Dissecting the hot-topic of "cultural appropriation vs. appreciation” in popular culture (art, fashion, tech, gaming, music, creative media, etc.) especially as relates to and impacts Indigenous Peoples around the world. Who gets to decide who can and cannot do or use or reproduce something, and on what terms—and how can you, as creator, avoid not only legal headaches, but causing offense (even unintended!) that can lead to your brand/ project/ product being cancelled by your audience and/or the marketplace?

Uncountable images, soundscapes, stories, and info sources from the farthest corners of the globe are accessible instantly, to anyone with a phone and computer these days, too-often uncredited to their individual creators and disconnected from cultures and contexts of origin, confusion abounds—especially with generative AI thrown into that mix! We’ll consider what's problematic in this (ethically, legally, and creatively) while looking at what, on the flipside, makes for inspired, ethical, and surely more authentic engagement, as well as equitable collaboration and partnerships, and talk about the FPIC (Free, Prior, and Informed Consent) framework prevailing in current global discussions around intellectual property, traditional knowledge, trademarks, and patents.

We’ll be checking out multi-media examples—music videos, fashion, games, film, performing and visual art—from around the world, contributing to what should be an open, dynamic conversation on the nuances and complexities of this topic.