In this episode of Arts & Democracy: A Global Conversation, host Olga Levina speaks with Shawn Emamjomeh — a self-described “child of revolution” whose life spans Iran, Silicon Valley, Broadway, and the ancient Citadel of Erbil. Shawn reflects on how collaborative art on stage, city-building in Iraqi Kurdistan, and his Color & Light Festival have all been ways to build community in fragile times. From blockchain and PolyOne to projection mapping on a 6,000-year-old UNESCO World Heritage Site, he explores why art is the conscience of society, how stories travel across borders, and why creativity remains essential to sustaining democracy.

In our debut episode of Arts & Democracy: A Global Conversation, Olga Levina sits down with museum education professional Thomas Goehner — formerly of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and The Textile Museum — to explore the future of museums in a time of unprecedented political pressure. From his decades shaping educational programs across major cultural institutions to his perspective on the current debates over “whitewashing” history at the Smithsonian, Thomas offers candid insights on why museums matter, what stories must be preserved, and how cultural spaces can remain vital, inclusive, and resilient for generations to come.