Explore the world of art, activism, and the power of transformation in this captivating episode with Ally Zlatar. Join us as we dive deep into Ally's inspiring journey, from her innovative initiatives to her dedication to using art for change. Don't miss this remarkable conversation! 🎨🌟

Ally's website: https://allyz.cargo.site/

The Starving Artist website:https://starvingartist.cargo.site/

Bio

Ally Zlatar is an artist, scholar and activist. She is the founder of The Starving Artist; an artist initiative that utilizes creative voices as a way to create advocacy and systemic reform. She also founded The Starving Artist Scholarship Fund which helps people access inpatient mental health treatment. Her "This Body of Mine" campaign explores migrant experiences through creative voices and has helped support individuals and artists from refugee-seeking backgrounds globally.

Ally Zlatar has received the highest accolade a young person can achieve for their humanitarian work; such as the Commonwealth Innovation Awards (2023), winner of The Princess Diana Legacy Award (2021), King Hamad Award for Youth Empowerment (2022), the Lieutenant Governor's Community Volunteer Award from the Ontario Government of Canada (2023) and also special recognition from The British Citizen Award (2022).

She holds a BFA in Visual Art & Art History from Queen's University & an MLitt Curatorial Practice and Contemporary Art from the Glasgow School of Art. Her Doctorate of Creative Arts is with the University of Southern Queensland focusing on embodied experiences of mental illness in contemporary art. Zlatar is a Lecturer at the University of Glasgow and has taught at Glasgow International College, KICL London, and the University of Essex (UEIC).

Zlatar uses art as a tool to delve into the complexity of the human experience, particularly focusing on illness, vulnerability, and authenticity. Her work draws from personal experiences & auto-ethnography to drive change. She recognizes the power in examining the unwell body and utilizes art as a means of activism, aiming to spark dialogue and create societal impact.

Images courtesy of Ally Zlatar.