Artivism: Artists Should Own Their Means of Production

On this week’s episode, I sit down with Issac Alicea and Joshua Hughes - founders of ARTIVISM, a creative production company and cultural movement based in Washington, DC. What started as a shared vision at Howard University has grown into a community-driven space where artists can create, collaborate, and build real infrastructure around their ideas. The two founders met at as freshman at Howard University in the midst of a global pandemic. Both drawn to their mental health, education, and making a difference in their communities, the two became fast friends. Issac is an entrepreneur, musician, educator, and creative strategist whose work lives at the intersection of creativity, business, technology, and community. Joshua is an artist, educator, organizer, and curator whose ability to connect people across generations has helped shape ARTIVISM’s heartbeat. Together, they’ve built more than a business — they’ve built a hub for creative empowerment. In this conversation, they share the origin story of ARTIVISM, the role Howard played in shaping their mindset, and why owning the means of production matters for independent artists. We also talk about entrepreneurship, sacrifice, community, and what it really takes to turn creative vision into something sustainable. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Artivism and the Guests 01:09 What is Artivism? Building an Ecosystem for Creatives 04:04 The Problem: Artists Struggling to Make a Living 07:19 The Power of Artistic Ownership and Control 12:02 Personal Journeys and Artistic Beginnings 15:04 Howard Hustle Culture and Entrepreneurial Mindset 18:41 The Birth of Artivism from a Campaign 23:24 The Meaning Behind the Name Artivism 28:11 Balancing Multiple Jobs and Building the Business 33:47 The Importance of Owning Your Content 37:29 Community, Influence, and Collaboration in Art 39:34 Lessons from Business Mistakes and Growth 43:17 What School Didn't Teach About Entrepreneurship 45:34 Inspiring the Next Generation of Creators 50:49 Future Goals and Expanding Artivism Globally 53:15 Rapid Fire: Key Takeaways and Insights Resources Website: https://www.artivismworld.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_artivism?i... TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_artivism?_r=... keywords Artivism, creative entrepreneurship, artist ownership, community building, activism, independent artists, business lessons, Howard University, creator economy