This blog is dedicated to the artists and arts administrators of the Millennial Generation. And it is a call to action. You are standing at the juncture of a new era of civilization or a new era of civil dissolution. Now, more than ever, your passion, enthusiasm, and directed efforts are needed to ensure that arts and culture remain an accessible source of renewal and … Continue reading Millennials: Use Your Talents to Protect the Arts

This coming week, a new cultural diversity network will be forged on New York’s Staten Island. Spearheaded by Staten Island Arts’ Executive Director Elizabeth Bennett, close to 40 arts representatives will join forces to launch the Expanding Audiences and Cultural Participation Initiative. The goals of this initiative include training to: enable cultural organizations (from emerging to established) to better market their work; build strong relationships … Continue reading A New Cultural Diversity Network Emerges on Staten Island

I just returned from my fourth trip to Melbourne, Australia. Why the love affair with Melbourne? The recently released 2016 census figures for Australia demonstrate a growing shift in the population–one in four people living there was born in another country. Immigration impacts every aspect of society, especially the arts, and this data demonstrates why engaging with diverse audience is critical to the future of … Continue reading Envisioning a Creative State

When I was 5 years-old, my mother took my twin sister and me to see the Bolshoi Ballet at McCormick Place in Chicago.  I am positive we were the only African Americans in attendance that day, but somehow our mom was forward-thinking and felt her girls needed both the exposure and the experience. Even today, I still recall being pulled in by the dancers; transported … Continue reading Celebrating the Passions that Dance Can Ignite

Due to the wonders of technology, I recently had the opportunity to be one of the keynote speakers at Creative New Zealand’s Nui te Kōrero: Talking About Diversity Conference, held June 7, 2017, in Auckland, New Zealand. When I first received the invitation, I thought I was being offered the opportunity to go to New Zealand, which has been on my bucket list for many years. … Continue reading Nui te Kōrero: New Zealand

Last week I had the privilege of participating in the SAVVY Arts Venture Challenge on the campus of University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. Facilitated by multi-talented pianist,composer, author and USC professor David Cutler, the SAVVY Arts Venture Challenge is an immersive experiential laboratory designed to help musicians, performing artists, educators, and others generate more income from their work and have greater impact with … Continue reading SAVVY: Learning the Skills to Change the World

Fred Powell, the former chairman of the Audience Development Committee (AUDELCO) and owner of Barbara’s Flower Shop, was an extraordinary man whose unending support and devotion to promoting arts and culture I deeply admired. We first met about 30 years ago when Fred provided his amazing floral designs to the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH). During our conversation, I invited him to attend a DTH performance. … Continue reading Celebrating an Extraordinary Patron of the Arts

June is the season of graduation; a conclusion of one phase of learning and the beginning of the next. But I believe that artists and arts administrators should continuously take advantage of opportunities to learn. That seeking spirit enables us to refine our craft; expand or cultivate our skills, and lead others to do the same.  It’s one of the reasons I enjoy lecturing at … Continue reading Mentorship: An Investment in the Future of the Arts

Revitalizing theater, let alone a community-based, cultural institution, is no small accomplishment.  But the Billie Holiday Theatre (BHT) in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, has done just that.  Under the driving-force of the indefatigable Indira Etwaroo, Ph.D., this premiere cultural institution re-opened its doors in Restoration Plaza earlier this month, following a $4.1-million renovation. Dr. Etwaroo and her team at RestorationArt were able … Continue reading RESTORATIONART: “A Revolutionary Time” At the Reopening of the Billie Holiday Theatre by Donna Walker-Kuhne

John Haworth recently retired after many years as the Senior Executive for the National Museum of the American Indian. In addition to managing public programs, exhibitions, and outreach projects, John collaborated with Native communities on a broad range of public programs and special projects to ensure that the museum addressed their diverse needs. He is a member of the Cherokee Nation.  John has been a friend for … Continue reading Fighting on the Frontlines for Diversity and Inclusion in the Arts on behalf of the Native American Community: A Conversation with John Haworth