20th Anniversary and Leadership Transition Letter

20 years ago today, Martine Kellett founded ArtCorps, an artist volunteer initiative grounded in the belief that arts and culture have the power to communicate across difference, shift mindsets and change behavior. Today, as Creative Action Institute, we have built on that concept, growing into a global movement for gender equity and climate justice. While our name changed, the mission has remained steadfast – to catalyze community driven solutions that advance gender equity and build a sustainable planet.

As we reach this incredible milestone, I want to share some exciting news - at the end of March, I will be stepping down to make way for new leadership. As the Executive Director since its inception, it has been an honor to learn and grow with my team and all our amazing partners. Together we have strengthened the capacity of hundreds of grassroots organizations and leaders to use our innovative tools to make real advances in the fight for gender equity and climate justice. I am profoundly inspired and so very grateful to have worked with such brave and brilliant people globally and remain in awe of the continued work they do to create a just and sustainable world.

Over the past two decades, there are many things that we have accomplished together. Among them, a few stand out:

• Global Capacity Building. Taking the time to critically analyze the effectiveness of our approach after 7 years uncovered the need to retool and develop a much more robust model to transfer knowledge and skills to our partners. Launching our Creative Environmental Leadership Program (CELP) in 2013 in Belize with New England Biolabs Foundation opened a whole new world for us and our partners.  Through this model, we have trained hundreds of grassroots practitioners in innovative frameworks and methodologies that leverage the arts to build leadership, advocate for change and build resilience in the face of climate change in Central America, South America and West Africa. 

  
  

• Gender and Climate Change. Early on, we saw firsthand the disproportionate ways women and girls were impacted by climate change and addressed these challenges in our trainings and curricula. Our early adoption and understanding of the need to address climate justice in all of our programming positioned us as an instrumental partner in developing curricula and capacity building models for adolescent girls globally. Our Sauti ya Dada Program and the East African Girls Leadership Summit opened pathways to develop the leadership skills of thousands of young African women, equipping them with tools and resources to understand the ways in which climate change impacts them, identify ways to mitigate these impacts and advocate for their human rights.

  
  

• Creative Advocacy Practicums. I am especially inspired and proud of the work we have done to develop tangible, accessible methodologies for frontline leaders to creatively advocate for change. Our Creative Advocacy Practicums leverage a unique approach that utilizes arts-based processes to collectively analyze a challenge, understand the root causes, and build practical solutions informed by those most impacted by the problems. Each year, leaders around the world lead advocacy efforts that tackle persistent challenges using visual and performing arts, awakening minds and connecting hearts as they seek to shift negative practices and create the just communities they seek.

  
  

I will remain a close ally and continue my commitment to community-based conservation and gender equity as the Executive Director of New England Biolabs Foundation, a long-time partner of Creative Action Institute, a position I will begin in May.

We are thrilled to announce that our Deputy Director, Louisa Trackman, has been appointed as my successor. Louisa brings 15 years of experience in international development with over a decade of experience within the organization. Louisa is uniquely prepared to seamlessly lead us into our new chapter, having been instrumental in all aspects of setting the priorities for our new strategic plan. Her expertise in gender and climate justice, skilled operational prowess, strong relationships, and inspiring leadership will serve the organization well as it heads into its next iteration. Louisa will assume her new role on April 1, 2026.

As I head to my next adventure, I am filled with immense gratitude for the many incredible experiences and relationships that this work has afforded me. I am excited to watch as Creative Action Institute continues to surprise us and creatively imagine new ways forward!

With gratitude,

Clare Dowd