“Democratization of American Arts and Culture” means lowering or removing barriers to experiencing, creating, and sharing art. Through this process, ideas are explored, questions asked, humanity exposed, bonds created, and communities are greatly strengthened. Democratizing the arts also helps strengthen American democracy, by strengthening communi…

A conversation with Arizona Citizens for the Arts (AZCA), the state arts advocacy organization fighting to increase funding in the Arizona state budget. In this episode, we chat with the AZCA Executive Director, Patrick McWhorter, and Director of Community Engagement, Sabrina Estrada. we touch on the exciting cultural developments statewide, as wel…

In episode 114 of Framing the Hammer, we chat with Richard Deming, Yale Director of Creative Writing and author of the recently published, This Exquisite Loneliness: What Loners, Outcasts and the Understood Can Teach Us About Creativity. In the book, Deming profiles six historic figures who publicly wrestled with loneliness and used creativity to c…

In Episode 12 of Framing the Hammer, we chat with Jason McGatlin, a Hollywood producer who worked on films such as The Adventures of TinTin, Volcano, and the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian, and (not least of all), the seventh, eighth and ninth of the Star Wars series, The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker . 4A Arts believes that …

In episode 12, we chat with Hilary Perkins, founder of Whippoorwill Arts (www.whippoorwillarts.org) a nonprofit advocating for music and musicians that recently underwent a comprehensive report on recommended wages for working musicians. We talk about the report that makes suggested base and graduated pay for musicians of all types, stripes, and lo…

SANDJOB, EPISODE 4A: In Which Nero, Jessie and Iris Return From Hiatus With New Discussions Of "The Sandman" Comic Book Series; A Long Philosophical Tangent On The Nature Of Hell Within Modern Christianity Is Embarked Upon; The Issue-By-Issue Weird Little Guy Quota Returns; And Our Credibility Within The Furry Community Is Called Into Question. SAN…

In episode 11 of Framing the Hammer, we chat with artists Boris Eldagsen and Jason M. Allen about their respective approaches to, uses of, and thoughts about artificial intelligence. Both Boris and Jason received awards for their work using AI, but they took different principled stands in accepting (or not refusing) their awards. Join us as we disc…

4A Arts dives into another aspect of the creative economy in our discussion with creative director Danielle Venne of Made Music Studio. Her firm specializes in “sonic branding” or, “The audio equivalent of a visual logo” as Danni says. 4A Arts believes that arts and culture are basic human rights and powerful tools for building a whole and healthy …

Host and 4A Arts Executive Director Gavin Lodge chats about the mission of 4A Arts and the genesis of the title Framing the Hammer. 4A Arts believes that arts and culture are basic human rights and powerful tools for building a whole and healthy society. Please follow our efforts and growth to change the narrative around American creativity and con…

In our conversation with Mathew Boudreaux, known in the online crafting world as the “Themperor of Crafting”, @mx.domestic. Mathew addresses their favorite quilting and crochet projects, being a crafting influencer, the sense of community developed in the art world, social justice melding with arts, their idea that 95% is good enough (the last 5% w…

Jazz legend and current board member for 4A Arts, Larry Ridley, recounts his musical youth in the Indianapolis jazz scene, his time touring with jazz greats like the Montgomery Brothers, and his lifelong commitment to sharing jazz through education at the National Endowment for the Arts and starting the jazz program at Rutgers University. 4A Arts b…

In this episode of Framing the Hammer, we speak with Elena K. Holy, founder and director of the New York International Fringe Festival as well as the 4A Arts general manager. Elena has spent a lifetime as a theatrical producer with a passion for solving problems and creating more outlets to share more innovative theatre with the largest variety of …

Framing the Hammer episode 106 brings us Troy Plumer, a Louisville, KY-based master’s student in history. Troy is an aficionado, though not a trained expert by his own admission, with the era around the Works Progress Administration (WPA) of the Great Depression and arts funding during that period. Troy contributed a guest blog to the 4A Arts websi…

Enjoy this conversation with an art therapist who works with violent criminals. Her nonjudgmental compassion for her patients and artistic process bring insight into the multitude of ways art restores our humanity and helps our self-understanding. We don’t share her last name or work location for reasons of privacy, particularly to protect her work…

A chat with Indigenous artist Ishkoten Dougi whom Gavin met at the Santa Fe Indian Art Market in August. During our conversation, Ishkoten discusses many fascinating aspects of his art, creative process, and experience as a Native artist. Of the many tidbits he shared, some highlights include that he feels forced to speak out and create artifacts t…

In this episode, 4As executive director Gavin Lodge is reunited with his high school junior and senior English teachers, Katherine and Jim Starkey. This married dynamic literary duo inspired their students to think deeper, write expressively, and appreciate all things creative. During this lively discussion they talk about how Jim developed a teach…

Please enjoy my tremendous conversation with the founder of 4A Arts, Charlie Reinhart. This inspirational arts leader, at the ripe young age of 91, demonstrates his fervent belief in the ability of the arts to change both entire lives and our society. Some of the highlights of speaking with him are his commitment to the idea that every single perso…

[CONTENT WARNING: Contains discussion of sexual assault in our "Calliope" segment from 03:25 to 20:15, as well as severe depression and suicide in our "Façade" segment from 43:35 to 1:04:25. Please take care when listening.] GOOD EVENING, DREAMERS! It's been a little while, but we're excited to be back! We were... somewhat less excited to be talkin…

This week we're having a reunion with a good friend Daniel. Our german homie coming back to the states and talking to us about everything he experienced this past year!By David Medina

By David Medina

AI Art? Max starting youtube? AND the new Yachty album?? All discussed in this weeks episode of The 4A Podcast!!By David Medina

The regular cast is back with another episode for this more laid back day. We discuss some lighter subjects and of course never forget music of the week!By David Medina

Second episode back and we're already switching the cast around. Join us as we dive into some more unusual topics this episode with Gavin and returning face Andrew!By David Medina

We know... I promise this is the LAST time we stop!! After such a long time away from the mics, we discuss our growth over the past couple months, and our thoughts on the coming future.By David Medina

GOOD EVENING, DREAMERS! We're back to review the back half of THE DOLL'S HOUSE-- four issues packed with a whole mess of wild twists and wilder ideas. Why does pop culture find serial killers so compelling? Why does this comic have such a tense relationship with queer sensuality? Most importantly, why didn't Morph keep the beard he was rocking in t…

GOOD EVENING, DREAMERS! After a short break for Life Stuff, we're back to review the first half of THE DOLL'S HOUSE-- issues #9 through #12, for those of you following along via the floppies. While this new arc is more artistically consistent than Preludes, its writing is... a land of many contrasts. What part of Africa is Queen Nada's tribe from, …

GOOD EVENING, DREAMERS! This episode, we tackle the back half of Preludes and Nocturnes-- issues #5 to #8 of the original Sandman run. Things go to shit for our main man Morph fast as Dr. Destiny uses his ruby to wreak gruesome psychic havoc on an unsuspecting populace. Plus: Hey look, the Justice League is here! You guys gonna do anything about th…

By David Medina

GREETINGS, DREAMERS! Welcome to the inaugural episode of SANDJOB, a podcast where three American queers with varying levels of experience read and review Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN series of comic books! Today's episode covers issues 1 through 4, originally published January to April of 1989 and collected in the trade volume PRELUDES AND NOCTURNES. Just…

Welcome back to another episode of The 4A Podcast! This week on the podcast we talk about one of the most iconic music festivals Woodstocks, and the disaster it left in 1999. We also get into some facts about the new 100+ mile long skyscraper being made in Saudi Arabia !By David Medina

Join us on this weeks episode of The 4A Podcast! Our feelings are all over the place this week. We discuss many things including an interesting underground show the 4A attended !By David Medina

Welcome back to another episode of The 4A Podcast. This week we discuss the recent headlines regarding a WNBA player in the gulag! We also dive a bit into Max's eating habits and Luis' experience at the City Morgue Show!By David Medina

Welcome back to another episode of The 4A Podcast and this week we are happy to announce our first guest on video, AVGVUST $ANTANA!! Join us as we talk about his latest work, and dive back into some of his thoughts on different cultures .By David Medina

After months and a slight delay, we are finally ready to present our first recorded episode ! We're all excited for this new aspect of the podcast and we hope you share our enthusiasm :) . In this episode we continue our ice breaker questions from the first episode, but with a new voice on stage!By David Medina

We're back... really really back! Our studio is finally ready and we couldn't be more excited to be back on the mics. Enjoy our first episode back where we share a bit of our personalities for our new viewers and our day ones :)By David Medina

Welcome back to another episode of the 4A Podcast. This week we take a small dive into conspiracy theories while also looking back at some of our favorite and most memorable field trips.By David Medina

Welcome back to another episode of the 4A Podcast ! Come and sit down and listen to our lively weeks in which we raged, created, bonded and spent a ridiculous amount of money. We end this weeks episode by reflecting and sharing stories on the many unexpected situations in life.By David Medina

Welcome back to another episode of the 4A Podcast! This week we're swinging back to an instant classic, Spider-Man No Way Home and what we love about the universe. Make sure to stick around to hear what else we've been doing through our little break!By David Medina

Welcome back to another episode of The 4A Podcast. This week we have a very special guest and local producer, Ricky! Stop by and listen to us talk about his life, his interesting time out in L.A., and all of our experiences as first generations in the United States.By David Medina

Welcome to the very first 4A Podcast anniversary episode, and we hope we have many more to come. On this special episode, we look back and examine the people we were in our very first episode to who we are now, one year later. Not only do we look into our past, but also our future with what we hope to accomplish in the next few years. We have surel…

Welcome back to another episode of The 4A Podcast! This week you get to hear some of our inner thoughts through a Q&A delivered by our very special guest, Denise. Listen to us discuss what we like and look for in a relationship, and other pressing questionsBy David Medina

Picking up from our last episode we bring on another guest Anthony, alongside his up and coming clothing brand. Tune in as we explore more about his inspirations, his brand, who he is as a person, and have a raffle between the group! As always enjoy some amazing new music of the week!By David Medina

Welcome back to a very special episode of The 4A Podcast! This week we're joined by some great new friends Daniel and Yannick who have come a long way to talk to us. Coming all the way from Germany they have a lot to say about their American experience and all of the places they've explored. And as always stick around for your Music of the Week!…

Welcome back to another episode of the 4A Podcast! This week on the podcast we dive deep into the mind of 4A. We talk about FOMO and our experiences with lucid dreaming. And as always leave with your new music of the week.By David Medina

After taking some time off... The 4A Podcast is finally back with the premier of season 3!!! Come find what's been keeping us busy for the last few weeks and as always, take some with you on the way out!By David Medina

Hey everyone and welcome back to another week of 4A! This episode we talk about David's trips to Ohio and Justin's opinions on the DCU and a few things in between. And as always leave with your music of the week!By David Medina

Hello and welcome back to your weekly dose of 4A! This week we congratulate David and Andrew for taking some big steps towards their future, talk interesting new technology being released, and of course Music of the Week!By David Medina

Welcome to the 4A Podcast and this week we're talking about the present and the future of soccer with the creation of the SuperLeague. Not only a bad week for soccer fans but also for Justin as he tries to fight the system. And as always stick around for your new music of the week!By David Medina

Welcome to another week of 4A! This week we get educated by our special guest Jenna on the spectrum as we talk about Autism Awareness month. Leave feeling educated and with a new list of music for your week!By David Medina

Welcome back to another week of 4A! This week we talk about our dog days at the zoo, Andrew's inner conflict with school, and helping David with his next big trip. As always leave with your "album" of the week!By David Medina