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Homegoings
Homegoings cover art
Homegoings

Will Art Save Us All?

By Myra Flynn
Published March 25, 2026 at 3:15 PM EDT

In 1964, Sam Cooke released a song that captured both struggle and hope with unusual clarity — offering not just expression, but a shared sense of identity and momentum. And it wasn’t an isolated moment. From the Vietnam War to the Arab Spring, art has repeatedly shaped how events are seen, felt, and, at times, acted upon. The power of a picture, the weight of a song, the bravery of a book — these have all been real forces that lead to reach change. Which raises a more difficult question: in the present moment, what exactly is art doing? What does it owe to itself, and the times we’re living in?

Homegoings is a show that invites you to eavesdrop on candid conversations with people who will challenge what you think you know, and YOU are welcome here. Follow the show here.

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“For me, it's a no brainer. You know, I'm painting Black kids on walls. I'm painting Black people, and I'm showing us in the most elite manner possible. And I have a responsibility in that.” — Will Kasso Condry
Photo: Courtesy / Graphic: Kyle Ambusk
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Vermont Public
“For me, it's a no brainer. You know, I'm painting Black kids on walls. I'm painting Black people, and I'm showing us in the most elite manner possible. And I have a responsibility in that.” —  Will Kasso Condry

Art has a long history of shaping how we see — and how we act. And right now … it’s hard not to wonder if history is circling back. So we’re looking at you, art. What are you doing right now? Are you resting? Have you stepped away?

Or are you already getting ready — quietly building strength — preparing to step back into the fight?

In this episode, we talk with three artists, working in very different mediums, about what art owes to itself… and to the times we’re living in.

“Whenever the primal like human animal has felt in dangers or unsafe or needed healing in some way, shape or form, it's turned to art. So just like when we're hungry, we eat the food that's around us. When we need saving and safety and healing, we turn to the art that that is around us.” — Babatunde Akinboboye
Photo: Courtesy / Graphic: Kyle Ambusk
/
Vermont Public
“Whenever the primal like human animal has felt in dangers or unsafe or needed healing in some way, shape or form, it's turned to art. So just like when we're hungry, we eat the food that's around us. When we need saving and safety and healing, we turn to the art that that is around us.”
Babatunde Akinboboye

Photo: Courtesy / Graphic: Kyle Ambusk
/
Vermont Public
“Does art have a responsibility to save us? No. Do artists have a responsibility to always speak in the political? No, because the political can be misinterpreted, right? And sometimes an artist just wants to make something that is beautiful. And we need to hold space for that.”
Edwin Owusu

Credits

This episode was hosted and reported by executive producer, Myra Flynn and mixed by Burgess Brown. Our video director is Mike Dunn and Emmanuel Dzotsi is our editor. Myra composed the theme music with other music by Blue Dot Sessions and Edwin Owusu. Kyle Ambusk is the graphic artist behind this episode’s Homegoings portrait.

Thank you for listening. You can see a video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel.

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Myra Flynn
Myra Flynn joined Vermont Public in March 2021 and is the Host and Executive Producer of Homegoings. Raised in Vermont, Myra Flynn is an accomplished musician who has come to know the lay of dirt-road land that much more intimately through touring both well-known and obscure stages all around the state and beyond. She also has experience as a teaching artist and wore many hats at the Burlington Free Press, including features reporter and correspondent, before her pursuits took her deep into the arts world. Prior to joining Vermont Public, Myra spent eight years in the Los Angeles music industry.
See stories by Myra Flynn