I’m excited to announce that Staten Island Arts has awarded more than $300,000 in grants through it’s Expanding Audiences and Cultural Participation Initiative. The initiative, which I first wrote about in a blog post last year, was launched in June 2017 to develop new strategies for audience development that incorporate the needs and interests of Staten Island’s growing diverse population, including immigrants from Sri Lanka, … Continue reading And now the work begins!
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center hosted its 12th annual Girl Scouts Sleepover April 7-8, 2018, an event geared towards giving girls early access to cultural experiences that will enrich and transform their lives. Over the past six years, I have participated in four of these NJPAC events and they are so much fun! This year, a multicultural group of 131 Girl Scouts of Northern … Continue reading Creating Access to the Arts for Girls
The Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, NJ, recently organized a community conversation to discuss its upcoming exhibition of the work of artist Kara Walker. Ms. Walker is known for creating complex, multi-layered works that candidly investigate race, gender, sexuality and violence through mural-sized, silhouetted figures. The museum recently acquired Ms. Walker’s 12-foot wall installation, “Virginia Lynch Mob,” and plans to mount an exhibition of several … Continue reading Montclair Art Museum: A Thoughtful Approach to Community Engagement
Rhenotha Whitaker is a force of nature. A native of Newark, N.J., who holds degrees in economics and public administration, Rhenotha is an official contributor to the Dr. Oz Show and Dr. Oz’s Go To Girl; a certified fitness instructor, and the creator and lead writer of the lifestyle blog, Full Figured Fabulous and On The Way To Fit. I met Rhenotha in her … Continue reading An interview with Rhenotha Whitaker: Faith-based initiatives deliver spiritual enrichment, engagement and NJPAC ticket sales
A few weeks ago, I was invited to be on a panel focusing on how to increase equity, diversity and inclusion in the professional Broadway community. Sponsored by the Commercial Theater Institute (CTI), a joint venture of The Broadway League and the Theatre Development Fund (TDF), the purpose of the three-day intensive was to provide direction and instruction to people interested in becoming Broadway … Continue reading Some thoughts on the Dialogue and the Slow Progress of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Jim Joseph describes himself as an expert in theater operations and an enabler of artistic ideas. He currently works as the Theatre Manager at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, the Broadway home of Manhattan Theatre Club. A graduate of Marist College, Jim has worked in many different areas of the performing arts and Broadway, including development, education, marketing, box office and most notably Front of … Continue reading An Interview with Jim Joseph: Opening the Front of the House and Theater Operations to Diversity & Inclusion
Aaron Dworkin is the personification of the theme he once explored on his weekly, mentoring videocast: Do more than is expected of you. He is a classically-trained, concert violinist. He is a MacArthur Fellow and the first member of former-President Barack Obama’s National Council of the Arts. He established the Sphinx Organization while pursuing his undergraduate degree at University of Michigan, a competition and support program … Continue reading Aaron Dworkin: Carving the path to diversify classical music performances and audiences
Leadership is a critical factor in facilitating change and creating a lasting impact. This week, I’m highlighting the work of one of my colleagues—Krista Bradley. As Director of Programs and Resources for Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP), develops and implements APAP’s year-round and conference-related professional development programs, grantmaking, services and resources that advance the skills, knowledge and capabilities of APAP’s membership. Prior to joining … Continue reading APAP’s Krista Bradley: Playing a Leadership Role to Foster Diversity & Inclusion
In the January 24, 2018, issue of The New Yorker Magazine, an article caught my eye. It was titled “The Troubling Origins of the Skeletons in a New York Museum.” The article, written by Daniel A. Gross, focused on efforts to repatriate from the American Museum of Natural History in New York century-old bones belonging to victims of a genocide in Namibia. The story of … Continue reading The Time for Repatriation and Homecomings
Sometimes after I give lecture or conduct a workshop, people ask me, “What inspires you?” Today, I’m grateful for the opportunity to share with you that the foundation of who I am and the catalyst for my work actually began in 1919 with the arrival of a tour de force, whose given name was Alzora Rhea Goodrum Simmons. My sisters and I, along with all … Continue reading CELEBRATING THE LEGACY OF AUNT CHEE-CHEE
