daniel
johnson is a multidisciplinary artist/performer drawing considerations and
methodologies from his background as a parent, organizer, museum educator,
and public historian. johnson’s work emerges in relationship with others and,
at its root, centers the relationship itself as a practice of sincerity,
reciprocity, and curiosity. Artistic products of the relationship are
reflections of an ongoing commitment to each other and to a shared path of
inquiry.
The scaffolding for trusting relationships is ongoing work toward clarity in roles and agency, equitable access to information and decision-making, and direct discussion in the formation of agreements – and most importantly, being prepared to hold space for joy and vulnerability. Through cultivating friendships and working relationships across a community, johnson discovers alignment and intersections among stories, shared intentions, and perceived challenges which at times go on to seed collaborative, multidisciplinary performances reflecting shared understandings, outstanding questions, and further curiosities of the group. johnson firmly believes that cultural expression provides the most powerful tools for forming affinity and focusing collective deliberation toward practical impacts for everyday life.
johnson is the Principal Artist for Significant Developments and the Special Projects Manager for Wolfe Studio. His work has been featured by PolicyLink, the Center for the Future of Museums, Georgetown University’s Gnovis journal, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Community Development Innovation Review, Mississippi Free Press, and Mississippi Today. johnson currently serves on the Board of Mississippi Center for Cultural Production and as the Board Chair for The Wolfe Creative Legacy. He has served as an Officer on the Boards of Alternate ROOTS, Sipp Culture, Purple Word Center for Book & Paper Arts, and Rainbow Natural Grocery Cooperative.
The scaffolding for trusting relationships is ongoing work toward clarity in roles and agency, equitable access to information and decision-making, and direct discussion in the formation of agreements – and most importantly, being prepared to hold space for joy and vulnerability. Through cultivating friendships and working relationships across a community, johnson discovers alignment and intersections among stories, shared intentions, and perceived challenges which at times go on to seed collaborative, multidisciplinary performances reflecting shared understandings, outstanding questions, and further curiosities of the group. johnson firmly believes that cultural expression provides the most powerful tools for forming affinity and focusing collective deliberation toward practical impacts for everyday life.
johnson is the Principal Artist for Significant Developments and the Special Projects Manager for Wolfe Studio. His work has been featured by PolicyLink, the Center for the Future of Museums, Georgetown University’s Gnovis journal, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Community Development Innovation Review, Mississippi Free Press, and Mississippi Today. johnson currently serves on the Board of Mississippi Center for Cultural Production and as the Board Chair for The Wolfe Creative Legacy. He has served as an Officer on the Boards of Alternate ROOTS, Sipp Culture, Purple Word Center for Book & Paper Arts, and Rainbow Natural Grocery Cooperative.
Articles & Features
Mississippi Free Press | September 2024
‘Dream Again’: Homegrown Utica Festival Revitalizes Town’s Agricultural Roots
National League of Cities | January 2024
How One Rural Town is Using Community Organizing for Fresh Food Access in Mississippi
Mississippi Free Press | November 2023
Utica Locals Tackle Food Desert Woes with ‘Homegrown’ Festival
Mississippi Free Press | August 2023
Jackson Volunteers Clean Illegal Dumpsite on Water Crisis Anniversary
Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University | May 2022
Intersections in the Archive: A Mellon Graduate Assistant Performance
Center for Art & Public Exchange | September 2021
Compassion, Art, People, and Equity: The Story of the Center for Art and Public Exchange at the Mississippi Museum of Art
Under the Rainbow: Children’s of Mississippi | Spring 2021
Healing Arts
PolicyLink | October 2020
Moving from Engaging to Organizing with Arts and Culture Strategies
Mississippi Today | December 2019
Land & Power Summit Creates “Magical” Community Connection
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco | November 2019
Arts and Culture from the Inside, Not the Outside
Find It in Fondren | May 2019
Traditional Technique, Practical Consideration: daniel johnson
PolicyLink | May 2019
Working with Artists to Deepen Impact
Jackson Free Press | March 2019
Becoming Curious Citizens
Jackson Free Press | January 2019
The Most Intriguing of 2018
Jackson State Newsroom | March 2018
Margaret Walker Center to Unveil Interpretive Plaque in Farish Street Park
The Clarion Ledger | October 2017
Artist Engages Jackson with Social Artworks
Center for the Future of Museums | March 2017
Museum Work as Socially Engaged Art
Medium | November 2017
Digital Interface and the Content of Our Thoughts
Mississippi Modern | Summer 2016
(Social Media)ting the Generation Gap: Art Works in the City of Jackson
Mississippi2: The Alternate Voice of the South | October 2015
daniel johnson, Community Artivist
Hattiesburg American | March 2014
Hattiesburg Students Tour Jackson Art Installation
Jackson Free Press | February 2014
C3’s Social Art
Jackson Free Press | May 2012
Creative Conversations
Jackson Free Press | January 2012
Pizza, Beer, and Improvisation
Millsaps Purple & White | September 2011
Debris as Art Narrates Story of Midtown
Jackson Free Press | May 2011
An Unlikely Artifact
Jackson Free Press | December 2009
Whose Line Is It, Anyway?
Jackson Free Press | April 2008
Bloom, Improv, Bloom
Panels
Arts for Everybody Capstone Convening | February 2025From Engagement to Co-Design: Shifting Power in Community
Alternate ROOTS, ROOTS Week | August 2024
Arts for Everybody: Building Power Through Arts & Health
Alternate ROOTS, ROOTS Week | August 2024
Art in City Hall: Your Day-to-Day Involvement with Local Government Matters Far More Than a Referendum on the White House Every Four Years
SouthArts, Southern Cultural Treasures Summit | April 2024
The Relationships Guiding Cross-Sector Collaborations
Communities First, Southeast Thriving Communities Regional Convening | November 2023
Creative Catalysts: Arts and Culture - Planning and Infrastructure Implementation
Margaret Walker Center at Jackson State University, Creative Arts & Scholarly Engagement Festival | April 2022
The Performance of Public History. What Happens When We Call It Art?
University of Mississippi, Navigating Chaos conference | April 2021
The Circumstances Called for Agency: an examination of the Prospectus and Proposal for a Free Southern Theater
National Guild for Community Arts Education | January 2021
Anti-Racism as Organizational Compass w/ Sipp Culture
PolicyLink | May 2020
How Community Development Corporations Change When They Embrace Arts and Culture
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts & Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco | Nov 2019
Expanding Practice for Community Development Organizations
American Planning Association | April 2019
Placemaking’s Role in Preserving Community Identity
ArtPlace America | May 2018
Collaborative Practice from the Artists’ Perspective
Millsaps College | Feb 2017
Must the Novelist Crusade? Art as a Form of Activism
Workshops
Alternate ROOTS | August 2021Toward a Community-Centered Project Evaluation with CAPE and Land & Power
Jackson Public Schools | Sept 2019
Connecting the Classroom to Nature through Arts Integration
Alternate ROOTS | Aug 2019
Non-issue-based Frameworks for Increasing Political Participation
Southwest Mississippi Multiplex for Early Innovation Intervention | June 2019
Who Are We? Defining Our Community Roles Through Comic Strips
Mississippi Council on Economic Education | Mar 2017
Economics & Art: Making the Connections
South East Museum Coalition | Oct 2015
Selfie Culture and Copyright: Harnessing the Power Legally in a Museum Setting
Alternate ROOTS | Sept 2015
Socially Engaged Artists in Institutions: Embedded Engagements
Association of State Arts Agencies | Sept 2015
Territory and Trust: Building the Skills to Open Up and Move Between Arts Education Spaces
Affiliations
Wolfe Creative Legacy | Board ChairJuly 2024 - present
Mississippi Center for Cultural Production | At-Large Board Member
March 2025 - present
Board Treasurer
Nov 2022 - February 2023
Board Secretary
Jan 2018 - Oct 2022
Jackson Public Schools A3 Theater Committee | Chair
September 2024 - present
Diaspora Solidarities Lab | Community Fellow
May 2023 - April 2024
AND Gallery | Advisory Board
May 2017 - October 2023
conNECKtedTOO:TINYisPOWERFUL | Circle of Advisors
April 2020 - June 2023
Highlander Center | Participatory Action Researcher
Class of 2021 and 2023
Alternate ROOTS | Executive Committee
Aug 2019 - Aug 2020
Board Secretary
Aug 2020 - Aug 2022
Intercultural Leadership Institute | Year 1 Fellow
2017 - 2018
Jackson Medical Mall Foundation | ArtPlace Advisory Board
2016 - 2018
Michelada Think Tank | Visiting Facilitator
Feb 2016
Business Association of Midtown | Board Member
Feb 2015 - Oct 2020
Purple Word Center for Book & Paper Arts | Board Vice President of Outreach
2014 - 2016
Joan Mitchell Foundation | Visual Arts Scholar for ROOTS Week
Aug 2013
FIGMENT | Jackson Festival Curator
2012 - 2013
Midtown Partners CDC | Creative Hub Development Partner
2012 - 2013
Belhaven University Dance Department | Community Collaboration Connector
Aug 2011 - Jan 2012
VSA Arts of Mississippi (now Art for All MS)| Board Member
2008 - 2013
Mississippi Improv Alliance | Lead Organizer
2007 - 2012
Greater Jackson Arts Council | Board Member
2009 - 2012
Rainbow Natural Grocery Cooperative | Board Vice President
2008 - 2011
Jackson Arts Collective | Moderator
2007 - 2011
daniel@significantdevelopments.us — Jackson, Mississippi