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We are artists, social psychologists, policy innovators, detectives and technologists. We are mostly anonymous. Our focus is creative problem solving as praxis not theory, the place where art and creative solutions come together to transform reality into something better. We aggregate talent with a focus on creating teams of people who have gotten super human results that tackle critical social problems.

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The projects on this website are an aggregate of things we or our members have worked on as a way of offering this work to the public.

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If you have a project you would like us to consider working on write us:

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In quantum physics this same phenomenon is often described through the misfortune of: "The butterfly wings that cause a hurricane."

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Our work and case studies point out the positive aspect of the small, which is everywhere in evidence - precisely because it is so powerful and available to us all. In our own case we like to practice the butterfly wings that can create a more diverse egalitarian and free society.

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Our approach to problem solving is from the perspective of "the outsider," and in particular, the outsider artist. If you have ever walked into a room or a raucaos party and found an insufferable cloying atmosphere and a horrible smell, and realized that everyone inside the room is used to that, acclimitized to it, thinks it's normal, and doesn't notice, this is the value of the outsider perspective; it is the opposite of the"institutionalized thinking," that goes along with bad situations. The outsider artist perspective has the courage to see things that are obvious and say " theEmperor has no clothes"- unlike the people inside the system who are going along. This is the value of the outside perspective. In some circles it is called 'beginners mind.' 

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We're mostly anonymous for a reason. First, it allows people with opposing or interesting viewpoints to come together and pursue authentic discourse and open disagreements without fear of "being punished" by people who are intolerant of differences.

 

Second, it allows people to relax and express themselves with candor without worrying about their public image.

 

Third, it's more fun and authentic.

 

Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, in a world that is increasingly obsessedwith appearances, image and not reality, posturing and self-promotion, being deliberately anonymous is totally counter-spectacular, provocative, and forces people to deal with what is being said rather than the cheap thrill of dismembering "who" is saying it.  In other words, in the current form of this experiment - operate like a Speak Easy.

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Example Projects:

 

Our Members Have Worked on the Following Initiatives and Cutting Edge Policies/Programs:

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1) In 2007 Richmond California was considered one of the murder capitals of the United States. Having seen police efforts fail to address the root causes of crime in other cities (poverty and joblessness) we proposed the creation of a new city department that would have an exclusive focus on stopping community violence by focusing on providing individuals out of prison with jobs and alternative livelihoods. The program was a political fight to initiate... but it passed with a $1 MM yearly budget. The City hired Devone Bogan as the first director  of the Office of Neighborhood Safety. The project evolved into a pay for performance anti-crime program, which claimed a 70% reduction in homicide within 7 years.

 

New York Times Editorial On the Program ( http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/05/opinion/sunday/to-stop-crime-hand-over-cash.html?_r=0  )

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2) We have created legislative agendas to help cities with a history of environmental justice problems become recognized as leaders in the green economy within two years.

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3) We initiated drafted and led implementation of the the first Task Force in the US charged with devising a plan to get a US city to Oil Independence:

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https://peoplesworld.org/article/first-in-nation-oakland-oks-oil-independence-by-2020/

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4) We initiated and drafted legislation making Oakland and San Francisco the first cities in the US to mandate compostable restaurant take-out packaging, while also banning styrofoam.

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5) We initiated and drafted legislation making San Franciasco the first city to ban plastic water bottles in key areas.

 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/san-francisco-moves-closer-to-banning-plastic-water-bottles/ 

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Why is an art-driven think tank necessary?

 

If we do a survey of most of the worlds leaders, elected officials, CEOs, ED's and Project Managers - you won't find many artists represented. You will, however, find a lot of regimented thinking, institutionaled viewpoints, stultifying boredom, and legally obsessive minds. 

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Maybe that's why the world is in the mess that it is.

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It's time for artists and other disciplines who have been excluded from the process to have a seat at the table and bring a different approach to solving problems.

 

There are over a hundred think tanks in the world with annual budgets of over $10 MM - not one of them represents artists or artistic thinking as an approach to solve societal problems. Mostly it's wonks and laywers. Moreover they are completely boring. They do so little, and speak so much, in a jargon that employs the same kind of one dimensional thinking at the heart of todays problems.

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The power of art is transformative and has only just barely been explored, in terms of its ability to create vibrant and thriving communities. Everyone is secretly an artist - and yet so few of us are  allowed to be so. A better life is possible and within reach. Who controls public space? Not the public. Who controls the virtual space? Not the public. If you would like to see examples of how art can change society, go to the page Projects & Studies.

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Going through this website is an introduction to the kind of thinking and activities we pursue. It can be used as a learning module to train a kind of perspective that is desparately needed in the world. For a deeper understanding of our praxis, go here.

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Not Convinced?

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Read Brian Eno's Essay on Why We Play:

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