Beautiful Trouble

Beautiful Trouble is a global community committed to advancing social movements through creativity, shared leadership, and international solidarity. The initiative serves as a global network of artist-activist-trainers dedicated to empowering grassroots movements through creativity, strategy, and direct action. Originating in 2010 as a collaborative book project, it has since evolved into a multifaceted resource that includes a comprehensive online toolbox, a strategy card deck, and hands-on training programs. Its work centers on equipping movements with tactical tools, creative campaign support, and strategic training in nonviolent direct action. The organization practices anti-oppression values, shared leadership, and global solidarity, with an emphasis on humor, joy, and art as agents of change.

Since its inception in 2010, Beautiful Trouble has trained over 15,000 people, partnered with frontline organizers across the world (notably through its Global South-focused toolkit Beautiful Rising), and sold over 25,000 copies of its book in 7 languages. Partnering with organizations like ActionAid Denmark in 2015, they have since expanded their toolkit globally, fostering inclusive and responsive strategies for creative resistance. With initiatives like the Action Lab and Get Up Rise Up (GURU) fund, Beautiful Trouble continues to support grassroots projects and inspire transformative action, like the Climate Clock, the Climate Ribbon, and the Get Up Rise Up (GURU) direct-action fund, among much else. Today, in collaboration with allies like the New Economy Coalition and Highlander Center, Beautiful Trouble, continues to build Beautiful Solutions— a visionary toolkit for a just and sustainable future.