Bringing to light
A sharp and empathetic focus on how to build affirming and inclusive learning environments that embrace complexity and advocate for real, lasting systemic change.
The basics
Jacob Watson is a socially-engaged artist, researcher, and educator. He designs processes, plays, workshops, conversations, and programs that move people into deeper understanding of themselves and their communities.
Jacob has worked as a researcher at Project Zero and as a program manager for interdisciplinary learning initiatives at Columbia College Chicago’s Center for Community Arts Partnerships. Jacob is a founding member of the FYI Performance Company at the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health and has worked with a wide variety of Jewish, non-profit, cultural, and educational institutions including Convergence Design Lab, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Redmoon, The Jewish Early Childhood Education Leadership Institute, Chicago Architecture Biennial, Chicago Public Schools, and Harvard’s Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. Jacob received his Ed.M. in Arts in Education from Harvard University and B.A. in Theatre from Northwestern University. He is also a scenic designer, performer, graphic designer, singer, mover, facilitator, deep thinker, teacher, and scholar.
How Jacob finds meaning and comes together with others
Jacob currently volunteers as an organizer for Swarm Artist Residency and the electoral advocacy group Misfits for Democracy. Jacob believes in the power of creative tools to help people find connection, solve problems, and build more equitable and just communities. He loves dabbling in different art forms, trees, yoga, dogs, and pizza.
