What Is ARTIVISM?
ARTIVISM is a creative production company, cultural platform, and community movement rooted in the belief that art is a tool for social change, economic empowerment, and collective healing.
Defined as social activism through creative expression, ARTIVISM exists at the intersection of art, entrepreneurship, and community. We believe creativity doesn’t just reflect the world—it shapes it. When artists are supported, communities thrive.
Our Mission
Our mission is to increase the production of positive artistic expression while creating real, sustainable opportunities for creatives to turn their ideas into income.
We exist to:
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Empower artists as entrepreneurs
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Provide access to tools, space, and resources
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Build platforms that uplift culture and community
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Create economic stimulating creative environments
What We Do
ARTIVISM operates as a one-stop creative ecosystem for artists, musicians, designers, and cultural entrepreneurs.
Our work includes:
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Creative production services (music, audio engineering, design, merchandise)
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Event curation (art markets, jam sessions, showcases, community activations)
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Retail & consignment opportunities for independent brands and artists
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Education & youth programming focused on entrepreneurship, data literacy, and creative confidence
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Community partnerships with local institutions, venues, and cultural organizations
Everything we do is designed to lower barriers, increase visibility, and help creatives build something sustainable.
The Founders
Joshua Hughes
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Co-Founder | President | | Artist (JusJosh)
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Joshua Hughes is a Howard University graduate in Mathematics with a minor in Secondary Education. His work sits at the intersection of education, community organizing, and creative expression.
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Joshua has spent years teaching youth preventative messaging—anti-gun violence, anti-drug use, and community responsibility—through creative programming, while also training educators in data analytics and entrepreneurship across the DMV.
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He has built deep community relationships through his work at Aurora Market and Sankofa Video Books & Café, and currently serves as Executive Director and Liaison for Men of the Mecca at Howard University.
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Creatively known as JusJosh, he is recognized as one of Washington, DC’s rising artists—hosting and performing at countless showcases, jam sessions, and community events that bring people together through music.
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Isaac Alicea
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Co-Founder | CEO | | Producer (IcyTides)
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Isaac Alicea is a Howard University graduate in Business Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. His background blends formal business training—marketing, management, business law—with a lifelong commitment to music and creative technology.
A classically trained cellist since age six, Isaac went on to pick up the guitar, piano, bass, and drums—leading him to become Icy Tides, a music producer and audio engineer known for polished, professional sound.
He has served as Head of the Music and Fashion Teams for 360CreativitySavesLives, taught data analytics and entrepreneurship across multiple disciplines, and worked within community-focused spaces like Sankofa and Aurora Market. His experience also includes time at the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Isaac brings a systems-level mindset to ARTIVISM—bridging creativity, technology, and business strategy to help artists turn passion into infrastructure.
Why ARTIVISM Exists
ARTIVISM exists because art has the power to heal communities, shift narratives, and bring people back into alignment with one another.
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We believe creative expression is not just entertainment—it is a form of communication, reflection, and care. In a world that often amplifies fear, division, and scarcity, ARTIVISM is committed to increasing the amount of positive creative expression in the world.
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At the same time, we recognize that creativity should also be sustainable. ARTIVISM is designed to increase economic opportunity for creatives and the communities they serve by providing access to platforms, resources, and pathways that allow artists to turn their ideas into income.
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Through intentional programming, creative production, and community-centered spaces, we help transform individual expression into collective healing, shared prosperity, and long-term impact.
