Global Interactions’ program, The World Academy for the Future of Women, received three one-year grants from the United States Department of Culture at the US Embassy in Beijing. We began a bold new program having American women artists as World Academy facilitators at Sias International University and introducing them to residence of Henan Province and Beijing China.

This grant enabled twenty-four dynamic woman artists to each be on campus for five weeks to discuss and demonstrate how they found their voice and made the choice to pursue their dream to become a professional artist. The artists facilitated the World Academy curriculum that prepares World Academy members to follow their purpose and passion and to be a leader. In addition, they traveled to communities and to the countryside to perform and teach their art to residents, children, factory workers, and families of the World Academy members. They performed in villages, art museums, books stores, factories, schools, and on campus to sing, dance, paint, story-tell, play instruments, exhibit photography, murals, read their poetry or writings and to discuss their art with the audiences. When possible, they engaged the audience in participating in their art with them.

It was an inspiring way to encourage others to use their voice and make a choice to express their purpose, passion, and a find their path to success. We are grateful for the generosity of the US Embassy and their partnership in supporting American women to meet so many Chinese and to share American art and culture.

Over the 3-year period of the grants, the twenty-four artists reached over fifteen thousand (15,000) participants who heard and saw them perform.