ACI moves in solidarity with life and land: Free Filastin.

AUDIO: ACI moves in solidarity with life and land: Free Filastin.

Kamusta mga kasama ~ peace y’all,

Let’s notice this moment of togetherness where gravity is grounding us to a place, the universes in our bodies are growing & decaying & feeling, and we are reaching out to each other: we, a few people working together and writing to you all—and you all receiving, choosing to engage these words. 

In this noticing, we invite some unified care for our bodies. As feels right for you, we invite: a breath in together (welcome air) and releasing through a shake (let body shake as releases air). We invite: the next breath in together (thank you air) and gently patting ourselves as we release (any parts of you lovingly touch other parts of you). Lastly we invite: breathing in and out, noticing the shape of air in us and the shape of us carving through the air (we are presence). 

From this place of witness, we invite attention to how connections across this planet are and have been weaving tighter and vaster as we rely more on global migrations of people and resources via the internet and machinery. Emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic reveal that this interconnectedness is infused with complex responsibilities for one another. For centuries, masses of oppressed peoples have leaned into these times of apocalypse, understanding our liberation and futurity depends on each other. We see this in the international uprisings of summer 2020 and we see this across current movements calling for a Free Palestine, Free Congo, Free Sudan, Free Haiti, Free Guam, Land Back—a freer world guided by Indigenous sovereignty. 

[Image description: A hand holds a watermelon growing in the shape of a heart. On the hand’s index finger, there is a gold ring that reads: “alhamdallah” in Arabic writing.]

As we field the complexities surrounding us, we want to offer perspectives we have been moving through in community:

• No people in and of themselves are our true enemy. A shared enemy is how people design and use systems (governments, social orders, armed forces) to control who is “human” by deciding what happens to “non-humans”. (Inspired by Azi Khalili)

• Ceasefire now. We are responsible for each other. As descendants and survivors of genocides, wars, and legalized violence, we know it is our duty to halt any genocide as swiftly as possible.  

• Reactionary formations by survivors of immense violence are not new. For example, the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda was deeply shaped by Belgian colonization and the actions/lack thereof by foreign powers including the United Nations. We invite you to engage Hyppolite Ntigurirwa, 2016-2017 ACI Artist-in-Residence, a child survivor of this genocide who uses art toward cross-generational healing.  

• Multiple United Nations General Assembly resolutions acknowledge the legitimacy of peoples’ struggles for independence, territorial integrity, national unity, and liberation from colonial and foreign domination and foreign occupation “by all available means, including armed struggle”. International Humanitarian Law (IHL) recognizes that violence underpins the current world order, and thus IHL does not seek to stop armed conflict from happening, but to give rules to how armed conflict is conducted (“IHL, War Crimes, and Counterinsurgency in the Philippines”, Webinar by International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines-US & Liyang Network USA). 

• Colonialism as defined by the Oxford Dictionary is “the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.” This is a colonial war happening in Palestine.

• “Why do we wait for those carrying the batons to speak when our bruised bodies tell the whole truth? I know that I am native not because Jabotinsky said so; I know that the Zionists have colonized Palestine without the need to cite Herzl, and I know this because I have lived it because the ruins of countless villages provide the material evidence of this calculated ethnic cleansing.” (“Palestine: ‘Women and Children’ and the Politics of Appeal”, lecture by Mohammed El-Kurd). 

• State repression works to punish the voices of people who deeply know and are close to violence, while ironically employing the fallacy of “cancel culture” to play victim of a systematic censorship we only actually see harming the multiply oppressed. We witness this in the targeting of Palestinians in public spaces/arenas, including this experience Dalal shares and the censure of Rashida Tlaib: the only Palestinian-American in U.S. Congress.

• In a moment of collectively grieving the similarities of survival strategies in our unique lineages, bashexo reminded us that empires really do not change what they do very often—nor their methods/logics/techniques for doing it. This gives us time to learn from one another, strategize, and build solid communities for present, future, lasting, thriving generations.

• These genocides are attempted genocides. We organize with and/or as Wampanoag; Black peoples whose ancestors survive trans-Atlantic enslavement; Palestinians; Tutsis; Lumadnon; Taínos; Khmer; Kanaka Maoli; Jews; and heartbreakingly more peoples who have been targeted by ethnic cleansing. There are each of us in the future. We are all each others’ future.

[Image description: A sign that reads, “they tried to bury us, they didn’t know we were seeds”.]

We make a few invitations as we leave the shared space of the letter form. We invite you to join the global strike for Gaza by taking any of the following actions:

• Speak up and stand against unequal and unjust censorship and to be a voice of multiplicity, that tries to value and uplift diverse and on the ground perspectives. 

• Call for a ceasefire in Gaza in ways that feel authentic to your community.

• Educate yourself and your people, and take further action with any of the following resources:

• Asian American Advocacy Fund’s Resources for Palestine

• US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Activist Resources

• BuildPalestine’s Trusted Organizations to donate to Palestine list

• The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA)’s Teach Palestine list

• These are a short list of many resources out there. We encourage you to find ones that are relevant and practical for you.

in solidarity,
The ACI Co-Director Team (mica, Andrea, T’Ajmal, and Marian) with support from Rayan as ACI’s Creative Justice Fellow

[Image description: A sparrow sits on top of a kite resembling the Palestinian flag. Below the kite are more kites flying in the air, and other sparrows flying beside them. Some of the kites read lines from Dr. Refaat Alareer’s poem “If I Must Die”.]

ARCHIVE: Ocean Gathering for MassAssembly 2.0

Above: bashexo adds a candle to the community altar they build with offerings from UnBound Bodies Collective and gatherers. Photo by JayPix.

Above: An altar by We Are Forests devoted to freeing political prisoners and honoring martyrs. Photo by JayPix.

From 2022 to 2024: Consult with ACI collaborates with the Massachusetts Assembly seeded by ArtPlace America’s Local Control Local Fields initiative. We support a series of gatherings that culminate in connection between each gathering’s peoples.

UnBound Bodies Collective shapes QUENCH: a rest and restoration retreat for QTBIPOC creatives and activists and healers on a farm called The Food Project.

The Aquinnah and Mashpee Wampanoag tribes shape an online gathering for Native artists, and a circle for Wampanoag at the Mashpee Tribal Museum.

We Are Forests shape a gathering devoted to Reciprocal Returns at an Agroforest in Southampton.

Elevated Thought design the finale Ocean Gathering to connect communities from all the gatherings above. The event originally planned at their headquarters in Lawrence is cancelled. We honor all original contributors, compensating and offering to re-book them. Months later, Arts Connect International holds the rescheduled gathering at the Cultural Equity Incubator. Above and below are photos from this action.

Above: Smiling for a photo are David, Trish, Asa, Taquana, Jim, Mother Bear, and Talia. They are Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Members. Talia and Asa coordinated the Native gatherings with NaDaizja and Tysonnae from Aquinnah.Berta from Aquinnah and David served as Assembly 2.0 Advisors.

Above: Gina Marte basks in light on the Incubator dance floor, sharing original choreography adapted from duet to solo. Photo by JayPix.

Reflections from celine voyard

ID: celine poses with a large dandelion art piece as if blowing the seeds

A 21st century summer 

How the sun huffs its humid heat–

I feel it,

burning,

telling me to watch

out, knowing we run

to what little is left. Instead,

gather

I do with all of you.

Listen in the cool shadows,

slow pacing,

built by mighty brick.

We stay low, knowing what more we deserve,

dignified,

committed to a future rooted where trees grow–

over ashes filled with dry dust,

bones hollow,

surpassing mass destruct,

construct. Shown

are the borders and prison bars of today.

Let me cool off this sweat

and gather

with all of you.

Till the day comes when the world is on fire

burning ripe, ready

for us to join the flames.

At Alnoba Retreat Center, members of the Cultural Equity Incubator community gather around an outdoor table conversing, dreaming, and authoring.

peace aci community,

around the early stages of this DIAL experience, i watched as the seasoned artist continued to draw rectangles after rectangles, on her sheet of paper. when she felt it time for her to speak, she said to the group, "I want the world to understand that when it comes to artists, we are as important as bricks. Not feathery additions, but foundational. And foundational to the healing, change making process necessary to sustain our communities."  this was said amidst a story circle, where core artists came together to envision, build relationships, and strategize future actions for the CEI. this was also during a time of deep reflection, in which the uncertainties of tomorrow resurfaced to work towards building equitable structures implemented today. although i was just beginning to understand the histories of this specific collective, i found myself listening and reflecting deeply along with them–with all of you–gathering and preserving energy to build for a resilient revolution.

ever since then, most of my time has been down at the CEI, where i'm physically guarded by walls of brick, reminded of the voices of BIPOC artists and those within the margins who are but in tandem, leaders, educators, organizers, and cultural shapeshifters. Every so often, these voices would recharge the determined energy, as the space opened up for celebrations, creations, a place of refuge, and exchange. engaging in the practice of listening, i would take note of where there was collective alignment or misalignment; take part in local events to hold the experiences of community voices; learn from the takeaways and upcomings from my DIAL peers; and ensure the lessons shared from artists like those who participated in the CELC are honored through language and accessibility. 

after being a small (but exciting) part of ACI and CEI’s journey, i hope for this community to continue to grow, taking in the difficult but foundational strides to better nurture our world. i also hope to work alongside you all towards this shared vision whether it be in the realm of artistry or somewhere in close resonance.

thank you–in a matter of 10 weeks, i have felt welcomed, loved, and grateful to have met each of you no matter the length of time spent or distance traveled. thank you for your wisdom, warmth, and realness. while this is a goodbye, i’ve got a feeling we’ll still be seeing each other around 😏

till then, 
celine

ID: celine, slandie, micah, and Kay smile with Jaypix and Jay’s niece in front of Jay’s artwork in wiild negro is love at the Cultural Equity Incubator.

ID: celine poses with Jinyi, their mentor for the summer, with a big teddy bear in front of a shimmering red photo wall.

Meet ACI’s Co-Director of Congruence | Deidra Montgomery

ID: Deidra, a short-haired Black person with brown hair and glasses and a yellow-gold t-shirt, looks to the side contemplatively. Photo: Jeffrey Filiault.

Hello, dear ones,

I’m Deidra Montgomery (they/she), Arts Connect International’s Co-Director of Congruence.

Congruence lives at the forefront of mind and in my practices as an artist, consultant, facilitator, arts leader, coach, and human being. I strive to build my work, design my processes, and generally live my life in ways that align with my values—and to support others in their efforts to do the same. I’m grateful to continue this way of being through my work with Arts Connect International. 

I love and identify deeply with the concept of congruence, having first learned of the concept as a lover of math. As a youngster, I learned that two figures are congruent if they have the same shape and size, regardless of orientation. They can be pivoted, shifted, or flipped images of one another and still be congruent. However, if the lengths of their sides or the degrees of their angles are different, then they are not congruent.

My current relationship with congruence isn’t quite as rigid as a relationship between geometric shapes but still remains true to the idea. Presently in my life, congruence is about agreement, harmony, compatibility, and alignment. It is about actions reflecting feelings and intentions. To bring back the mathematical analogy, if the first figure expresses values, priorities, feelings, and intentions, then in order to be congruent, the second figure (representing actions, behaviors, policies, etc.) must reflect those values, priorities, feelings, and intentions. Because I seek to avoid causing harm, I pursue behaviors that cause the least amount of harm. If I seek to be anti-racist, then my behaviors, actions, and policies need to support anti-racism.

It’s not always simple, and there isn’t always one correct answer, but it’s important to try. That’s why I leapt at the invitation to join the core team for the first run of the Cultural Equity Learning Community (CELC) in 2020. The CELC is an online learning community open to arts and culture leaders committed to building racial equity in the sector. The CELC includes a go-at-your-own pace two-unit course with complimentary wrap-around learning supports. With so many arts and cultural organizations proclaiming allegiance with Black Lives Matter and commitments to anti-racism in the wake of the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the CELC provided an opportunity to reflect on what supporting intersectional racial justice would require of those organizations and the the people running and governing them: acknowledging and addressing privilege, oppression, and bias; confronting and changing unjust systems; acknowledging, using, and relinquishing power; continuously reflecting on and refining ways of being and doing; and more.

We are looking forward to welcoming new CELC cohorts beginning this summer. I am hopeful for the ways the CELC and ACI more broadly will continue to help arts leaders align their actions and those of their organizations to their values and increase equity—and congruence—in our field.

Until soon,

Deidra Montgomery
Co-Director of Congruence

Meet ACI's Co-Director of Community Weaving | Andrea Gordillo

Good morning, creatives!  

Today I write to you from the Niquía ancestral lands, what was colonially named “Bello, Colombia.” One Niquía family survives today the centuries of genocide inflicted on their territory and community. 

This territory is one of many homes for me and my family, who include my wonderful Colombian wife, Silvana, and my two cats, Cumbia and Selva. We spend half of the year in “Colombia” and the other half in “Tijuana, Mexico,” where we live so I can study in “Los Angeles” and be together, since Silvana does not yet have arbitrary permission, AKA a visa, to cross into Gringolandia. I intermittently visit Fort Lauderdale, Perú, Boston, and Mexico City to see family and friends. 

As Co-Director of Community Weaving at ACI who inhabits so many different territories in any given year, community and weaving are increasingly important concepts for me. Here are some insights about community weaving I have gained in the past year or so, in no particular order…I hope that some resonate with you: 

1. Community weaving for social justice is not international or transnational, but transfronteriza: trans-borders. A transgression of borders. The nation-state is a colonial fallacy; what holds them together is what upholds imperialism, capitalism, neoliberalism, white supremacy, and the patriarchy. What would a world without borders look like?

2. De aquí y de allá: From here and there. Sometimes weaving together distinct communities in separate geographies can make me feel like I do not belong anywhere. I’ve been learning, this year, that it is quite the opposite: a bit of my heart lives everywhere I have grown roots and built community. 

3. Context is everything: Sometimes I feel like I’ve learned a Truth, that I’ve figured out an aspect of life. Then, I enter a new environment and find that it remixes that Truth, that there is no Truth without Context to make it real for us. That is why any interventions oriented toward social justice should always begin with context and informed by those closest to their communities’ “truths.” 

4. We all have something to learn (or unlearn) from each other. The most important educational platform we will ever have is our interpersonal relationships. I’ve found that stepping into other contexts and learning from people with perspectives different from mine has enriched my life; connecting different communities to learn from each other almost always enriches the lives of everyone involved.  

5. We are all inextricably interconnected. In the wise words of Lauryn Hill, “Everything is everything.” Even if we do not see it, even if we are not aware of it, our actions have tangible effects on the lives of others. Weaving together communities across borders allows us to see a bigger picture of the interconnectedness of our lives.  

Aside from my work at ACI, my time this year has largely been spent on nurturing Selva Records, a project of mine and Silvana’s, that aims to challenge the patriarchal, racist, classist musical industry by creating an intersectional feminist culture through elevating music created by women, trans, and non-binary folk. In our YouTube channel, you can listen to and watch music from artists who write about liberation. Check out the artists’ pages included in each video’s descriptions; each are artist leaders in their communities fighting to make the world better in their own ways. 

This upcoming year, I hope to continue my work of community weaving within ACI, Selva Records, and beyond, humbly learning from everyone in my path and moving resources for a more equitable world. 

I’m happy to chat with anybody who wants to reach out! 

Much joy and many blessings to all <3

Andrea Gordillo
Co-Director of Community Weaving

Meet ACI’s Co-Director of Design | Quisol

Image Description: Quisol wears a striped collared shirt with bright pastels of peach, lavender, and teal. There’s a deep blue backdrop. To the right of Quisol, a stack of cassette tapes, family photos, and a Tagalog language bible sit atop a marble stand. Quisol is holding a cream and blue electric guitar that has daisies painted on it. Photo by Mel Taing.

Dear Reader,

My name is Quisol (he/they) and today I write to you from the traditional lands of the Catawba and Sugaree people, otherwise known as Mooresville, North Carolina. A few months ago, I entered a new phase in my journey with ACI as Co-Director of Design. Today, I reflect on the key moments that brought you and I to this moment.

I first joined ACI as the Programming Fellow in 2017. At that point in my life, I had just closed out a chapter full of community organizing, producing music showcases, and finding my voice as a music artist. Then, I was blessed with the opportunity to attend graduate school at Harvard with a full scholarship. My goal was to use the time and resources that academia afforded me to build an organization that could leverage my passion for the arts and political analysis gained through struggle to create new, liberatory futures. I didn’t know it then, but ACI turned out to be the home for this intersectional work. 

The first big project I worked on with ACI was the first ever Arts Equity Summit. Drawing on my production experience and the expansive network that ACI had been weaving in Boston and beyond in years past, we manifested a convening unlike any other. Over the course of three days, we witnessed performance art, celebrated, heard inspiring keynote addresses, engaged in critical dialogue, and much, much more. The summit brought together creative leaders from across the City of Boston and from around the world, providing a hub for new conversations, introducing audiences to new venues, and catalyzing new collaborations that would unfold over the following years.

Holistic design was a central element of this work and is an ongoing area of practice and learning for me. In the Summit context, intentional design was integrated into every element from how we approached partners, conducted our call for art, and curated the workshop breakouts. These were projects of curation and facilitation, a skillset that I was able to articulate and sharpen through collective work with ACI.

In another sense, graphic design is a key component of my work both with ACI and as an independent artist. I’m passionate about design because it’s how we’re able to communicate our identities, values and even vision for things yet to exist. Oftentimes, the design choices we make paint a picture of the future and invite others to share in creating it.

More recently, my thinking about design has turned to look to the past and Afro-Indigneous permaculture principles to inform how we collectively build liberatory futures. Over the last few years, I’ve been reconnecting with my indigneous roots. For me, that means recalling the names and places where my ancestors lived: Ilocos, Tagalog, Arawak, Borinquen. It’s learning the stories, worldviews, embodied practices, and language that my ancestors held. It’s realizing how much of the culture we share today, such as día de los muertos, hammocks, and barbecue, which actually come from indigenous roots. It’s communing with other people who carry on the traditions and deepening our personal connection to the earth as much as possible. To my great joy, learning the ancient ways and natural systems has given me new language and frameworks for discussing today’s issues, especially within my work with ACI. 

Image Description: A portrait of Quisol, seated on a drum throne in the pose of The Thinker, with his head resting on his fist. Quisol wears a pair of white and beige checkered overalls, white sneakers, and a silver necklace. A light greenish-grey sheet hangs in the background. Photo by Gothika Magazine

I feel empowered reconnecting with my cultural roots, especially as an act of resistance since colonial powers attempted to erase them over the last centuries. A big revelation for me recently is that I actually have a role in preserving and extending these lineages as an artist. When I reflect on my music and visual art, I notice the hundreds of tiny ways I incorporate my cultural inheritance into my craft. Earlier this month, I put out the first installment of my project Dreamworld, In The Flesh: a song with three movements and accompanying film. The cover art contains a sun symbol that I designed, drawing from Arawak petroglyphs found carved into massive stones across the island of Borinquen.

Thanks for allowing me to share a bit about myself and my craft. Thank you for your ongoing support of Arts Connect International.

Sincerely,

Joseph Samuel Quisol

connect with me on instagram

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Image Description: Quisol wears a striped collared shirt with bright pastels of peach, lavender, and teal. There’s a deep blue backdrop. To the right of Quisol, a stack of cassette tapes, family photos, and a Tagalog language bible sit atop a marble stand. Quisol smiles at this camera while straddling the chair backwards. Photo by Mel Taing.

Throughout this fall season we will be highlighting our employee Co-Directors!

Interviewed by Artist in Community Fellow Mel Taing, each co-director will share more about themselves centering on what they're most excited about in their work, how they’ve been practicing self-care, and what they hope to manifest in the future!

Joseph Quisol (he/they) is the Co-Director of Design at Arts Connect International. You can follow their work on Instagram (@_quisol) or their website https://www.quisol.co.

What is the juiciest thing you're working on right now? What aspect of your work are you most passionate about in this moment? Is this a particular memory from the past month that you want to highlight?

This past month, I've been in New York and Boston working closely with Chanel Matsunami and Micah Rose for They Watch You Thrive. It's been a joy to work on this project since it's so aligned with the music album I've been working on called Dreamworld. I just closed out a year of working on this album with engineer Lucía Martinez and They Watch You Thrive came at precisely the right moment to help me pivot from the sonic to the visual elements of this project. I was blessed to work with Chanel Matsunami Govreau and Mel Taing on multiple photo shoots. Then we worked with Jay Hunt of The Loop Lab to film of live versions of my upcoming music blended harmoniously with the poetry of Micah Rose. I'm so excited to ultimately share these pieces with the world.

What We Offer - A note from Allegra Fletcher to the ACI Family

Dear ACI Family and Friends, 

It is with mixed emotions that I announce that I am stepping down from the role of Executive Director of Arts Connect International. This decision was neither simple nor easy to arrive at.

I began my journey with ACI in 2018 as a somewhat clumsy Programming Fellow with an uncanny ability to coordinate my outfits with the artwork on exhibit at the Open Door Gallery where we our offices are located. While completing my EdM in Arts in Education, my budding friendships at ACI proved to be a source of steady and consistent strength during difficult moments - walks, conversations, coffees and teas, Georgetown cupcakes, cathartic artmaking and impromptu karaoke sessions with our Youth United Artists were invaluable. In my moments of joy and victory, this same family showed up, and continues to. When I had a gig or sat on a panel, I could expect someone from the ACI fam to be there. I took my first trip to the continent of Africa with ACI family, and had the pleasure of taking the lead on this year’s virtual Arts Equity Summit where we supported artists and cultivated much needed community during these difficult times. 

And these times are indeed, difficult. I remain ever grateful for the friendships I have developed here, and I have many hopes for how ACI and the arts and culture sector as a whole can move forward, centering equity. It is my sincere desire that we model what it means to put people and community first.

The inequities that we see highlighted during this season were already in existence, and to many are far from surprising. The disparities we see in the arts and culture sector, in health care, education and beyond, also persist in part because we have not slowed down enough to allow ourselves to imagine different and new, and to take the risks necessary to push fragile newness into existence and nurture it in community. Sometimes we must step away to step into healing - for ourselves and for others. What have we to offer each other but ourselves? Let us do the work to not only be better, but to be well. 

I remain ever a part of this global family, in love and expectation.

Gratefully,

Allegra Fletcher

My time at ACI: Jordyn Davis of Codman Academy

Hello! My name is Jordyn Davis and I was an intern with Arts Connect International for two weeks.  I Am a Senior at Codman Academy. Being here has really changed my mind on the art world. As a teenager I did not think my idea or voice could be out there with people who can actually make it come true. Being with ACI showed me that everyone has a voice and it can and will be heard by them. When I first came here, they wanted to know about me and that made me feel important. They also wanted to know if I thought myself as an “ARTIST”. Now that I look back to that question, I say yes. I am a photographer and a singer. Being here gave me hope that if I can come out of my shell and show people the real me, then other real artists could do the same. 

I think it is sad that only 34% of artists that are shown in museums are women and that  74% of visual arts graduates are women. It is sad because if there are that many licensed artists out there should be more exhibits and museum showings of women’s work. I hope one day that all artists are treated equally. It should not matter if they are of color or white or a woman or a man. Everyone at the end of the day that is in the art field and wants to do something with it should be able to. There should not be biased people saying you can not show your art because of who you are or what you look like. I want to see a shift in the equality part of art. I want to see that no matter what you identify as you still have all the other rights people in art already have.     

I would also like to see a shift in the cultural equity gap because the gap is not being equally fair to people of different races, genders, sexual orientations, people with disabilities,  and class backgrounds. I would love to see the gap not be there anymore because at the end of it all, we are all still people who have something in common, which is the art. Art should bring people together instead of dissing people out. Just because people can look different or see themselves as different does not mean that they want to feel excluded. 

Art to me feels like an escape from the real world and its problems. I feel like if anyone wants to put their artwork out there that they should at least get a fair advantage of trying. There are different contests and ways to get your art seen. So what I hope to see is for people not to give up but to work harder for what they want to see in life because the future is like a canvas and we are the artist. It is up to us to see what the bigger picture will become as a community.

I know this could be changed if we all work together as one big Art World Society and/or Community to see more of the people who are pushed out because of their differences become included.. You cannot judge anyone by their cover. 

Sincerely, Jordyn Davis              

Stephen Hamilton | The Founders Project

No party is complete without the proper ambiance, and ACI Artist Alum Stephen Hamilton is bringing just that—you can see pieces from his highly acclaimed Founders Project proudly displayed at ACI’s 5th Birthday Celebration! A Boston based artist and educator, Stephen combines his passion for art, education and the positive development of local youth in The Founders Project, which reimagines Boston Public School high school students as the progenitors of West and West Central African ethnic groups.

Every detail down to the metal work on the frames that were hand carved, painted and designed by Stephen for these life sized paintings on cloth Stephen hand wove, was meant to harken back to African tradition and serve as an educational access point for students to learn about the African diaspora.  

In Stephen’s own words, “All these conversations about equity and diversity, they mean absolutely nothing if people aren't empowered. The idea that they [high school students] can feel empowered when they feel beautiful and they could feel strong from looking at that painting I think is something that's important to me.”

Check out The Art of Stephen Hamilton’s Instagram for images of his current projects!

You can still RSVP to ACI’s 5th Birthday party on 9.19.19 to see selected works from Founders Project.

Meet the Panelists! #ACIturns5

Check out the talented group of panelists joining us to celebrate our 5th birthday on 9.19.19 at BostonArt! These leaders in the arts and culture sector will respond to Phase II of our Cultural Equity Gap Study, in which we share the stories and experiences of Boston area artists and arts leaders of color. You can join the conversation too, and RSVP today!

Courtney D. Sharpe is an urban planner who focuses on advancing equitable access to resources in communities. Prior to becoming the Director of Planning for the Office of Arts and Culture, she served at the Boston Planning and Development Agency as the Senior Planner for Back Bay, Roxbury and Mattapan.

Courtney completed her bachelor’s at Northwestern University and her Master in Urban Planning from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. For her graduate studies she focused on urban governance and social justice and co-chaired the inaugural Black in Design Conference. Prior to joining the City of Boston, she was an Innovation Fellow and Innovation Field Lab Coordinator at the Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center, worked for the federal government with General Services Administration, assisted with immigrant rights as an AmeriCorps member in Chicago, and taught English and Arts as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco.

Karen Young is a cultural organizer, artist, and educator living in Boston, MA. Her primary art is the Japanese drum (taiko). Influenced by Japanese-American taiko activists of the 70s, Karen is most interested in the intersection of art, grassroots organizing, and policy. In 2018, she was selected as one of seven Boston AIRs (Artists in Residence) charged with addressing issues of resilience, racial equity, and policy by the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture. Her resulting project Older and Bolder, utilizes the arts to mobilize Boston elders. She is the founding director of The Genki Spark, co-founder of the Brookline Cherry Blossom Festival, and one of the key organizers behind womenandtaiko.org. Prior to pursuing the arts full time Karen played a key role in the youth and community development fields as the founder of Youth on Board and as a Presidential appointee on the Commission on National and Community Service.

After over 20 years as a performing musician, 15 years as a music professor, and 10 years as an arts administrator, Lecolion Washington has established himself as a leader for the next generation of arts entrepreneurs. He has been a staunch advocate of music as an agent for social change. Lecolion is the Executive Director of Community Music Center of Boston. Prior to moving to Boston, Lecolion was the Co-Founder/Executive Director of the PRIZM Ensemble in Memphis from 2009-2017, and he was the founder of the PRIZM International Chamber Music Festival. In 2015 he was named as one of the Memphis Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40. In 2019 he was selected as a Musical American Top Professional of the Year, honoring Innovators, Independent Thinkers and Entrepreneurs. In 2020 he was celebrated as a Boston HUBWeek "Change Maker", and he is the 2020 Chamber Music America Conference Planning Committee Chair.

Meet the Performers! #ACIturns5

We’re excited to highlight the amazing talent teaming up with us to celebrate our 5th birthday on 9.19.19 at BostonArt! It’ll be an incredible evening of community and networking, artistry, and activation as we build equitable arts and culture spaces together. It’s not too late to RSVP!

Amanda Shea is a multidisciplinary artist residing in Boston. She has performed spoken word poetry at numerous venues throughout Boston, including the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Museum of Fine Arts and the Institute of Contemporary Art. She served as an official host for the 2018 and 2019 Boston Art & Music Soul Festival and the Arts Equity Summit. She has been featured on podcasts and television broadcasts such as ItsLitBoston, Boston Come Through, and Fahrenheit TV. She serves as a radio host on Live Free or Die Radio. Shea performed at UMASS Boston with The Poets' Theatre and independently for Phillis Wheatley Day. Shea performed at the Alvin Ailey Theatre with beheard.world with original pieces on racism and identity. Shea appeared in the cast of The Poets’ Theatre’s seventh revival of Boston Abolitionists, a program developed in partnership with the Boston Athenaeum. Shea returned to the Boston Athenaeum as a curator for a performance titled, "Other Voices in the Room" which speaks to identity politics and cultural appropriation. In February 2020, she will be going on tour for the third time traveling to Africa. The “Awake” tour seeks to explore the role of art as both a revolutionary and spiritual tool for social justice and spiritual awakening in humans. Its goal is to utilize the tool of poetry in telling unapologetic stories of Africa while also awakening the consciousness of people through healing and love. Shea is a mother of two, artist and polymath.

Ny’lasia Brown likes to think of herself as a visual spoken word poet, making the metaphorical imagery of her poetry explicit by pairing visual media with her work. Because of the love she has for singing, she also incorporates music into her poetry. A rising junior at Match Charter Public School, the work she does represents her and her surroundings. An alum of ACI’s first cohort of Youth United Artists, Ny’lasia tries her best to advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves. Ny’lasia has taken this path of life seriously for some time, having joined Boston Pulse Youth Poets in the 8th grade, exemplifying her value of being true to one’s work. She has performed on college and university campuses and community events all around Boston, and in March of 2019 she was a closing keynote performer at ACI’s inaugural Arts Equity Summit.

Described as a “charismatic and captivating performer,” Ashleigh Gordon has recorded with Switzerland's Ensemble Proton and Germany's Ensemble Modern; performed with Grammy-nominated A Far Cry string ensemble; and appeared at the prestigious BBC Proms Festival with the Chineke! Orchestra.

Comfortable on an international stage, Ashleigh has performed in the Royal Albert and Royal Festival Halls (London), Konzerthaus Berlin and Oper Frankfurt (Germany), Gare du Nord and Dampfzentrale Bern (Switzerland), Centre Pompidou (Paris), the Lee Hysan Concert Hall (Hong Kong), and throughout Sofia, Bulgaria as part of the multi-disciplinary 180 Degrees Festival.

Ashleigh is co-founder, Artistic Director and violist of Castle of our Skins, a Boston-based concert and educational series devoted to celebrating Black Artistry through music. In recognition for her work, she has been featured in the International Musician Magazine, Boston Globe, awarded the Charles Walton Diversity Advocate award from the American Federation of Musicians, and was most recently voted as one of WBUR’s “ARTery 25”, twenty-five millennials of color impacting Boston’s arts and culture scene.

Michael A. Rosegrant (any pronouns said w/ respect) is a theatre artist and poet whose work centers stories of identity, family, and history as a way to combat oppression. He is a founding member of Asian American Theatre Artists of Boston (AATAB) and serves on the steering committee of the API Arts Network in Boston. His acting credits include shows at Arena Stage, NextStop Theatre Company, Boston University, and George Mason University; assistant directing credits include Sara Porkalob’s Dragon Cycle at the American Repertory Theater. Michael has performed her spoken word poetry at various events including A.R.T.’s New Year Celebration and Arts Connect International’s Arts Equity Summit. In addition to performing, they love writing plays, which can be found on New Play Exchange. They are currently pursuing a BFA in Theatre Arts (Performance) with a concentration in Sociology and African American Studies from Boston University. Twitter/Instagram: @michael_arose michaelrosegrant.com

Family is Forever: Remembering Manny Martínez

The ACI family has only grown in beauty over the years as we have had the privilege of working with amazingly kind, talented, and creative individuals. One of those incredible souls has been Emmanuel (Manny) Martínez. Today, as we mourn his loss, we also take time to remember the vibrancy of his life. We invite you to join us remembering a life well lived.

Manny may be gone in body, but his spirit, and the impact he left on the lives of all he met, remains. He came to the ACI community as an Artist Outreach Intern through Lesley University. It did not take long for us to see that Manny’s dedication to and passion for building equitable arts and culture spaces was exemplified outside of work hours as well. A multi lingual graphic designer, multi-media and mural artist, Manny used his skills sets to work toward justice and to beautify the lives of others. As a member of the LGBTQ and Latinx immigrant communities, he always brought much needed perspective to the table. When he joined us, Manny had recently completed a project that he organized in Sao Paolo Brazil, where he got an entire neighborhood involved in designing and painting a mural for an organization that houses LGBTQ youth without homes or in transition. When he finished his time with us, he was preparing to work on another mural in Mexico.

In the office we spoke of travels to Berlin and experiences living abroad. We discussed the complexities of navigating the legacies and impacts of colonization and systemic injustice. We also ate clandestine boxes of Peeps- his favorite. Even as we attempt to move forward as a community, we remember. We remember the way Manny made our Youth United Artists feel seen and supported, and encouraged them to pursue their artwork. We remember his honesty, vulnerability and openness in the office. We remember someone truly beautiful, inside and out.

Services in Honor of Manny’s Memory

Saturday July 27th: Mass 6PM-7PM // Wake 7PM-10PM

Saint Benedicts Church: 21 Hathorn St, Somerville, MA 02145

Sunday July 28th: A celebration of Emmanuel’s life, organized by his friends, community, and loved ones. We’re gathering to find peace, to celebrate his light, and continue the legacy of his dedication to social advocacy and QTPOC+ culture and pride through the arts.

5-9PM on Lesley’s campus: Washburn Auditorium, 99 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138

RSVP HERE

Monday July 29th: Funeral Services 10AM

Forrest Dale Cemetery: 150 Forrest St Malden, MA 02148

Meet ACI's new Associate Director!

Hello ACI family! My name is Allegra Fletcher, and many of you may already know me as this past year’s Programming Fellow, the one who sent endless emails leading up to the Arts Equity Summit. I am so excited to continue the journey as Associate Director this year, and I’d love to take a moment for share a little bit about my path to ACI. Here we go!

Home, Sweet Home

A Boston native, I was raised mostly in the Dorchester area. I also lived for a few years in New Orleans (where my father’s family is from) and Honduras (where my mother’s family is from). This allowed me to expand my definitions of ‘home’ and ‘identity’ from a young age, and gave me a love for travel I’m sure I’ll always have. 

All the same, Boston is home base. Boston has given me a sense of purpose and drive, and I’ll never grow out of proudly rocking my ‘617’ area code and obnoxiously rooting for our sports teams. Boston has a history both beautiful and painful, and there’s an opportunity to learn, grow, and make better decisions going forward. I plan to be one of the change agents that sees and makes that happen.

Processing Privilege on the Journey

As an Afro-Latina who grew up in a single-parent immigrant family home, I was not accustomed to thinking about my privilege until far too recently. Owning my privilege comes with a commitment to use it responsibly. I went to Boston Latin School for high school and attended Bryn Mawr College as a Posse Scholar. As I join ACI, I have just completed my masters in Arts in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. I am grateful for the many things I have gained through these institutions, and the connections with them I still have, that I get to bring to the work I do at ACI. 

Why ACI?

I am one of those people who trusts their instincts. Against any and all sense of conventional wisdom, I applied only to Harvard for my masters. It worked. I decided to apply the same logic to my search for internships, choosing ACI because of the holistic approach to systemic change and the inclusion of the arts in our programming and other activities. I did not know it then, but I had found a place in which I could bring my entire quirky self to the office without fear. At ACI I can be the over caffeinated arts and craftsy songwriting research nerd who for some reason sings while she eats when she really likes the food, that I always wanted to be (and truthfully always have been).  

The Roots, The Branches, and the Leaves

This June, as I prepared for my future with ACI, I explored our past. I visited ACI Artist Alum and peace ambassador Hyppolite Ntigurirwa in Rwanda, and our friends and partners over at Art and Global Health (ArtGlo) Malawi. I joined Hyppolite’s 100 day performance, Be the Peace Walk. This year is the 25th anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi, and Hyppolite aims to highlight the importance of seeding peace and stopping the intergenerational transmission of hate. In Malawi, I and the staff at ArtGlo shared ideas around best practices and the effects we want our work to cause.

The personal and professional impact of this time is indescribable. In Rwanda and Malawi both I was adopted, told I am a daughter of the land, and reminded multiple times that the next time I visit, I am coming home. Professionally, I appreciated the opportunity to step into parallel justice work. I saw the same drive and passion to make the world a better place and to expand our ideas of collaboration.

I am blessed to recognize that mine is not the only story of pain and oppression, and to know that it doesn’t take away from my struggle to acknowledge someone else’s. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, 

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

As ACI’s Associate Director, I accept the invitation and challenge to say and do the difficult things I shrank from in the past, and to recognize the responsibility that comes with greater influence. In short, I commit to being the change I want to see.

ACI family - past, present and future, I look forward to us growing together. 

World Music/CRASHarts: #AES19 Partner Highlight

Written by World Music/CRASHarts

World Music/CRASHarts (WM/CA) is a nonprofit organization that presents diverse artistic experiences that inspire, entertain, challenge and transform. We provide a platform for established, emerging and under-represented global performing artists, fostering a diverse community committed to cultural equity and participation in greater Boston's arts arena.

For almost 30 years, WM/CA has used the power of the arts to provide a space for artistic dialogue and engagement. In the current political environment, we believe the need to create a common meeting ground for diverse audiences and artists to learn from each other, encourage cross-cultural collaborations, and share in the excitement of cultural discovery is increasingly important in a divided country and world. WM/CA strives to offer audiences an opportunity to share in many different artistic expressions and seeks to foster an atmosphere of cultural exploration and diversity that reflects today’s global community. 

 We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive environment at our performances, in our offices, and in the community. We strive for everyone to feel welcome and valued regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, ability and disability, and age.

We understand that achieving equity is a continuous process and one we embrace as essential to our mission.

Organizational Values

The following organizational values will guide WM/CA’s future work:

• We strive to present the highest quality performing arts and offer unique programming in greater Boston.

•  We seek to build cultural bridges across diverse communities of artists and audiences.

• We work to create global cultural awareness and understanding on a local level.

• We facilitate inclusion by making outstanding art accessible—by breadth of venues, pricing of admission, and education programs.

• We search for the new and unusual, providing a platform for our artists’ creative expression while challenging our audiences’ assumptions.

Intended Impact

WM/CA impacts the greater Boston community by creating (a) awareness and respect for different cultures through the performing arts, (b) inclusive and accessible cross-cultural experiences that encourage diverse audiences to come together as a cultural community, (c) opportunities for local immigrant communities to celebrate and share their cultural identities and heritage; and d) a platform for artists of different cultures to expand and share their newest work through presenting premieres, newly commissioned work, and innovative collaborations.

You can learn more about the work WM/CA is doing by visiting their website. You can also join us as we partner for the Arts Equity Summit by checking out our kick-off event on Friday, March 22nd!

Now + There: #AES19 Partner Highlight

UNLESS by Stephanie Cardon was produced by Now + There and installed in the Prudential Center during Fall 2018. This massive floor-to-ceiling installation, which was created in collaboration with residents of Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción's Villa Victoria community and Puerto Rican MassArt students displaced by Hurricane Maria, sheds light on to the inequities of climate change and issues a call to action for all who pass through.

Artist Silvia Lopez Chavez's colorful "Patterned Behavior" mural on the Esplanade was produced as a part of Now + There's "Year of the Woman" programming in 2017.

Artist Ekua Holmes was one of seven participants in N+T's first Public Art Accelerator. Her "Roxbury Sunflower Project" brought nature, beauty, and color to the Roxbury neighborhood by inviting families, organizations, and agencies to plant 20,000 sunflowers in Roxbury during the summer of 2018.

Written by Now + There

Equality is at the core of Now + There’s (N+T) work. Now in our fifth year of producing engaging, thought-provoking public art, N+T centers not only artistic vision but connecting people, transforming spaces, and sparking conversation. Social justice is inherent in what we do.

So we couldn’t be more excited to join Arts Connect International (ACI) as a Community Partner for the upcoming Arts Equity Summit. ACI’s work connecting emerging artists, artists of color, and communities with arts institutions is crucial in developing an inclusive arts ecosystem in Boston.

Arts equity means investing in Boston-based artists and building neighborhood connections. Take, for example, N+T’s Public Art Accelerator program. The Accelerator guides Boston-area artists through a 6-month curriculum and funds their projects with grants up to $25,000. In 2018, seven Accelerator participants — including two black artists and one Latina artist —  produced six projects in neighborhoods spanning Dorchester to East Boston, with an emphasis on community partnership and engagement. In 2019, six more artists will create new, community-focused projects that engage with issues of justice, power, and equality.

Arts equity means prioritizing an intersectional approach to producing and creating public art. In 2017, our “Year of the Woman,” we paid over $37k to nine female artists, over half of whom were women of color, in conceptual design fees and project labor. In 2018, N+T partnered with 21 diverse community partners and invested $120,000 in neighborhoods not always served by public art through Accelerator funding, including Roxbury, East Boston, Jackson/Hyde Square, and Egleston Square. As we gear up for our 2019 season, we’re looking forward to forging even more connections throughout Boston,  including a recently-announced partnership with DS4SI for an upcoming artwork project in Upham’s Corner, Dorchester.

Perhaps most importantly, working towards equity means listening. To that end, we’re looking forward to our conversation on creating a more equitable climate for public art in Boston at AES19. Our Summit panel, “Loop-breaking: creating a virtuous cycle of public art production,” will consider the challenges of creating truly community-oriented artworks and discuss barriers to entry for public art artists and audiences alike.

We’re grateful to ACI for making this conference possible, and we look forward to gathering together with friends and partners, new and old. Thanks for having us, AES19!

You can learn more about the work N+T is doing by visiting their website. You can also join us as we partner for the Arts Equity Summit by checking out our kick-off event on Friday, March 22nd!

ARTE: #AES19 Partner Highlight

Written by Bella Mara DeVaan, Intern at Art and Resistance Through Education (ARTE) 

Since our first mural in the Bronx in 2011, ARTE has worked extensively with communities throughout New York City, providing quality interactive arts-based activities that educate young people about human rights in schools, community-based organizations, and jails.

The first facet of our mission is to educate youth on human rights and equip them with the knowledge to identify the root causes of systemic inequity. Realizing that there was a great disconnect between human rights theory and practice in our students’ day-to-day life, we initially developed to support their communities in realizing and advocating for their inherent human rights.

We’ve found that participants become more knowledgeable, interested, and passionate in human rights through the process of public art and particularly in the creation of a public mural. Public murals are a valuable component in our curricula and are designed to empower both students and their local communities to engage in questions surrounding human rights justice and art as a tool for social change--allowing them to reimagine justice actively in their own backyards.

ARTE’s first mural focused on the issue of human trafficking. Since then, community members have learned and painted about human rights violations both within the United States and internationally. Some of these issues have included harsh sentencing, poor prison conditions, child slavery, gender inequity, and police brutality. Inspiration has come from women activists and street artists of color.

Our artwork is motivated by history and is another reason we prioritize equity in our pedagogy. We’re currently fundraising to publish a redesigned edition of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It’s a graphic and contemporary reconception of our founding document, one which feels esoteric and out of reach after 70 years of existence. To reassert its relevance in the lives of our students, we believe releasing the document as an interactive and sleek convertible booklet and poster will bring the text’s mission into the modern day.

ARTE strives to offer a platform on which students can freely and safely express themselves and their opinions, all the while providing an arts education their schools and communities often aren’t able to offer. We equip youth with organizing skills that enable them to collectively activate others in steering society towards justice, using their lingua franca and multisensory modes of communication.

From comfort with identifying root causes of systemic inequity to feeling empowered to uproot them through the employment of creativity and galvanization of resources and communities, ARTE ultimately equips our students to cultivate equity in their own lives. The tenor and adaptability of our workshops, interdisciplinary curricula, and deep commitment to social justice are why we believe equity is at the basis of our work as a non-profit.

You can learn more about the work ARTE is doing by visiting their website. You can also join us as we partner for the Arts Equity Summit by checking out our kick-off event on Friday, March 22nd!

Pinkcomma: #AES19 Partner Highlight

Written by Shannon McLean

Pinkcomma Gallery opened at a time of shifting design sensibilities in Boston. While a significant amount of the city’s work is produced by the largest corporate firms, the gallery aims to foster and recognize a more creative and experimental scene that has grown out of one of the world’s most significant capitals of architectural education.

The gallery highlights innovative thinkers of diverse interests. This culture of experimentation and creativity is on the rise, yet continues to need independent venues to encourage its growth. Pinkcomma showcases an emerging generation of talented practitioners, offering them a platform while encouraging broader public support for their innovative sensibility.

At the same time, Pinkcomma is a place for the exchange and expansion of ideas within the region’s design scene, not just in terms of architecture, but also in the disciplines of landscape, graphics, urbanism, interiors, and industrial design. The gallery is a neutral ground that brings together thinkers from the six design schools and countless professional practices.

The effects have been significant. More than fifty exhibits and gatherings have occurred since opening. Just this year alone, the national Progressive Architecture Awards program includes three firms that had previously exhibited their work in solo shows at Pinkcomma. The gallery’s impact has been recognized by the Boston Society of Architects with the organization’s Commonwealth Award. In short, the gallery performs an important service to the design community: part launching platform, part mixing chamber, it is a place where new design ideas are formed, tested, challenged, and disseminated.

You can learn more about the work Pinkcomma is doing by visiting their website. You can also join us as we partner for the Arts Equity Summit by checking out our kick-off event on Friday, March 22nd!

Dunamis: #AES19 Partner Highlight

Written by Dunamis

Dunamis believes that the lack of comprehensive education is one of the greatest barriers to equity. Therefore, our organization works to provide emerging artists and arts-managers with the tools they need to build successful and long-lasting careers in the arts. Through workshops and individual consultations with our artists, we help them understand their unique identities, provide them with professional development training and support in producing their work.

With our Arts Managers we actively work to build a pipeline of diverse arts leaders that challenge the status quo and support work that is reflective of the communities they serve.

You can learn more about the work Dunamis is doing by visiting their website. You can also join us as we partner for the Arts Equity Summit by checking out our kick-off event on Friday, March 22nd!

Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs: #AES19 Partner Highlight

Rhoda Bernard

Written by Rhoda Bernard

The Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs (BIAESN)is a catalyst for the inclusion of individuals with special needs in all aspects of performing and visual arts education. Our mission at BIAESN is threefold. First, we provide arts education programs, including private music lessons, music classes, ensembles, two adaptive dance programs, and a theatre program, all specifically for students with disabilities, ages 3 to 93. These programs provide a safe and nurturing environment that meets the individual needs of our students, providing opportunities for them to express themselves through the arts, and challenging them to become the best artists that they can be. Second, we are home to the only Masters in Music Education with a Concentration in Autism graduate program in the world. This program, offered through the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, seeks to prepare the next generation of music educators to work with students with autism and other special needs. Finally, BIAESN provides Professional Development opportunities for arts educators currently in the field who wish to broaden their skill set and provide a more equitable arts education experience for their students with disabilities.

Through these three initiatives, BIAESN is changing the landscape for students with disabilities both by providing opportunities right here at Berklee, and by helping to train current and future teachers near and far to provide better arts education opportunities for all their students.

You can learn more about the work BIAES is doing by visiting their website. You can also join us as we partner for the Arts Equity Summit by checking out our kick-off event on Friday, March 22nd!

HowlRound: #AES19 Partner Highlight

Written by: HowlRound Theatre Commons

HowlRound is a free and open platform for theatremakers worldwide that amplifies progressive, disruptive ideas about the art form and facilitates connection between diverse practitioners. HowlRound’s creation was a direct response to: 1) research that suggested artists were increasingly distant from the center of theatremaking within not-for-profit institutional infrastructure, and 2) the new possibilities created by technology to influence theatre practice. Our founding came at a time when we saw too many voices left off our stages, not represented inside of our institutions, and not recognized for their substantial contribution to our past and present. We set about to create a group of tools that would amplify voices and issues chronically underrepresented and unheard in the theatre.

We found an organizing principle in the “commons”—a social structure that invites open participation around shared values. HowlRound is a knowledge commons that encourages freely sharing intellectual and artistic resources and expertise. It is our strong belief that the power of live theatre connects us across difference, puts us in proximity of one another, and strengthens our tether to our commonalities.

We value generosity and abundance—all are welcome and necessary; community and collaboration over isolation and competition; diverse aesthetics and the evolution of forms of theatre practice; equity, inclusivity, and accessibility for underrepresented theatre communities and practices; and global citizenship—local communities intersecting with global practice.

You can learn more about the work HowlRound is doing by visiting their website. You can also join us as we partner for the Arts Equity Summit by checking out our kick-off event on Friday, March 22nd!