Understanding Creative Changemaking
our framework
social change creativity
We ground our work in the concept of Social Change Creativity (Luria & Kaufman, 2025)—the use of creative strengths, processes, and imagination to combat social injustice and manifest equitable social outcomes.
This framework helps us recognize the diversity of creative changemakers and connect those sharing complementary approaches.
We also are creating an RRU version of the framework in response to community input. See RRU adaptations below.
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| Description | Might Look Like | |
| Aesthetic Persuasion | Using images, performance, beauty, or shock to engage audiences and inspire action | Documentary filmmaking for truth and reconciliation • Community theatre addressing social issues • Visual arts exhibitions highlighting injustice • Public art installations that provoke dialogue • Performance that challenges dominant narratives |
| Cultural Resurgence and Preservation | Documenting, sustaining, and evolving cultural practices, languages, and ways of knowing—often as resistance to forces that threaten their existence | Oral history projects • Language revitalization programs • Storytelling initiatives • Archiving community knowledge • Creating counternarratives that challenge dominant histories |
| Civic Activism | Developing new policies, laws, procedures, or economic structures aimed at addressing systemic inequities | Policy innovation • Movement building • Legislative advocacy • Creative approaches to governance • Economic models that redistribute power • Grassroots organizing |
| Community Outreach | Building connections, leadership, and collective capacity within communities—often leveraging local strengths to address local challenges | Coalition building • Participatory research • Community-led programming • Intergenerational initiatives • Co-design with community partners • Mobilization efforts |
| Digital Dissemination | Using media, journalism, and digital platforms to raise awareness, counter disinformation, amplify marginalized voices, and mobilize for change | Digital activism • Investigative journalism • Social media campaigns • Open access publishing • Podcasting • Documentary distribution • Knowledge mobilization platforms |
rru adaptations to the framework
Our consultation process suggests domains that are important to the RRU community are not fully represented in the Luria and Kaufman framework. We are adapting with these additions:
- Land, Spirit, and Intergenerational Responsibility. Indigenous colleagues and those rooted in nature-based creativity have helped us recognize the need for greater emphasis on approaches that are land based, spiritual, or ceremonial.
- Social Financing. Creative changemaking requires new equity focused and environmentally regenerative ways to fund impactful and meaningful work.
- Process-Centred Approaches. Many changemakers focus explicitly on innovative facilitation and convening methods, including those that build trust and authentic connection.
Key Reference: Luria, S. R., & Kaufman, J. C. (2025). Social change creativity: Proposing a new domain for equity, social justice, and human rights. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 59 (3). https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.70042