incorporate into her jacket. These were so sentimental for me to make because these clients are now wearing these special pieces to their favorite sports team games but carrying pieces of their heart along with them. I teared up creating these because it’s such an emotional experience. The jackets both turned out incredible and they’re some of my most proud moments as a fashion designer and mean the most to me. Read More>>
JORGE RODRIGUEZ DIEZ
Leonardo Rodriguez is a Cuban-American entrepreneur who, in addition to managing his electrical services company, devotes an extraordinary amount of energy and resources to his two cultural initiatives, both dedicated to the cultivation and promotion of the visual arts: the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Americas and the Fine Arts Ceramic Center. Read More>>
Bryan Mann-Entzel
This is an interesting question for us because of our approach to our work. At >Greater Thought, as you can tell from our name, we have a focus on providing impact, or as our tagline frames it up, Creating Mindful Marketing. We look for meaningful ways to help our work have an impact for our clients and the communities they serve. Read More>>
Sam Reetz
I’m drawn to stories that inspire paradigm shifts – the stories that source character as a vehicle to reimagine possibilities, motivate a better global ethic, and drive deeper personal inquiry about our views towards systemic policies and practices. Read More>>
Sherry Zerr
Oh my! I can’t narrow it down to just one project, but I’d love to share a few that have deeply rooted meaning.
When I was pregnant with Cooper, my dearest friends threw our family the most thoughtful and elegant baby shower. Over the top beautiful in every single detail. Instead of using white linens or disposable tablecloths, they purchased a variety of fabrics in different shades and prints of blue using them as tablecloths. After Cooper was born, I sewed the linens into a beautiful, patriotic quilt in remembrance of his baby shower. Words cannot describe the amount of love I felt that day and how incredibly special my ‘sisters’ made me feel. Read More>>
Michelle Langone
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on so far is my most recent full-length album, “From My Soul To Yours,” which is truly a compilation of years of work and preparation. It was released on November 1, 2024, and received over 1 million streams on Spotify within its first month, as a completely independent artist without a clear marketing plan or strategy. Read More>>
Tracy King
I embarked on a personal transformation, metamorphosis, 15 years ago when I left my corporate life and decided to listen to my heart and lean into my creative desires. I left my old identity , corner office and titles behind and moved, site unseen, to San Miguel de Allende, Mx to begin my artistic journey. My souls urning could no longer be ignored. I spent 8 years studying, doing my art, teaching and running a gallery. Six years ago I moved to Santa Fe, the sister city to San Miguel, to begin a new artistic chapter. It was a perfect place to establish a home and grow in the arts because it was far away from the trappings of success in the U.S. Read More>>
Eysen Pollard
I’ve had the privilege of working on many projects over the years that have made me feel incredibly proud. While it’s hard to choose just one, a few definitely stand out as personal favorites—and, coincidentally, they’re also the ones that have received awards. I’ve been fortunate to have several of my pieces recognized, spanning a variety of mediums including fine art portraiture, photography, and ceramics. Read More>>
Ellie Lee
On May 24, 2024, I released my first full-length album, Escape — a deeply meaningful project that marked a turning point in my musical journey. While I had previously been active as a session player and accompanist in various capacities, Escape was the first time I stepped forward as the lead artist under my own name. Read More>>
Tim Glover
My directorial debut, Alex & MOR: A Love Odyssey. I’ve been working on it since the summer of 2020, it started as a short film, now it’s a feature film.
The logline is: “A couple seeks to reunite through space and time, as one lives through the first day they met, and the other wakes up in the desert without memory of their relationship.” Read More>>
Ashley Wolf
A few years ago, I was working as a Paint Color Consultant at another company. We were hired by some clients who just moved to Seattle from San Francisco. They bought a large and beautiful historic home in the Queen Anne neighborhood, and were looking to refresh the entire interior with new paint colors. These clients were the first ones I’d worked with who wanted to color drench essentially every room in their home. Normally, the Interior Paint Color Consultations last up to 90 minutes, but their home was huge and their vision was complex. By the time the consultation was supposed to end, we had only made it through half of their home. I offered to stay for an additional hour at our designer’s hourly rate and they readily agreed. The energy was flowing and they had found their color palette’s rhythm, so we got back to work. After the consultation, I left feeling totally inspired. Read More>>
Alyson Petrick
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on lately is a guide I created called How to Read Your Plants – a practical guide to observation-based plant care. It teaches people how to care for their plants by looking and observing rather than following a bunch of rigid rules. Read More>>
Vinnie Langdon
In 2021, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing I missed was being on sets acting or directing films. It seemed like a dark time and positivity seemed slim. I witnessed churches closing and my colleagues in the film and TV industry were starting to feel lost. That is when I knew I had to step in and do something about it. That’s when I spoke with a church pastor at the Reformed Church on Staten Island (New York.) I asked him how could I help out the church with a potential fundraiser. That’s when I came up with a Film Festival/Fundraiser to preserve one of the oldest churches in Staten Island and bring filmmakers and actors together once it was safe to do so. Read More>>
Chris Becker
It’s hard for me to apply a measure of “meaningfulness” to the projects I’ve worked on. As an independent artist who supports their work with income from day gigs and grants, I have the luxury of being selective when it comes to choosing who I want to collaborate with. Over time, I’ve become skilled at avoiding projects that I don’t feel personally invested in. I think artists do their worst work when they take on a project as a “good career move.” Read More>>