December 31, 2023—I am delighted to end this year with the announcement of my 2023 Champions for the Arts—people and organizations who have been engaged in advancing Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Access (EDI&A) within the arts and cultural community, despite the growing backlash against these essential efforts.

The 2023 Champions for the Arts are Rissi Palmer, founder of Color Me Country™; Patrick A. Bradford, Board Chair of the Classical Theatre of Harlem; Peter Avery, Director of Theatre for the New York City Public Schools; the Black Orchestral Network (BON); the Creating Change Network, and Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Process.

In my forthcoming book, I define Champions for the Arts:

“Champions for the Arts are changemakers who create spaces or open their existing spaces to celebrate our diversity while recognizing our common humanity. They lead by example, supporting and advocating for EDI&A, making the resources available to leverage the arts to challenge all forms of inequality, especially racial, ethnic, gender, age, and differing abilities. They model excellence and celebrate local heroes and arts organizations, recognizing that the more they can forge partnerships, the more they are able to engage.”

I hope you will join me in celebrating these individuals and organizations whose bold and courageous efforts exemplify the work of Champions for the Arts. The following profile of each awardee explains why they were selected for 2023:

 

Rissi Palmer

Rissi Palmer was the first Black woman in 20 years to have a song reach the Country Music Billboard chart. Despite rave reviews about her music, Ms. Palmer was pushed out of the industry a few years later in a dispute with her record label. But rather than be defeated by the industry pushback and an ongoing attempt to erase the contributions to the genre made by artists of color, she pursued an independent music career by launching the biweekly program, “Color Me Country™ Radio with Rissi Palmer;” developed a country artist grant fund for BIPOC artists, and started a successful music festival that is growing annually.

Since the launch of “Color Me Country™ Radio with Rissi Palmer”, there also has been a few Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiatives within the Country Music industry. Most notably, Country Music Television (CMT) and the artist management company mtheory launched an Equal Access Development Program to provide funding, training, and support, as well as access to mtheory’s management services, to help them further navigate and grow careers within country music.

I salute the courage, tenacity, and commitment of Ms. Palmer to build the table and bring the chairs for artists of color in Country Music to have both a platform and a voice. Ms. Palmer is a Champion for the Arts because her work is a fantastic example of perseverance, which has led to the formation of an inclusive movement that creates ED&I opportunities within this music genre.

 

Patrick Bradford

Patrick A. Bradford is Board Chair of the Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH), whose mission is to maintain a professional theatre company dedicated to returning the classics to the stages of Harlem; to create employment and educational outreach opportunities in the theatre arts; to create and nurture a new, young, and culturally diverse audience for the classics; and to heighten the awareness of theatre and great art in Harlem.

Patrick also is a member of the Diversity Corporate Committee of the Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival; Trustee of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the Lighthouse Opera Company. He previously served as Board Chairman of the New Professional Theatre, and as Trustee of the Negro Ensemble Company, the Theatre Development Fund, the Theatre Communications Group, and the Shakespeare Society of America. A resident of Harlem, Patrick has worked in support of CTH for more than a decade, including serving for many years as its pro bono General Counsel. Patrick also is a contributing editor for Black Masks magazine. In addition, he is the founding partner of Bradford Edwards LLP, a legal firm specializing in commercial litigation.

Patrick is a Champion for the Arts because he has been a passionate and consistent advocate for Black Theater and visual arts, utilizing his resources, philanthropy and writing to elevate their importance and share the joy. As long as I have known Patrick, he also has opened a path to understanding the value of honest and forthright conversations about social justice issues within the arts. Patrick is an indispensable advocate for the arts and I am delighted and honored to salute his efforts.

 

Peter Avery

Peter Avery is the Director of Theatre for the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE), the largest public school system in the nation. As an advocate for theater education, his efforts have impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of diverse students and teachers attending the city’s 1,700 public schools. Peter is responsible for all aspects of theater education for pre-K to 12 students and teachers, creating what he refers to as “experiential opportunities” for them to learn multiple ways to express themselves; cultivate identity, and develop empathy for others.

In an interview, Peter said he believes that theater education also fosters discipline, collaboration, self-awareness, and personal transformation, enabling students of diverse backgrounds and abilities to channel their energies into creative expression and association. He also says that participating in theater helps youth learn to respect differing perspectives while learning to value a broad array of literary, oral, and cultural traditions.

Peter is one of the most dedicated arts educators and theater artists I know. We have worked together over many years to engage educators with various productions. Peter also provided opportunities for the artists to engage with the students—audience development at its best.  He is a Champion for the Arts for his unwavering commitment to fostering and creating opportunities for future generations of diverse theater artists, as well as supporting theater arts educators. To see an example of the work that Peter is doing in the public schools, check out this link.

 

Black Orchestral Network

The Black Orchestral Network (BON) was founded by a group of Black orchestral musicians who first began meeting to develop a connection with each other. Through their efforts, they have harnessed their collective creativity to develop initiatives to benefit other Black orchestral musicians in the field, or for those pursuing orchestral careers. They also are working to elevate the history and culture of Black orchestral artists and composers within the field.

In addition, the BON has been expanding its footprint and outreach with its podcast, Black Music Seen. The podcast highlights and celebrates Black musicians in genres where Black people are seldom seen, elevating the voices of these talented artists, and sharing their stories.

Most recently, BON held a summit featuring up-and-coming classically-trained youth studying at the Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School. BON provided a platform for them to share their thoughts about the current orchestral climate and what they would like to see in the future as they pursue orchestral careers. BON is a Champion for the Arts as a model of member support, as well as for mentoring and supporting youth—creating avenues for them to be prepared for future career opportunities in the classical music arts. I am thrilled to highlight and support this necessary advocacy movement to bring equity and inclusion to the orchestral arts.

 

Creating Change

The Creating Change Network is a program of the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, in partnership with ArtPride New Jersey, with a mission to build a more equitable, just, accessible, and anti-racist arts community in New Jersey.

The Creating Change Network was launched in 2021 with a virtual conference attended by more than 500 arts leaders from throughout the state. It is guided by a steering committee of arts professionals and social justice leaders, and it offers ongoing opportunities for learning and collaboration to move the arts sector forward. The Creating Change Network is committed to the long-term endeavor of shifting culture, empowering leaders, sharing strategies, ensuring accountability, and sustaining hope so that individuals and organizations can progress in this work.

Its activities include quarterly virtual roundtables, an anti-racism learning cohort, and an annual symposium. The Creating Change Network is a Champion for the Arts for its efforts to boldly tackling barriers to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Access. such as navigating microaggressions and decolonizing the arts, creating opportunities for dialogue, learning, and the development of long-term and sustainable programs that are anti-racist. As Program Chair since its inception, I am proud that numerous arts organizations in the state of New Jersey are committed to creating inclusive arts organizations that embody Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

 

Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Process

Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) process is a comprehensive, national and community-based process to bring about transformational and sustainable change. Through TRHT Racial Healing Circles, partners address the historic and contemporary effects of racism in their communities and institutions. They work to replace the deeply held belief system that fuels racism with one that sees the inherent value of all people. This holistic approach addresses mind and heart, the interpersonal and systemic, and places the power of authentic, trust-based solidarity at the center.

Without racial healing and building trust, changes in policies or practices are short-lived. Through healing and relationship-building, we can collectively develop new values that affect our everyday decisions in areas of policy making, hiring, education and housing – to name just a few.

I have had the privilege of engaging in this transformative process as part of my work for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion within the arts. It is transformative and enables participants to appreciate their commonality and shared humanity. The Racial Healing Circles that I have participated in have been led by Sharon Stroye of Rutger University-Newark’s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center. I believe the Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) process is a vital foundation for Champions for the Arts, creating opportunities for effective and essential conversations that are personal, intimate, often revelatory, and always transformation. It is my hope that as many people as possible will have the opportunity to experience this process.

I began writing this blog in 2017 as a platform to protest the existing political climate which felt like the threshold of a dark, abysmal, and soulless landscape. Against that backdrop, I launched Arts & Culture Connections to illuminate and champion the arts—the value and necessity of the arts; the contributions of artists, and the urgency of cultivating diverse audiences. It has been remarkable, gratifying, and exciting to meet, learn and engage with hundreds of Champions for the Arts throughout the United States, as well as in other countries. Thank you, loyal readers! I truly appreciate your support, comments, empathy, encouragement and love. After close to eight years, this is my final blog for now. I have covered many facets of the arts and I am proud of the advocacy I have done on behalf of all of you. I know you will all continue to work to ensure that equity, inclusion, belonging, and respect are the cornerstones of all of our spaces!

I am counting on you to be bold, speak up and speak out, always with dignity, honor, and grace. Make 2024 your best year yet!