Following our deep dive into the neuroscience of empathy, cultural strategy, strategic nonviolence and more, the final session of our Creative Activist Masterclass Series explored the concept of playtivism, hope-based communications and the power of creative activism. Led by Yana Buhrer Tavanier, the co-founder and Executive Director of Fine Acts and a TED Senior Fellow, this masterclass challenged participants to rethink how they communicate social issues, mobilize audiences, and sustain movements for the long term.
From investigation to impact: A personal journey
The session began with a personal story – one that highlighted the frustration many activists feel when truth alone isn’t enough to drive change. Yana, a longtime activist and award-winning investigative journalist, shared her experiences of exposing human rights abuses, including undercover investigations in institutions for people with disabilities across the Balkans. Despite uncovering harrowing truths, the impact was limited: “I won multiple awards, but only one institution was shut down.” This realization led to a shift in her career from journalism to activism – where communication became not just about revealing problems, but about mobilizing people toward solutions.
Hope-based communications: Moving beyond fear and despair
At the heart of the session was a central question: How do we communicate difficult truths without overwhelming people into inaction? Research from neuroscience and behavioral sciences suggests that simply presenting problems – no matter how urgent or shocking – can often backfire. Instead of mobilizing people, it can lead to apathy and withdrawal.
The answer? Hope-based communications – an approach developed by Thomas Coombes, a global communications strategist and founder of hope-based comms.
Hope, as defined in this session, is not about blind optimism. It’s a pragmatic strategy that focuses on solutions, agency, and action. “Hope is not ignoring problems; it’s about framing them in a way that makes change feel possible.” The approach shifts messaging from:
Fear to Hope: Move from dwelling on crisis to inspiring action and possibility.
Problem to Solution: Don’t just state the issue – show a path forward.
Threat to Opportunity: Instead of emphasizing threats, highlight possibilities for change.
Against to For: Don’t just oppose something, articulate what you support.
Victim to Hero/Human: Empower affected communities as agents of change.
Hope-based communication goes beyond simply reframing messaging – it’s also about movement-building. “If we want people with us for the long haul, we need to give them reasons to believe change is possible.”
The power of visual storytelling and emotion in activism
The masterclass also explored how art and visual storytelling can be game-changers in activism. Studies show that opinions change not through more information, but through empathy-inducing experiences; and that visual language works much better than dry facts and abstract concepts. While visuals, storytelling and art provide the tools for engagement, understanding the emotional landscape of activism is crucial for sustained impact. Yana explored how different emotional appeals drive different types of action. While anger can mobilize people in the short term, hope sustains movements. “Anger is like a spark – it ignites quickly but burns out fast. Hope is what keeps people in the fight.”
Participants were challenged to practice to reframe their own messages, testing how different emotional appeals could shape audience response. This exercise reinforced the idea that the way we present information can determine whether people feel paralyzed by the scale of a problem, or inspired to take action.
Playtivism: Fostering experimentation and multidisciplinary play in activism
A significant highlight of the masterclass was the concept of Playtivism – the integration of play and experimentation into activism to create more engaging, effective, and sustainable movements. Yana, whose TED Talk on Playtivism has been viewed nearly two million times, emphasized that in the context of activism play is not frivolous – it is a powerful tool for fostering creativity, inspiring participation, and fighting burnout.
“We often assume activism has to be serious, but play across disciplines allows us to come up with better ideas, and reach people in unexpected ways. It helps dismantle fear, draws people in, and sparks joy – even in difficult struggles.”
Two notable formats Fine Acts has pioneered with play in mind are Sprints and Labs. Sprints are intensive creative bootcamps where artists produce rapid-response visual content within 48 hours. These events generate high-quality, open-license artworks that movements can immediately use. Labs, on the other hand, are experimental spaces that bring together multidisciplinary teams, matching artists and technologies, to explore new formats, creative interventions, and playful tactics for activism. These approaches ensure that experimentation and creativity remain at the heart of advocacy, continually pushing the boundaries of how social change is communicated and experienced.
Designing campaigns for action
The session wrapped up with a hands-on discussion on designing creative campaigns. Key takeaways included:
Make action easy – If people are moved but don’t know what to do next, they are left frustrated or disengage. Provide clear, simple steps for action.
Use participatory storytelling – Engage audiences in the storytelling process. People are more likely to support a movement when they feel part of it.
Leverage creative formats – From interactive art installations to humor-driven tactics, unconventional approaches can cut through the noise and make social issues more accessible.
By incorporating joy, creativity, and play into campaign work, activists can sustain engagement, inspire broader audiences, and navigate difficult challenges.
Our Creative Activist Masterclass Series is a groundbreaking program, designed to connect activists and civil society actors with some of the world’s leading experts in the fields of strategic and creative communications, marketing, art, and social change.