Philippa Pham Hughes is a Social Sculptor, Cultural Strategist, Curator, Visiting Fellow at the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins, and Visiting Artist For Art & Civic Engagement at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. She applies relational thinking and an aesthetic of care and delight to her work in democracy building, civic engagement, and repairing the social fabric of our country one creative conversation at a time. Philippa draws from the arts and humanities to design spaces for honest conversations across political, social, and cultural differences. She has produced hundreds of creative activations since 2007 for people who might not normally meet to engage with one another in unconventional and meaningful ways. She also curates multi-disciplinary art exhibits & experiences. These relational experiences build social capital, social cohesion, and social discourse. She is a curious and lateral thinker whose multi-disciplinary practice is informed by sociology, psychology, philosophy, political science, history, community organizing, design thinking, creative placemaking, art, and humanities. Philippa has spoken internationally, including SXSW, TEDxAmericanUniversity, Placemaking Week Amsterdam, University of Michigan's Penny Stamps Speaker Series, Fort Worth Women's Policy Forum. Her work has been featured by artnet, CNN, PBS Newshour, CityLab, and The Washington Post. Philippa’s mission: to create a society in which all humans flourish.
A few things she has written:
“Like All Americans Stories, Mine Is Complicated,” Washington Monthly, June 3, 2021.
“What Four Years Of Dining With Trump Supporters Taught Me About Polarization,” GEN, January 21, 2021.
“My Cousin Runs ICE. He’s Killing the Same American Dream Granted to His Own Parents,” GEN, November 3, 2020.
“Want to Bridge Divides? Start With a Blueberry and Cherry Crisp,” CNN Opinion, December 6, 2019.
“Community Conversations: Bringing People Together,” Siouxland Magazine, July 3, 2019.
"Regrets of An Accidental Placemaker," Shelterforce, June 19, 2018.
A few talks she has given:
“Talking Across the Divide” | Friends of the Facts, a News Literacy Fair | Missouri School of Journalism | June 27, 2022.
“C’mom, Can Art Really Change the World?” | EU@SXSW | March 14, 2022.
“How Art Can Generate Real Change In Your Community and Lead To Human Flourishing” | Fort Worth Women’s Policy Forum | November 12, 2021.
“Dismantling the Polarization Industrial Complex” | Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series | October 16, 2020.
“Creative Placemaking For All” | Tom Tom Summit | April 10, 2019.
“Creative Placemaking and Revitalization” | Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit | October 6, 2018.
"Measuring Social Placemaking One Conversation At a Time" | Placemaking Week 2017 Amsterdam | October 12, 2017.
"Seeing Your Way to Civil Discourse" | TEDxAmericanUniversity | June 22, 2017.
A few creative projects she has imagined and produced:
We Should Talk: The Greatest Poem: The Greatest Poem is the first in a series of multi-media art installations and programs called We Should Talk in which multi-disciplinary Asian American women artists create space to explore the nuances and complexities of what it means to be an Asian American woman. We Should Talk is led by curator and artist Philippa Pham Hughes and artists Xena Ni and Adele 이슬 Kenworthy. We apply an aesthetic of care and delight to creating relational spaces in which we share deeply and honestly, learn from one another, explore, and grow together. The Greatest Poem features the paintings and poetry of Thu Anh Nguyễn, a short, animated film produced by Philippa Pham Hughes called The Greatest Poem, and expressions of Asian American identity from AAPI women across the country that have been turned into found poems by Thu Anh.
Hey, We Need To Talk In partnership with the Ann Arbor City Clerk’s Office, the Creative Campus Voting Project is collaborating with UMMA to turn your art museum into an election hub — register to vote, get your ballot, access voting resources, and celebrate participation. In addition, visiting artist Philippa Hughes will host a dynamic and deeply engaging series of experimental social events across UMMA’s galleries, creating space for authentic and honest conversations between politically diverse people.
Treehouse Treehouse invites the viewer into a space of beauty that encourages us to wonder about the world and each other. Imagine a world in which we all can flourish, and are connected to nature and one another. This multisensory, collaborative installation is a portal for reflection, reconnection, remembrance and dialogue.
Blueberries and Cherries blueberries + cherries invites politically diverse guests to break bread and talk to each other face-to-face over a home cooked meal. the goal: to understand the things that influence our votes and to find ways to bridge the vast ideological gap that plagues our country. we engage in civil discourse that is unfiltered by the lens of political punditry and by the anonymity and bias of social media.
Looking For America How do different communities—in the Midwest, at the border, in cities and in rural areas—answer that question? Across the United States, we’re inviting local artists and community members of all backgrounds and political stripes to come together to share their stories and perspectives.
Hello, Neighbor! Video portraits capturing the spirit of the Southwest neighborhood through storytelling and memory sharing.
A (GOOD) AMERICAN Art exhibit in which seven artists examined the immigrant experience in America and examined what it means to be a good American. The artists used the interior and exterior spaces of the Heurich House Museum, the historic home of 19th century German immigrant Christian Heurich, as backdrop and inspiration.
The Van Ness Social Club A new-fashioned town square and social gathering where millennial and elderly neighbors can get to know each other in dance and unexpected social interaction.
IF YOU LIVED HERE An interactive, site-specific installation that explores the meaning of home through personal reflection and within historical and archaeological context.
Us + Them = U.S. Finding Common Ground In a Divided Nation A co-curated visual response to the division our country faces, in which artists and activists examine and investigate our nation’s current political and cultural rift and explore how we can find a collective understanding through contemporary art-making methods
SEE/CHANGE Temporary creative pacemaking video art and community engagement project that put a human face on how population change and revitalization are affecting the Park View and Pleasant Plains neighborhoods of lower Georgia Avenue.
Supernova International performance art festival over three days throughout the streets and underused spaces of Rosslyn, Virginia.
LUMEN8Anacostia Temporary arts and culture festival in underutilized spaces.
Cherry Blast I, II, III, IV, and V Annual alternative, multi-media art and music events in raw spaces throughout DC. An official event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
White Party Art, dance, games, and technology in an interactive experience at The Phillips Collection.
North Capitol Main Street Art Walk Summer-long showcase of sculptures placed in front yards of residences along a main street in the Bloomingdale neighborhood.
ZestFest Pop-up performing arts sidewalk festival over 10 days.
Some press about her projects:
Peabody Magazine: Democracy and the Arts, “STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY ONE CONVERSATION AT A TIME,” Mazy Zajac, Fall 2023
Artnet, “Artist Philippa Pham Hughes’s Latest Work is a Massive Dinner Party Bringing Conservatives and Liberals Together Ahead of the Midterm Elections, November 2, 2022.
The Washington Post, “Across the country, liberals and conservatives are coming together at moderated dinners to understand each other better," Leigh Giangreco, February 24, 2020.
CNN, “How to heal America’s fracture," Yaffa Frederick, November 2019.
El Paso Herald-Post, “El Paso Museum of History, national partners to host ‘Looking for America: El Paso,” October 9, 2019.
Siouxland News, “An art exhibition has Siouxlanders talking about what being American means to them," September 30, 2019.
Sioux City Journal, “New exhibit at Betty Strong encourages dialogue on what it means to be American," September 29, 2019.
Crude Magazine, “Crude Conversations with Philippa Hughes,” September 26, 2019.
Salt Lake Tribune, “Listening to each other will make us more civil," September 18, 2019.
Kojo Nnamdi Show, “Kojo Roadshow: How Gentrification Affects The Arts In The D.C. Region,” March 31, 2019.
Kojo Nnamdi Show, “Belonging, Civility, Ugh: What Happens When Commonly Held Ideals Backfire," November 20, 2018.
CityLab, “Encouraging Neighbors to See Eye To Eye,” Jessica Leigh Hester, November 17, 2016.
Bmore Art, "US + THEM = U.S.: Finding Common Ground In a Divided Nation," Michael Iacovone, February 9, 2017.
A few panels & podcasts she has joined:
A Conversation With Social Sculptor, Philippa Hughes | Becoming your Best Version | January 28, 2022
How to Bridge Our Divides and Find Our Shared American Identity, with Philippa Hughes | The Vital Center | September 15, 2021
Bringing People Together with Philippa Hughes | Short N' Sweet: A Donut Princess Podcast | June 28, 2021
Dinner Discussions and Democracy: Breaking Through Polarization with Philippa Hughes | USC Center for PR | April 1, 2021
How to Embody Leonardo DaVinci with Philippa Hughes | The Artist Business Plan | February 18, 2021
Philippa Hughes: Social Sculptor & Creative Strategist | Vessel: Art is a Doorway Podcast | February 15, 2021
Philippa Hughes: I am a proud Sh*thole American! | Bone Broth Soup | February 2021
“First Five: The Role of Free Speech In Bridging the Blue and Red Divide” | Freedom Forum | December 10, 2020.
“The Work of Culture & Narrative Change: A Practitioner's View” | NIIC New American Dreams | December 9, 2020.
“I Can’t Believe You Voted For That Guy! Please Pass the Mashed Potatoes” | The Kojo Nnamdi Show | November 24, 2020.
“Salon Series: A Democrat, a Republican, and a Search For Common Ground” | John Brademas Center and NYU DC Dialogues | November 16, 2020.
Election Briefing: Why I’m Voting For …” | Let’s Find Common Ground Podcast | October 29, 2020.
Halim Flowers: Spoken Word | Kreeger Museum | August 14, 2020.
Choose To Be Curious Podcast | July 21, 2020.
“Crossing Political and Social Distance” | Community Coffee Talk | May 14, 2020.
Empathy in Arts | Arts Community Day, Halcyon House | April 24, 2020.
“How Can We Come Together (Even When We Disagree!) | Association Chat | October 28, 2019.
A few honors she has been granted:
Friedrich Ebert Foundation Media Fellow.
DC Humanities Council, Distinguished Service to Humanities Award.
Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar.
Washington City Paper Best Arts Blog.
The Washington Post’s Favorite D.C. Arts Tweeter.
Affiliations:
University of Michigan Museum of Art, Resident Artist, 2023-24.
SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins, Visiting Fellow, 2023-24.
Kallion, Advisory Board Member.
Solas Nua, Past Board Member.
Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts, Past Board Member.
ArtTable, a professional organization dedicated to advancing the leadership of women in the visual arts.
Arts Coalition for the Dupont Underground, Past Board Chair.
MakeDC, Past Advisory Board.
DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, Past Commissioner.
The Awesome Foundation, Past Trustee.
PostClassical Ensemble, Past Advisory Board Member.
Arlington Arts Center, Past Board and Catalyst Committee.
Taffety Punk Theatre Company, an alternative theater company dedicated to making theater smart and affordable founded by DC actors, Past Board Member.
Barrelhouse Magazine, an alternative literary magazine of pop flotsam and cultural jetsam founded by DC writers, Past Board Member.