Podcasts about new england foundation

Season 6 of the WSS podcast here!In our inaugural episode of the season, host Tim Cynova is joined by Katy Dammers, Indira Goodwine-Josias, and Christy Bolingbroke as they explore reimagining of value-centered workplaces through Creative Administration. In organizations dedicated to creative expression and innovation, why is it that so many have workplace practices and policies that are dusty?The spirited discussion dives into the challenges and opportunities within the creative sector to rethink “traditional” approaches, asking when it might be better to reinvent the wheel or even asking if a wheel is what's needed. The conversation underscores the critical balance between stability and creative experimentation, reflecting on how new approaches can support long-term change and longevity in the arts.Episode Highlights02:15 Meet the Guests05:44 Diving into Creative Administration09:20 Balancing Structure and Improvisation17:26 Challenging Conventional Wisdom20:46 Navigating Institutional Change24:26 Reevaluating Policy: Balancing Ethics and Values25:09 Navigating Crisis with Established Policies25:51 Incremental Change in Nonprofit Organizations26:37 Creativity and Experimentation During COVID26:58 The Snapback to Pre-COVID Norms27:38 Fear of Change and Embracing New Solutions28:44 Creative Administration and Sustainability29:49 The Role of Artists in Institutional Change34:11 Balancing Administrative and Artistic GrowthResources Mentioned in the Podcast:Check out the new book Artists On Creative Administration: A Workbook from the National Center for Choreography.Christy Bolingbroke's Masters Thesis, Designing a 21st Century Dance Ecology: Questioning Current Practices and Embracing Curatorial InterventionsGUEST BIOSChristy Bolingbroke is the Founding Executive/Artistic Director for the National Center for Choreography at The University of Akron (NCCAkron). She is responsible for setting the curatorial vision and sustainable business model to foster research and development in dance. Previously, she served as the Deputy Director for Advancement at ODC in San Francisco, overseeing curation and performance programming as well as marketing and development organization-wide. A key aspect of her position included managing a unique three-year artist-in-residence program for dance artists, guiding and advising them in all aspects of creative development and administration. Prior to ODC, she was the Director of Marketing at the Mark Morris Dance Group in Brooklyn, NY. She earned a B.A. in Dance from the University of California, Los Angeles; an M.A. in Performance Curation from Wesleyan University; and is a graduate of the Arts Management Fellowship program at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. She currently serves on the Akron Civic Commons Core Team; as a consulting advisor for the Bloomberg Philanthropies Arts Innovation Management initiative; and on the New England Foundation for the Arts National Dance Project Advisory Panel. In 2017, DANCE Magazine named Bolingbroke among the national list of most influential people in dance today.Indira Goodwine-Josias was born and raised in Queens, NY, and believes in the power of art to educate, inspire, and advance change. With a dual background in dance and arts administration, she is currently the Senior Program Director for Dance at the New England Foundation for the Arts

Recorded live inside UCLA's Royce Hall, the audio drama at the center of this episode takes place in southern California the immediate aftermath of the 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde TX. Tiffany struggles to balance the need to protect her young children with the urgency of finishing her doctoral dissertation, which is itself related to school shootings. After the performance, actors Natalie Camunas and Sola Bamis are joined by guests Marine Corps veteran Tess Banko and Army veteran Robert Ham to discuss the implications, for parents and veterans in particular, of school shootings becoming commonplace. "Tiffany" is based on the oral history of retired Air Force Captain Jessica Huerta. Jessica, who is also a PhD student in Sociology, joins the discussion as well. The conversation unearths provocative questions about cultures of hyper-masculinity, and the need to balance our freedoms and responsibilities regarding guns. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 01:56 - Audio drama: "Tiffany" 10:43 - Discussion with Tess, Robert, and Jessica 23:16 - Conclusion 25:23 - Thank you's and credits   Guest Bios: Jessica Huerta enlisted in the Air Force shortly after 9/11. Often she was the only woman in airfield-communications teams, among leaders in security forces, as the wing equal opportunity adviser, and as a public affairs officer. As a citizen-airman, a sociology doctoral candidate at UCLA, and a parent, she became aware of the discrimination fathers face when they seek deep emotional connections with their families and greater involvement in childcare. Jessica believes research to demonstrate the strategies fathers use to defy rigid gender rules could greatly improve the lives of men, their partners and their children across our military, veteran and civilian communities.   Tess Barragan Banko, MSW/MPA, a Marine Corps veteran, serves as the U.S.VETS West Los Angeles project director and The Veterans Collective community development director. A survivor of post-traumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma, Banko deeply identifies with fellow veterans and families on their paths to recovery, wellness and empowerment, and is honored to serve the community on behalf of her military and veteran sisters, brothers and their families.    Robert Ham is a 4x Emmy winning director/writer, a decorated Army Combat Veteran and an alumni of the USC School of Cinematic Arts MFA program. During his time in the military he served a combat tour to Afghanistan in '09-10 and then would deploy to over a dozen areas in the Pacific. Robert received the Department of Defense Military Videographer of the Year award three times (the highest decoration for military story-telling), the most in Army history. Resources: Dan Froot & Company Collaborators: Producer, Artistic Director, Lead Writer: Dan Froot Actors: Justin Alston, Sola Bamis, Natalie Camunas, Krysta Gonzales, Donna Simone Johnson, Anthony Rey, Christopher Rivas Dramaturg: Bobby Gordon Composer: Julio Montero Musicians: Julian Gomez, Tom Moose, Isaac Rodriguez Sound Designer: Duncan Woodbury Oral Historians: Tula B. Strong, Rufio Vasquez Administrative Magician: Annie Kahane Social Media Manager: Lily Stockton Publicist: Lynn Tejada of Green Galactic Recorded, mixed, and mastered at ReadyMix Studio in Van Nuys CA. Please like, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! DM us on Instagram: @danfrootandcompany This podcast is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, on the web at arts.gov, and is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, the UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance, the UCLA Office for Research & Creative Activities and the Chancellor's Council on the Arts. Arms Around America is a National Performance Network Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Miami Light Project in partnership with The Myrna Loy (Helena MT), the UCLA Center for the Art of Performance, and NPN. The Creation & Development Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). For more information, visit http://www.npnweb.org. Arms Around America was created with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and additional support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Dan Froot and special guests, Refujio "Cuco" Rodriguez and Bryonn Bain, explore how guns shaped the lives of two brother living in Miami's Liberty City neighborhood. The jumping-off point for the converstion is Dan Froot & Company's short audio drama "Rich & Dave," based on the brothers' oral history. Rich and Dave struggle with the emotional toll of gun violence in their community, managing family responsibilities while charting a path away from troubled pasts. The drama highlights their familial bond, the pressures of their environment, and the pervasive presence of guns, even when not visible. Following the audio play, Dan discusses the broader entanglements of gun violence, race, and the prison-industrial complex with guests Justin Alston, Refujio Rodriguez, and Bryonn Bain. They emphasize the importance of empathy, understanding systemic racism, the need for community resources to address the root causes of violence, and the case for prison abolition. Through personal stories and informed insights, the episode suggests that acknowledging each other's humanity could transform the gun debate. It is an appeal for dialogue and support over judgment and punishment. Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction 02:41 - Audio drama: Rich & Dave 14:05 - Dan and Justin frame the discussion 15:30 - Introducing Refujio Rodriguez 18:40 - Introducing Bryonn Bain 28:11 - Dedication from the real-life Rich 31:58 - Thank you's and credits Guest Bios: Refujio “Cuco” Rodriguez is the Chief Strategist & Equity Officer at Hope and Heal Fund. He has served as a Program Officer for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, division chief and ethnic services manager with the Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness, where he established Santa Barbara's first Latino Mental Health Consumer and Family Advocacy Network in order to engage Latino stakeholders. Bryonn Bain is a scholar, activist, theater director, actor, writer, producer, and spoken word artist. He uses the arts and activism to build movements for justice, criminal justice reform, prison education, and abolition. As the founding director of the UCLA Prison Education Program, Bain has drawn on his decades of work in prisons to establish opportunities for higher education, the arts, and research in southern California prisons. Resources: Dan Froot & Company Collaborators: Producer, Artistic Director, Lead Writer: Dan Froot Actors: Justin Alston, Sola Bamis, Natalie Camunas, Krysta Gonzales, Donna Simone Johnson, Anthony Rey, Christopher Rivas Dramaturg: Bobby Gordon Composer: Julio Montero Musicians: Julian Gomez, Tom Moose, Isaac Rodriguez Sound Designer: Duncan Woodbury Oral Historian: Tula B. Strong Administrative Magician: Annie Kahane Social Media Manager: Lily Stockton Publicist: Lynn Tejada of Green Galactic Recorded, mixed, and mastered at ReadyMix Studio in Van Nuys CA. Please like, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts! DM us on Instagram: @danfrootandcompany This podcast is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, on the web at arts.gov, and is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, the UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance, the UCLA Office for Research & Creative Activities and the Chancellor's Council on the Arts. Arms Around America is a National Performance Network Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Miami Light Project in partnership with The Myrna Loy (Helena MT), the UCLA Center for the Art of Performance, and NPN. The Creation & Development Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). For more information, visit http://www.npnweb.org. Arms Around America was created with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and additional support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Norman and I are back to open up year 8 of The Yay and we bring back Torange Yeghiazarian, Fulbright Specialist, playwright and founder of Golden Thread. We had Torange on last in Sept of 2020 (Episode 167) and we welcome her back, as she promotes her latest play, The Tutor, now playing at the New Conservatory Theatre. We talk about the play, where Golden Thread is these days and her views on what's happening in the world, four years later. The New England Foundation for the Arts wrote a wonderful biography on Torange – you can learn more about her here: https://www.nefa.org/torange-yeghiazarian. Torange's personal website is here: https://torangeyeghiazarian.com We also want to thank Charles Blades Barbershop for sponsoring The Yay! Charles Blades Barbershop is located at 180 Second Street in downtown Oakland. It's a very cool, relaxing place where you can get your cuts and they'll even serve you a complimentary drink. Charles is also selling men's hair products on his website https://cbbgroominingproducts.myshopify.com Hair Gels, Pomades, Shampoos and Conditioners. Hop online, give the products a try and support minority businesses like my man Charles Blades. Book an appointment online here: https://www.cbb.hair Plethos Productions (run by Karin & Jon Richey – Episode 185) has a fundraiser going on to create a new theatre space in downtown Hayward! As part of the fundraising campaign, Plethos is hosting a retreat at Camp Monologa on the weekend of July 26-28. Along with a host of teaching classes by some of the best bay area theatre artists, The Yay will be hosting a live episode taping, plus gourmet kid-camp inspired food by Mad Creationz served at the Mess Hall, a swimming hole, wine and paint night, plus and so much more! You can find more about the fundraiser and give a donation here: https://givebutter.com/letsplethos SHOWS: The Tutor (New Conservatory Theatre Company) April 5 – May 12 Torange Yeghiazarian wrote the play https://nctcsf.org/event/the-tutor/ The Chinese Lady (The Pear Theatre) April 19 – May 12 Eiko Moon-Yamamoto (Episodes 120 & 225) is in the show https://www.thepear.org/whats-playing A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shotgun Players) Plays through April 27 Radhika Rao (Episodes 21, 131 & 268) is in the show https://shotgunplayers.org/Online/default.asp The Pride of Lions (Theatre Rhinoceros) Playing through April 21 Ely Sonny Orquiza (Episodes 139 & 279) is directing the show https://www.therhino.org/the-pride-of-lions Boss McGreedy (Central Works) LAST SHOW TOMORROW! Gary Graves (Episodes 24 & 277) has written and directed the show https://centralworks.org/boss-mcgreedy/ The Divine Sarah (Ross Valley Players) LAST SHOW TOMORROW! Anna Joham (Episode 87) is in the show http://www.rossvalleyplayers.com/the-divine-sarah/ Darkheart (Bindlestiff Studios) May 16 – June 1 Golda Sargento aka Rebel Maria (Episode 220) wrote the musical https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MjA2MzY2 King Liz (City Lights Theater Company) Playing until April 21 Demaris DeVito (Episode 190) and Fred Pitts (Episode 256) are in the show https://cltc.org/wp-signup.php?new=cltc.org. As You Like It (SF Shakes) Feb – May in various areas Jen Coogan (Episode 239) is part of the musical creative team for this show https://sfshakes.org/tour/ Best Available (Shotgun Players) May 18 – 31 Jonathan Spector (Episode 280) is the writer Jon Tracy (Episode 169) is the director Kimberly Ridgeway is the associate director https://shotgunplayers.org/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=024EF838-9D32-4E17-9E72-50E57B566E5F&menu_id=686B151A-1B30-41FF-A109-52758163E164 Reg Clay (@Reg_Clay) Norman Gee (@WhosYrHoosier)

This is the BIPOC Artist Hour, a podcast dedicated to lifting up the unique experience of people of color in the arts, academia and the real world. And, because we always talk about the struggle we are also all about what brings us JOY. Hit us up on Instagram and TikTok at @playblackpodcast or via email at playblackpodcast@gmail.com to keep up to date with us, leave feedback, or suggest future interviews! Artist Bio - Christa Brown Is a Black, queer storyteller, actor, and public speaker with a passion for bringing stories to life that have often been under-explored. She's the recipient of the 2022 New England Foundation for the Arts' Newell Flather Award for Leadership in Public Art, and named as one of WBUR's The Makers, a cohort of 15 emerging artists of color making an impact in Greater Boston. Brown founded the Free Soil Arts Collective in 2019 as a means to bridge the gap for opportunities for artists of color in the Merrimack Valley and beyond. Christa holds a BFA in Theater with a concentration in Performance from Longwood University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Institute for Nonprofit Practice. Music Credit- LAKEY INSPIRED Track Name: "Blue Boi" Music By: LAKEY INSPIRED @ https://soundcloud.com/lakeyinspiredOriginal upload HERE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAukv...Official "LAKEY INSPIRED" YouTube Channel HERE - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOmy...License for commercial use: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported "Share Alike" (CC BY-SA 3.0) License. Full License HERE - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Music promoted by NCM https://goo.gl/fh3rEJ

Host:Peter Neill Producer: Trisha Badger Music by Casey Neill Conversations from the Pointed Firs is a monthly audio series with Maine-connected authors and artists discussing new books and creative projects that invoke the spirit of Maine, its history, its ecology, its culture, and its contribution to community and quality of life. This month: Our guests this month on Conversations from the Pointed Firs are David Hopkins and David Greenham of the Maine Arts Commission. Guest/s: DAVID GREENHAM is the executive director of the Maine Arts Commission. Prior to stepping to that post, he was the Associate Director of the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine, where he developed educational outreach programs, curated exhibits, and presented various HHRC programs to schools and communities throughout the state. In addition to his work at the Maine Arts Commission, David is an adjunct lecturer in drama at the University of Maine at Augusta and is a frequent contributor to the online Boston-based arts magazine The ArtsFuse. David is a member the boards of the New England Foundation for the Arts, the Cultural Alliance of Maine, the Friends of the Blaine House, and Ladder to the Moon/Amjambo Africa. DAVID HOPKINS has served on boards for the Farnsworth Museum, Waterman's Community Center on North Haven, and the North Haven Historical Society. He also served as commissioner of the Maine State Museum. In March of 2021 Governor Janet Mills appointed Hopkins chair of the Maine Arts Commission board. Born in Bangor, Maine, David grew up on North Haven Island then spent 30 years of his career at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He now owns and operates Hopkins Wharf Gallery on the island of North Haven in midcoast Maine, where he lives. About the host: Peter Neill is founder and director of the World Ocean Observatory, a web-based place of exchange for information and educational services about the health of the ocean. In 1972, he founded Leete's Island Books, a small publishing house specializing in literary reprints, the essay, photography, the environment, and profiles of indigenous healers and practitioners of complimentary medicine around the world. He holds a profound interest in Maine, its history, its people, its culture, and its contribution to community and quality of life. The post Conversations from the Pointed Firs 11/4/22: Maine Arts Commission first appeared on WERU 89.9 FM Blue Hill, Maine Local News and Public Affairs Archives.

Shay will forever have a special place in my heart and I can not wait for you to hear about her incredible journey.Shay Wafer has demonstrated a stalwart dedication to the arts and community development through many years of service to the field. Her passionate vision is balanced with pragmatic experience, as she has held senior-level positions at a number of non-profit arts organizations with a focus on African Diasporic programming and community engagement. Currently the Executive Director of WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles, Shay was the Executive Director of 651 ARTS in Brooklyn and the founding VP of Programs for the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, a multi-disciplinary center and museum in downtown Pittsburgh. Prior to that, she served as the managing director of Cornerstone Theater Company, LA Theatreworks, and the St. Louis Black Repertory Company. She also was a founding partner of Marla Gibb's Crossroads Arts Academy and Theatre. Ms. Wafer has engaged in additional community and volunteer activities throughout her career including serving on the Board of Directors of National Performance Network (currently the Board Chair), Theatre Communications Group, and as a New England Foundation for the Arts National Theatre Project and National Dance Project Advisor. Wafer has served as a peer panelist for The National Endowment for the ARTS, MAP Fund, Doris Duke, Mellon, Kresge, and Bush Foundations, among others. She holds a BS from Howard University in Early Childhood Education and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama, Theatre Management program. Shay Wafer has demonstrated a stalwart dedication to the arts and community development through many years of service to the field. Her passionate vision is balanced with pragmatic experience, as she has held senior-level positions at a number of non-profit arts organizations with a focus on African Diasporic programming and community engagement. Currently the Executive Director of WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles, Shay was the Executive Director of 651 ARTS in Brooklyn and the founding VP of Programs for the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, a multi-disciplinary center and museum in downtown Pittsburgh. Prior to that, she served as the managing director of Cornerstone Theater Company, LA Theatreworks, and the St. Louis Black Repertory Company. She also was a founding partner of Marla Gibb's Crossroads Arts Academy and Theatre. Ms. Wafer has engaged in additional community and volunteer activities throughout her career including serving on the Board of Directors of National Performance Network (currently the Board Chair), Theatre Communications Group, and as a New England Foundation for the Arts National Theatre Project and National Dance Project Advisor. Wafer has served as a peer panelist for The National Endowment for the ARTS, MAP Fund, Doris Duke, Mellon, Kresge, and Bush Foundations, among others. She holds a BS from Howard University in Early Childhood Education and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama, Theatre Management program. Enjoy and please share with your tribe. Black women are living remarkable and inspiring lives to be shared with all. Learn more about WACO Theater, https://wacotheatercenter.com/Peace and love, Monica Wisdom, Host, Black Women AmplifiedThank you for listening! Please share with your tribe and leave us a great review. Appreciate it!Join our waitlist for the Power Story Formula. An incredible course designed to help you choose, build and monetize an impactful story. www.monicawisdomHQ.com to sign up. Join our private community. Women EmergedEnjoy your day, Monica Wisdom

"I've always chased that thrill." - Adele Myers on her lifetime in dance Today's guest is Adele Myers. Adele is a Miami based dance maker and Artistic Director of Adele Myers and Dancers (AMD), a national touring contemporary dance theater company made up of female athletes of the heart. For over a decade, AMD has been presented throughout the U.S with funding from the New England Foundation of the Arts, National Dance Project, and National Performance Network. Since relocating to Miami, she received commissions from Miami Light Project, Live Arts Miami and South Miami Dance Cultural Arts Center. She was an Assistant Professor of Dance at Tulane University and Connecticut College and has taught on faculty at New World School of the Arts in Miami. For more on this episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast To learn more about The Moving Architects upcoming performances and events:  The Moving Architects

The SLC Performance Lab is produced by ContemporaryPerformance.com and the Sarah Lawrence College MFA Theatre Program. During the course, visiting artists to the MFA Theatre Program's Grad Lab are interviewed after leading a workshop with the students. Grad Lab is one of the core components of the program where graduate students work with guest artists and develop group-generated performance experiments. Kaneza Schaal is a New York City based artist working in theater, opera, and film. Schaal was named a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow, and received a 2019 United States Artists Fellowship, SOROS Art Migration and Public Space Fellowship, Joyce Award, 2018 Ford Foundation Art For Justice Bearing Witness Award, 2017 MAP Fund Award, 2016 Creative Capital Award, and was an Aetna New Voices Fellow at Hartford Stage. Her project GO FORTH, premiered at Performance Space 122 and then showed at the Genocide Memorial Amphitheater in Kigali, Rwanda; Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans; Cairo International Contemporary Theater Festival in Egypt; and at her alma mater Wesleyan University, CT. Her work JACK & showed in BAM's 2018 Next Wave Festival, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, and with its co-commissioners Walker Arts Center, REDCAT, On The Boards, Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, and Portland Institute for Contemporary Art. Schaal's piece CARTOGRAPHY premiered at The Kennedy Center and toured to The New Victory Theater, Abu Dhabi Arts Center and Playhouse Square, OH. Her dance work, MAZE, created with FLEXN NYC, premiered at The Shed. Most recently, she directed Triptych composed by Bryce Dessner with libretto by Korde Arrington Tuttle, which premiered at LA Philharmonic, The Power Center in Ann Arbor, MI, BAM Opera House and Holland Festival. Her newest original work KLII, was co-commissioned as part of the Eureka Commissions program by the Onassis Foundation and is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Walker Art Center in partnership with Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, and REDCAT. Schaal will develop and direct a number of upcoming works including SPLIT TOOTH with Tanya Tagaq (Luminato Festival, Canada), HUSH ARBOR (The Opera) with Imani Uzuri (The Momentary, AZ) and BLUE at Michigan Opera Theater. Schaal's work has also been supported by New England Foundation for The Arts, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, FACE Foundation Contemporary Theater grant, Theater Communications Group, and a Princess Grace George C. Wolfe Award. Her work with The Wooster Group, Elevator Repair Service, Richard Maxwell/New York City Players, Claude Wampler, Jim Findlay, and Dean Moss has brought her to venues including Centre Pompidou, Royal Lyceum Theater Edinburgh, The Whitney Museum, and MoMA.

Bill Bartholomew welcomes The Era to BTOWN for a conversation on their work and upcoming PVDFest appearances!"The Era Footwork Crew, who have pioneered the battle dance known as Chicago footwork since 2014, will be joined by DJ Spinn from the electronic collective Teklife for an outdoor, interactive party for the Providence community as part of PVDFest 2022. This Footwork Rave will also feature inserts from The Era's award-winning show “IN THE WURKZ” supported by the New England Foundation of The Arts (NEFA). They'll be on stage Saturday June 11, on PVDFest's Mural Stage at 100 Washington St. Parking Lot on Saturday, June 11 from 5-6 PM.Grab your kicks and join Chicago's The Era Footwork Crew at PVDFest to learn some of their fresh moves! This free all-ages dance workshop takes place this Sunday, 6/12 from 2:30-3:15 PM in Kennedy Plaza, Downtown Providence. Stick around until 4 PM for a creative conversation with The Era about how they connect their art to activism."  Support the show

Stella Johnson is a passionate and open-hearted photographer and educator – and this shines through her work. Her approach to photography is thoughtful and deliberate: Stella takes the time to not only get to know her subjects, but to also cultivate lifelong relationships with them – whether they are people or places.Stella is widely recognized for her skill and unique vision, receiving a Core Fulbright Scholar Grant to photograph in Mexico in 2003, and Fulbright Senior Specialist grants to teach in Mexico in 2006, and Colombia in 2018. The University of Maine Press published her monograph, Al Sol: Photographs from Mexico, Cameroon and Nicaragua, in 2008, and her second monograph, Zoi, was published by Wild Greek Press. Her work has received numerous honours, including a New England Foundation for the Arts Cultural Collaborative Artist-in-Residence Grant and the Julia Margaret Cameron Award.Stella holds teaching positions at Boston University and Lesley University College of Art and Design, and also leads workshops in locations all around the world, including Greece, Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, and most recently, in Venice Beach, California.Find out more about Stella's photography and upcoming workshops on her on Instagram @stellajohnson or on her website www.stellajohnson.com.More than a podcast, join our community on Millie.ca, @themilliecommunity.

In part 2 of my interview with Jen Passios, we dive into all things grant writing. We talk about why ways we can improve our writing skills, the materials we can gather before hand, and how we can use grant writing to better define who we are as artists.About Jen PassisosJen Passios is an artist-athlete, wordsmith, and dance educator committed to building agency through improvisation. She has spent the past 8 years performing throughout the United States, bringing dance to spaces ranging from law firms to museums, and church sanctuaries to sand dunes. Jen has had the pleasure of performing for audiences at events including the Inside/Out Festival at Jacob's Pillow, the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston's First Friday Series, TEDxCambridge, and New Balance's 2018 International Conference. During her professional career, Jen has performed work by a notable roster of nationally and internationally acclaimed artists including: Yin Yue, Shannon Gillen/ VIM VIGOR, Marco Goecke, Itzik Galili, and Lorraine Chapman. In December 2019, she made her on screen debut as a principal dancer in the feature length film “Little Women” (Columbia Pictures) directed by Greta Gerwig and choreographed by Monica Bill Barnes. She spent the 2020-2021 season traveling the USA with CoGRAVITY partner Jacob Regan uncovering one pathway for a life in the arts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair continue to create, improvise, teach, and write about the current state of dance through a choose-your-own adventure lens. In addition to her performance work, Jen uses her skills as a storyteller to help performing artists from Boston to Berlin secure the resources they need to bring excellent art to life. Through grant writing and strategy services, she has successfully obtained funding and expansion opportunities including awards from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Boston Dance Alliance, the Boston Center for the Arts, the New England Foundation for the Arts, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Boston Mayor's office of Arts and Culture, Mass MoCa/ Assets4Artists, Ballet Hispanico, The Boston Foundation, The Barr Foundation, the Western Arts Alliance, and Arts Midwest. As a result of these wins, her clients have been able to tour internationally, recoup money lost during the COVID 19 pandemic, make the leap from part time to full time operations, sustain a cast of 6 for an entire season, fund the creation & production of evening length works, expand educational programming, reclaim over 500 hours of studio time, and accumulate a total of $60,000 in institutional funding.Connect with Jen!Instagram: @nonjenue Email: jenniferpassios@gmail.comInterested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HEREBrandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coachingConnect with Brandon!Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcastWebsite: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

In part one of my interview with "nomadic artist-athlete and educator" Jen Passios, we dive into her life as a professional dancer, creator, and grant writer. Throughout our conversation, we talked about  taking advantage of happenstance and the importance of defining your boundaries and values around your career wants/needs. About Jen PassisosJen Passios is an artist-athlete, wordsmith, and dance educator committed to building agency through improvisation. She has spent the past 8 years performing throughout the United States, bringing dance to spaces ranging from law firms to museums, and church sanctuaries to sand dunes. Jen has had the pleasure of performing for audiences at events including the Inside/Out Festival at Jacob's Pillow, the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston's First Friday Series, TEDxCambridge, and New Balance's 2018 International Conference. During her professional career, Jen has performed work by a notable roster of nationally and internationally acclaimed artists including: Yin Yue, Shannon Gillen/ VIM VIGOR, Marco Goecke, Itzik Galili, and Lorraine Chapman. In December 2019, she made her on screen debut as a principal dancer in the feature length film “Little Women” (Columbia Pictures) directed by Greta Gerwig and choreographed by Monica Bill Barnes. She spent the 2020-2021 season traveling the USA with CoGRAVITY partner Jacob Regan uncovering one pathway for a life in the arts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair continue to create, improvise, teach, and write about the current state of dance through a choose-your-own adventure lens. In addition to her performance work, Jen uses her skills as a storyteller to help performing artists from Boston to Berlin secure the resources they need to bring excellent art to life. Through grant writing and strategy services, she has successfully obtained funding and expansion opportunities including awards from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Boston Dance Alliance, the Boston Center for the Arts, the New England Foundation for the Arts, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Boston Mayor's office of Arts and Culture, Mass MoCa/ Assets4Artists, Ballet Hispanico, The Boston Foundation, The Barr Foundation, the Western Arts Alliance, and Arts Midwest. As a result of these wins, her clients have been able to tour internationally, recoup money lost during the COVID 19 pandemic, make the leap from part time to full time operations, sustain a cast of 6 for an entire season, fund the creation & production of evening length works, expand educational programming, reclaim over 500 hours of studio time, and accumulate a total of $60,000 in institutional funding.Connect with Jen!Instagram: @nonjenueEmail: jenniferpassios@gmail.comInterested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HEREBrandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coachingConnect with Brandon!Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcastWebsite: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

In this episode Vida and Nathaniel discuss where to begin when deconstructing the old theatrical model. Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director of Mass Cultural Council, walks them through how he believes artists are the ones to begin the work. They talk fundraising, non-profit boards, and how to hold companies accountable to the “purpose.” – The work begins now. Michael J. Bobbitt is an award-winning theater director, choreographer, and playwright who has dedicated his professional career to arts leadership. He began his tenure as Executive Director of Mass Cultural Council in February 2021 and is the highest-ranking cultural official in Massachusetts. Bobbitt serves on the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) Board of Directors, the National Assembly of State Arts Agency's (NASAA) Board of Directors, and was selected for artEquity's BIPOC Leadership Circle. He is the former Artistic Director of the New Repertory Theater in Watertown, Massachusetts and the Adventure Theater in Maryland. Bobbitt gained extensive experience in nonprofit arts management by training at Harvard Business School's Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management, The National Arts Strategies Chief Executive Program, and Cornell University's Diversity and Inclusion Certification Program. As a director and choreographer he has worked nationally and internationally. As a writer his plays have been published by Concord Theatricals, Broadway Publishing, and Plays for Young Audiences. Bobbitt is the recipient of the Excel Leadership Award (Center for Nonprofit Advancement), the Emerging Leader Award (County Executive's Excellence in the Arts and Humanities), and Person of the Year Award (Maryland Theatre Guide), along with eight Helen Hayes Awards. Facebook – Michael J. Bobbitt Twitter - @mbobbitt IG - @michaeljamesbobbitt massculturalcouncil.org Facebook Twitter https://massculturalcouncil.org/blog/racial-equity-plan-launched/ - Racial Equity Plan —----- Community Shoutout and News – Live Arts - Pipeline by Dominique Morisseau Jan 14th -30th in Charlottesville @ livearts Writers Den at the new Brewers Cafe Location ! Virtual All through January - open mic night @ thewritersdenrva @ roscoeburnems – Richmond's first Poet Laureate @brewerscafe —----- Thank you for checking out TNT: artFORUM. Subscribe to hear more of what is next for The New Theatre. Follow us on all social media platforms for updates on what's next for The New Theatre! Like what you hear? Have questions for Vida and Nathaniel? Follow and message us on socials or email us at info@ thenewtheatrerva . org. This podcast is produced, edited, and directed by Hannah Sikora and Kaelen Williams. Theme music by Julian Evans www.julianevans.info

In this episode we hear from artist Dakota Camacho. They speak to us through song and story about depth in relationship to land, community and in what ways they practice their art. They speak on mindfulness in social media, protocol, witnessing elders and self, of accountability, how to embrace challenges as gifts, and so much more. Dakota is an exceptional human being whom I feel very blessed to have met in this life and I am grateful to be able to share this conversation with you all. About the artist: Dakota Camacho is a Matao/CHamoru artist born & raised in Coast Salish Territory who creates indigenizing processes by weaving languages of altar-making, movement, film, music, and prayer. Exploring the overlap between integrity, ancestral/indigenous lifeways, true love, and accountability, guiya (they) activates a Matao worldview to make offerings towards inafa'maolek (Balance and harmony with all of life). Camacho has presented yo'ña (their) work on five continents and throughout Oceania. Guiya is a Nia Tero Pacific Northwest Artist Fellow, Western Art's Alliance - Native Launchpad Artist and the recipient of The New England Foundation of the Arts, National Dance Project Award, The National Performance Network's Creation Fund. Camacho holds a Masters of Arts in Performance Studies from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in Gender & Women's Studies as a First Wave Urban Arts and Hip Hop Scholar. Camacho is a chanter, adjunct instructor, and core researcher for I Fanlalai'an Oral History Project based at the University of Guåhan. Yo'ña (their) work enacts spaces for multiple worlds, ways of knowing, being, and doing to speak to each other while unearthing embodied pathways towards collective liberation https://www.dakotacamacho.com IG @infinatedakota Music Featured: Following our conversation we will hear a very special unreleased song by Dakota Camacho titled Fangoggue, exclusively presented for this Broken Boxes episode.

In this episode we hear from artist Dakota Camacho. They speak to us through song and story about depth in relationship to land, community and in what ways they practice their art. They speak on mindfulness in social media, protocol, witnessing elders and self, of accountability, how to embrace challenges as gifts, and so much more. About the artist: Dakota Camacho is a Matao/CHamoru artist born & raised in Coast Salish Territory who creates indigenizing processes by weaving languages of altar-making, movement, film, music, and prayer. Exploring the overlap between integrity, ancestral/indigenous lifeways, true love, and accountability, guiya (they) activates a Matao worldview to make offerings towards inafa'maolek (Balance and harmony with all of life). Camacho has presented yo'ña (their) work on five continents and throughout Oceania. Guiya is a Nia Tero Pacific Northwest Artist Fellow, Western Art's Alliance - Native Launchpad Artist and the recipient of The New England Foundation of the Arts, National Dance Project Award, The National Performance Network's Creation Fund. Camacho holds a Masters of Arts in Performance Studies from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in Gender & Women's Studies as a First Wave Urban Arts and Hip Hop Scholar. Camacho is a chanter, adjunct instructor, and core researcher for I Fanlalai'an Oral History Project based at the University of Guåhan. Yo'ña (their) work enacts spaces for multiple worlds, ways of knowing, being, and doing to speak to each other while unearthing embodied pathways towards collective liberation https://www.dakotacamacho.com IG @infinatedakota Music Featured: Following our conversation we will hear a very special unreleased song by Dakota Camacho titled Fangoggue, exclusively presented for this Broken Boxes episode.

Maurine Knighton is the program director for the arts at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. In that capacity, she is responsible for developing and overseeing grantmaking programs that support artists and organizations in the contemporary dance, theater, jazz, and presenting fields.Prior to DDCF, Knighton was the senior vice president for grantmaking at the Nathan Cummings Foundation. She also served as senior vice president for program and nonprofit investment at the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. In the field of arts and culture, she was executive producer and president of 651 ARTS; program manager at the Nonprofit Finance Fund; and managing director of Penumbra Theatre Company. She is a former board member of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals and of Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA), where she chaired GIA's Racial Equity Committee. Knighton has also served as panelist and advisor to the National Endowment for the Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts, Arts Presenters Ensemble Theater Program, South Carolina Arts Commission, and others. She currently serves on the board of the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation, chairing its Cultural Investment Fund Committee.

Sean Dorsey was the first openly trans man on the cover of Dance Magazine. He is a talented choreographer, dancer, educator, writer, and activist, and he is the artistic director of Sean Dorsey Dance and Fresh Meat Productions. In this episode, we take you back to Sean's early childhood in a creative and loving family, full of leftist, and those passionate about social justice. Sean and I connect with our dance stories, and he talks about having parallel but separate lives; one in the arts and one in community organizing. He also describes the humble beginnings of Fresh Meat Productions, now celebrating 20 years! Towards the end of this conversation, I ask Sean why it's so important for him to speak up as a white, trans man. He admits that his skin color gives him certain access in the dance industry and opens up about his commitment to getting that same access to Black and Brown artists. Sean is a great possibility model and I know you will learn so much from this episode. Be sure to check out www.FreshMeatProductions.org to learn more about Sean's work. Guest Bio:  Sean Dorsey is an award-winning choreographer and dancer and the founder and Artistic Director of Fresh Meat Productions. Recognized as the U.S.' first acclaimed transgender modern dance choreographer, Dorsey has been named “San Francisco's Best Dance Company” (SF Weekly) and was named one of the nation's “Top 25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine. He has been awarded five Isadora Duncan Dance Awards and the Goldie Award for Performance. Dorsey has been awarded major support from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Dance Project, New England Foundation for the Arts, National Performance Network, Creative Work Fund, Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, San Francisco Arts Commission, Queer Cultural Center (San Francisco), Bates Dance Festival (Lewiston), Dance Place (Washington DC), The Theater Offensive (Boston), 7 Stages (Atlanta), Links Hall (Chicago), Maui Arts & Cultural Center (Maui), and Highways Performance Space (Los Angeles). Dorsey has collaborated with artists including Lana and Lilli Wachowski (Directors, The Matrix, Cloud Atlas), and Anohni (formerly Anthony and the Johnsons) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

 Arts and culture value far exceeds the price of admission to theatre, concert, or museum exhibit. From the Uber ride to the venue, to dinner before, or cocktails after an event, that ticket you buy to an event stimulates the economy in myriad ways.  An active arts scene transforms a city or town into cultural and economic hubs where we can together for a shared human experience, through  a wide range of artistic expression and diversity of thought. Creating the conditions for a diverse and thriving cultural community takes vision and leadership. Michael Bobbitt and I discuss the necessity of culture to our emotional and economic health, how to make entertainment and the arts accessible to more people, and why he considers himself an artist with a 'Small A.'Michael J. Bobbitt has dedicated his professional career to arts leadership. He is a theatre director, choreographer, and playwright. On February 1, 2021, he joined Mass Cultural Council as Executive Director, becoming the highest-ranking cultural official in Massachusetts. At the same time, Bobbitt was invited and agreed to serve on the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) Board of Directors.He has served as the Artistic Director of the New Repertory Theatre in Watertown, MA and Adventure Theatre-MTC in Maryland. At Adventure Theatre Bobbitt led the organization to be a respected theatre/training company in the DC region, and nationally influential professional Theatre for Young Audiences. He led a merger with Musical Theater Center, increased the organizational budget and audience, commissioned new works by noted playwrights, transferred two shows to Off-Broadway, built an academy, and earned dozens of Helen Hayes Award Nominations, garnering eight wins.Bobbitt studied at Harvard Business School's Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management, The National Arts Strategies Chief Executive Program, and Cornell University's Diversity and Inclusion Certification Program. An Associate Professor of Theatre at both the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and Howard University, Bobbitt has also volunteered on numerous nonprofit boards, including Maryland Citizens for the Arts, Weissberg Foundation and ArtsBoston.Bobbitt has directed/choreographed at Arena Stage, Ford's Theatre, The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Olney Theatre Center, Studio Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Center Stage, Roundhouse Theatre, The Kennedy Center, and the Washington National Opera. His national and international credits include the NY Musical Theatre Festival, Mel Tillis 2001, La Jolla Playhouse, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Jefferson Performing Arts Center, and the Olympics. As a writer his work was chosen for the NYC International Fringe Festival and The New York and Musical Theatre Festival. He has plays published by Concord Theatricals/Rodgers and Hammerstein Theatricals, Broadway Publishing and Plays for Young Audiences. Bobbitt has received the Excel Leadership Award (Center for Nonprofit Advancement), the Emerging Leader Award (County Executive's Excellence in the Arts and Humanities), and Maryland Theatre Guide's Person of the Year Award.   

In our recently released report, Solidary not Charity: Arts & Culture Grantmaking in the Solidarity Economy(https://www.giarts.org/solidarity-not-charity), we point out the importance of commitment to long-term work with multiyear grants, loans, and equity investments for solidarity economy institutions and networks. But how is this done with a racial equity and justice lens? Learn more from Anna Raginskaya, investment advisor, Morgan Stanley, and Quita Sullivan, senior program director for Theater, New England Foundation for the Arts and GIA board member.

OPERAtion: How, What, Why? A miniseries of the Podcast: OPERAtion What’s my Why? In these shorter episodes we strive to give voice to innovative artists, creators,  and organisations by sharing our platform. By doing so, we hope to offer insight in the way people in the opera industry are striving to create art that is not only relevant, but resonant with the experiences of humanity today. We are so excited to share with you all of the exciting work being done to create new opportunities for diverse artists to share their craft with the world. In this first episode Simon speaks to Aliana de la Guardia, Artistic Director of Guerilla Opera. A voracious interpreter of repertoire old and new, de la Guardia is an accomplished Cuban-American artist that enjoys a multifaceted career as a classical vocalist, actor, educator, and entrepreneur. As a soprano specializing in new music and opera, she has garnered acclaim for her “dazzling flights of virtuosity” (Gramophone) in “vocally fearless” performances that are “fizzing with theatrical commitment” (The Boston Globe). Specializing in new music and garnering skills as a theater artist make her especially fit for premiering new operas as well as genre-bending performance art, devised and ensemble-based works, intimate live performances, as well as film and digital mediums. She has guest starred on ABC’s television series “Body of Proof.”In 2020, she was selected as a protégée for OPERA America’s Women’s Opera Network Mentorship Program for Women in Opera, paired with Lee Anne Myslewski, Vice President of Opera and Classical Programming, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts in Vienna, VA. This same year she was the recipient of a Public Art Learning Fund grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts to pursue a custom-tailored mentorship program with Double Edge Theatre of Ashfield, MA.de la Guardia is also the founder and owner of Dirty Paloma Voice Studio in Haverhill, MA, the treasurer of the Granite State chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and on the Haverhill Multicultural Festival 2020 planning committee.Support the show (https://paypal.me/whatsmywhy?locale.x=en_US)

Farah Yasmeen Shaikh is an internationally acclaimed Kathak performer, choreographer and instructor, and Founder & Artistic Director of Noorani Dance. As a performer, Farah is known for her evocative storytelling, technical precision, delicacy and grace, with two decades of training from the late Pandit Chitresh Das. She has gone on to develop a unique artistic voice, often addressing topics of historical and social relevance, while also maintaining the classical elements of Kathak. Farah performs her own traditional and innovative works, most notably, The Forgotten Empress - based on the life of 17th Century Mughal Empress Noor Jahan, and The Partition Project — based on the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition and Nazaakat aur Taaqat - Delicate Power. A TEDx speaker, and host of her own podcast, Heartistry Talk Show, Farah has received support and recognition from the National Endowment for the Arts, Walter & Elise Haas Fund, New England Foundation for the Arts, Zellerbach Family Foundation, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, California Arts Council, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, SVCreates and Dancers' Group. In addition to training students of Noorani Dance, Farah's teaching experience includes ODC School and Along King LINES Ballet in San Francisco, India Community Center in the Silicon Valley, and various academic and arts institutions throughout the U.S. in addition to being a guest choreographer for the World Dance Program at Alvin Ailey Extension in New York City. Farah was also a consulting choreographer for the theatrical adaptation of Monsoon Wedding, directed by Mira Nair, and the lead choreographer for I'll Meet You There, a feature length film directed by Pakistani American filmmaker, Iram Parveen Bilal. Since 2015, Farah has been consistently performing and teaching throughout Pakistan - engaging in meaningful exchanges with artists, organizations, students, and art-loving and desiring Pakistanis. Engagements in Pakistan include the International Faiz Festival, Islamabad Arts Fest, Indus Valley School of the Arts, and T2F (the Second Floor).

Join us on another episode of Worcester Business Connect as we introduce you to local entrepreneur, Cassandra Leite. She is the owner of New England Foundation Crack Repair. Cassandra shares her story with us how she got into the foundation repair business, the real journey it has been to defeat the odds against her to become where she is today, local Worcester organizations that have helped her along the way and why she takes pride in providing economical solutions to local homeowners across Massachusetts and beyond.

The world of professional dance is competitive, ruthless and often reserved for a select few talented individuals.  But since the start of pandemic, many dancers and dance professionals are stuck at home turning to social media as a creative outlet. And this hour, we dance! Are you spending any time dancing at home? Are you or someone in your family addicted to the latest TikTok Dance Challenge? We want to hear from you. GUESTS: Brian Syms Jr. - dancer with the New England Ballet Theatre Margaret Fuhrer - dance writer and editor, editor-in-chief of the Dance Edit Newsletter and Podcast Indira Goodwine - Program Director for Dance for the New England Foundation for the Arts  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world of professional dance is competitive, ruthless and often reserved for a select few talented individuals.  But since the start of pandemic, many dancers and dance professionals are stuck at home turning to social media as a creative outlet. And this hour, we dance! Are you spending any time dancing at home? Are you or someone in your family addicted to the latest TikTok Dance Challenge? We want to hear from you. GUESTS: Brian Syms Jr. - dancer with the New England Ballet Theatre Margaret Fuhrer - dance writer and editor, editor-in-chief of the Dance Edit Newsletter and Podcast Indira Goodwine - Program Director for Dance for the New England Foundation for the Arts  Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Design for Disruption, we talk to Kim Szeto, the Program Director for Public Art at the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA). We learn how the pandemic and nationwide reckoning about racial justice inspired a rethinking of NEFA's programs. This lead to the launch of Public Art for Spatial Justice and Collective Imagination for Spatial Justice, programs that fund projects that aim to build a future where everyone has the right to be, thrive, express, and connect in and across public space."

In this episode, we’re talking to Shay Wafer, who is a mentor, Mama, grandmama, And so much more to many Black cultural workers in the world right now. In her long career in performing arts, Shay Wafer, has demonstrated a stalwart dedication to the arts and community development through many years of service to the field. Her passionate vision is balanced with pragmatic experience, as she has held senior level positions at a number of non-profit arts organizations with a focus on African Diasporic programming and community engagement. Currently the Executive Director of WACO Theater Center in Los Angeles, Shay was the Executive Director of 651 ARTS in Brooklyn and the founding VP of Programs for the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, a multi-disciplinary center and museum in downtown Pittsburgh. Prior to that, she served as the managing director of Cornerstone Theater Company, LA Theatreworks and the St. Louis Black Repertory Company. She also was a founding partner of Marla Gibb’s Crossroads Arts Academy and Theatre. Shay has engaged in additional community and volunteer activities throughout her career including serving on the Board of Directors of National Performance Network (currently the Board Chair), Theatre Communications Group and as a New England Foundation for the Arts National Theatre Project and National Dance Project Advisor. Shay has served as a peer panelist for The National Endowment for the ARTS, MAP Fund, Doris Duke, Mellon, Kresge and Bush Foundations, among others. She holds a BS from Howard University in Early Childhood Education and a MFA from the Yale School of Drama, Theatre Management program. Our conversation was recorded on April 15, 2020. Enjoy! Produced by Curtis Caesar John Music by audionautix.com

Listen on Apple PodcastsJoined by Activist Songbook Composer Byron Au Yong and Lyricist Aaron Jafferis, a panel of artists/activists will discuss music and its role in activism and democracy. Joined by a panel that includes local New Haven activist/musician New Haven musician Paul Bryant Hudson and nationally recognized organizers including Kit Yan & Melissa Li, co-creators of Interstate, we will learn how music can be a tool to effect change at every level of our democracy. How does music change people, history, and reality? What draws you to songs that name and fight oppression, versus songs that claim liberation and create the new world we're stepping into, versus both? How do you see music effecting political change within this election year, and how can it be a voice of democracy at large?Additional support for the Activist Songbook Panel Discussion is provided by the New England States Touring Program of the New England Foundation for the Arts, made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.For more Activist Songbook programs, click here.The Ideas Program is presented in partnership with Connecticut Humanities, a non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, with additional leadership support of The Whitney Center and media sponsor CT Public.

Work. Shouldn't. Suck. LIVE: The Morning(ish) Show with special guest Cathy Edwards. [Live show recorded: April 27, 2020.] CATHY EDWARDS is Executive Director of the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), where she has served since January, 2015. She believes art has a unique role to play in engaging people and communities, and is committed to building opportunity and equity in the creative sector. NEFA invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation. The organization administers an array of grant-making programs and professional services, and conducts research into New England’s creative economy. NEFA works in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the nation’s Regional Arts Organizations, and New England’s six state arts agencies, in addition to private philanthropy, to accomplish its work, with an annual budget of over $8 million. Cathy previously served as director of programming at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas in New Haven, CT; as the artistic director at both the Time-Based Art Festival at PICA in Portland, OR and Dance Theater Workshop in New York City; and as co-director of Movement Research in New York City. She has served on the board of directors of the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, as chair of the board of directors of Movement Research, and as vice-chair of the board of directors of the National Performance Network. She holds a BA from Yale College. Cathy has two children, both young adults, is married to an activist law professor, and lives in both New Haven, CT and Cambridge, MA.

Victoria Waterman, CEO of Girls Inc. in Worcester, talks about the organization's new program to help get critical hygiene supplies into the hands of teens who need them. Kim Szeto, Public Art Program Director for the New England Foundation for the Arts, has details on the foundation's "Public Art Learning Fund", and how artists all over the region can take advantage of funds to help them grow in their practice.

Work. Shouldn't. Suck. LIVE: The Morning(ish) Show with special guest Kristina Newman-Scott, President, BRIC (https://www.bricartsmedia.org/) . [Live show recorded: April 15, 2020.] KRISTINA NEWMAN-SCOTT serves as President of BRIC, a leading arts and media institution anchored in Downtown Brooklyn whose work spans a contemporary visual and performing arts, media, and civic action. She is the first immigrant and first woman of color to serve in this position and one of the very few women of color leading a major New York cultural institution. Under her tenure, BRIC embarked on an ambitious human-centered process in pursuit of clarity of purpose in the form of a new four-year Strategic Plan. That process led to a rearticulated mission, informed by the institution's impact and legacy, and a newly articulated vision statement, guided by aspirational goals. In addition, she led a renewed commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusivity in every aspect of the organization. Previously, Newman-Scott served as the Director of Culture and State Historic Preservation Officer for the State of Connecticut; Director of Marketing, Events and Cultural Affairs for the City of Hartford; Director of Programs at the Boston Center for the Arts; and Director of Visual Arts at Hartford's Real Art Ways. Ms. Newman-Scott's awards and recognitions include being a National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellow, A Hive Global Leadership Selectee, and a Next City Urban Vanguard. In June 2018, Americans for the Arts presented Kristina with the Selina Roberts Ottum Award, which recognizes an individual working in arts management who exemplifies extraordinary leadership qualities. A TEDx speaker, guest lecturer, visiting curator, Kristina currently serves on the Boards of the New England Foundation for the Arts, National Arts Strategies, and Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. She resides in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, with her husband and two children.

Kristina Newman Scott Website: https://www.bricartsmedia.org/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BRICbrooklyn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BRICbrooklyn/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bricbrooklyn/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/bricbrooklyn   Kristina Newman-Scott is the newly appointed President of BRIC, a 40-year-old multi-disciplinary arts and media organization in Brooklyn, New York and a major incubator and presenter of Brooklyn artists and media-makers. She is the first immigrant and first woman of color to serve in this position. Previously, Newman-Scott served as the Director of Culture and State Historic Preservation Officer for the State of Connecticut; Director of Marketing, Events and Cultural Affairs for the City of Hartford; Director of Programs at the Boston Center for the Arts; and Director of Visual Arts at Hartford's Real Art Ways. Ms. Newman-Scott’s awards and recognitions include being a National Arts Strategies Creative Community Fellow, A Hive Global Leadership Selectee and a Next City Urban Vanguard. In 2018, Americans for the Arts, presented Kristina with the Selina Roberts Ottum Award which recognizes an individual working in arts management who exemplifies extraordinary leadership qualities. She has been a TEDx speaker, guest lecturer, visiting curator and featured presenter across the United States and Internationally. Kristina currently serves on the Boards of the New England Foundation for the Arts, National Arts Strategies and Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. Ms. Newman-Scott was a visual artist, creative strategies consultant and a television and radio producer in Jamaica, where she was born and raised. She became a U.S. citizen in 2013 and currently resides in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.  In this episode, we discuss: How taking a small opportunity can lead to great things The relationship of arts and government How culture outpaces brand Challenges of being a female leader Leadership is not about common sense Why the arts is not just about culture Bric in a new decade

Laura Faure was the former director of the Bates Dance Festival which is held at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. Since taking this position in 1988 she had developed the Festival into an internationally acclaimed contemporary dance program known for its artistic excellence, curatorial vision, and commitment to building community through dance. A former dancer, choreographer and teacher with thirty + years of experience in the field of dance, Ms. Faure also works as a freelance arts manager and consultant specializing in the performing arts. She has been a project coordinator and consultant for the National Endowment for the Arts Advancement Program, the New England Foundation for the Arts and the Maine Performing Arts Network, as well as for individual artists and arts groups. She has served as an evaluator for the many state and regional arts agencies, the NEA, Creative Capital, Rockefeller Foundation, US Artists, and the Alpert Foundation. She served two terms on the Maine Arts Commission, where she chaired the Dance Panel. Ms. Faure is a founding member of The African Contemporary Arts Consortium and has been developing a cross-cultural exchange program with artists from Japan, Indonesia, Africa, Cuba, Portugal and Mexico since 1994. For more information, check out the Bates Dance Festival website: http://www.batesdancefestival.org/

Self Portrait Grisaille, 80 X 68", O/L, 1999. Grant Drumheller has been the recipient of a Fulbright-Hays Grant in Painting to Italy. He has also been the recipient of a Blanche Colman Award, a National Endowment for the Arts Artist’s Fellowship, a New England Foundation for the Arts Grant and a grant from the Pollock- Krasner Foundation. Most recently he was a Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome in 2009. Drumheller has been a professor at the University of New Hampshire since 1986. Other teaching and speaking engagements have been at Boston University, Dartmouth College, Amherst College, the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley College, Maine College of Art, Monserrat College of Art, and Gordon College. He has taught for several summers at the UNH in Italy Program in Ascoli Piceno, Le Marche and at Art New England Workshops at Bennigton College.

By Jeffrey Mosser, Quita Sullivan. In this episode of the From the Ground Up Podcast, Jeffrey Mosser and Quita Sullivan of New England Foundation of the Arts talk equity in the grant making process, and share some best practices for

Fabiola R. Decius’s is a playwright and the founder of Teens WRITE (Writing, Reading, and Investigating Theater Everywhere), which is a program for teenagers to write, revise, cast, direct, and produce original plays culminating in a Ten-Minute Play Festival. Fabiola graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a Bachelor of Arts, and received a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Lesley University in Stage and Screen Writing. Her plays include Haiti Chérie, Final Verdict, In Sync, Ice Cream Bucket List, Date Night Surprise, Chicksmas, Draped in History, Free Before Eleven, Consent, Bus Stop, Man of the House, and Fighting Forgiveness. In addition to writing for the stage, Fabiola has also had her share of acting accolades in Waiting Room and Goddamn Bell!: A Journey Through Time at Bryn Mawr. She was a cohort member in the 2016-2017 Company One Theatre PlayLab Unit. She was a Creative City grant recipient through the New England Foundation for the Arts in 2018. In this interview, she speaks with Lesley University associate professor and Creative Writing Associate Director Janet Pocorobba. For more information, visit our podcast page.

Stella Johnson is a photographer and educator known for her passionate and honest documentary projects. She received a Core Fulbright Scholar Grant to photograph in Mexico in 2003, and Fulbright Senior Specialist grants to teach in Mexico in 2006 and in Colombia in 2018. The University of Maine Press published her monograph, Al Sol: Photographs from Mexico, Cameroon, and Nicaragua in 2008. Johnson’s photographs have been widely exhibited in the United States and internationally. A dedicated educator, Johnson holds teaching positions at Boston University and Lesley University College of Art and Design. She also teaches workshops in Greece, Cuba, and Mexico. She was a 2013 finalist for the Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship, Photolucida Critical Mass Top 50, and a nominee for the Boston Foundation’s Brother Thomas Fellowship. Johnson’s work has received numerous honors including a New England Foundation for the Arts Cultural Collaborative Artist-in-Residence Grant and Julia Margaret Cameron Award. Johnson holds a BFA from The San Francisco Art Institute and an MS in journalism from Boston University. Her work is held in public collections including The DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, The Haggerty Museum of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, The Portland Museum of Art, and The Southeast Museum of Photography, among others. Resources:   Download the free Candid Frame app for your favorite smart device. Click here to download for . Click here to download Support the work we do at The Candid Frame with contributing to our Patreon effort.  You can do this by visiting or visiting the website and clicking on the Patreon button. You can also provide a one-time donation via . You can follow Ibarionex on and .

Eva Yaa Asantewaa (2017 Bessie Award winner for Outstanding Service to the Field of Dance) is a writer, curator and community educator. Since 1976, she has contributed writing on dance to Dance Magazine, The Village Voice, SoHo Weekly News, Gay City News, The Dance Enthusiast, Time Out New York and other publications and interviewed dance artists and advocates as host of two podcasts, Body and Soul and Serious Moonlight. She blogs on the arts, with dance as a specialty, for InfiniteBody and served as Editor in Chief of Dancer's Turn, a blog devoted to longform profiles of dance artists, created by students of her "Writing on Dance" workshop series at New York Live Arts. Ms. Yaa Asantewaa joined the curatorial team for Danspace Project’s Platform 2016: Lost and Found and created the skeleton architecture, or the future of our worlds, featuring 21 Black women and gender-nonconforming performers for an evening of group improvisation. Her cast was awarded a 2017 Bessie for Outstanding Performer. As EYA Projects, she has begun partnerships with organizations such as Gibney Dance Center, Abrons Arts Center, Dance/NYC, BAX and Dancing While Black to curate and facilitate Long Table conversations on topics of concern in the dance/performance community. She was a member of the inaugural faculty of Montclair State University’s MFA in Dance program. She has also served on the faculty for New England Foundation for the Arts' Regional Dance Development Initiative Dance Lab 2016 for emerging Chicago-area dance artists. In May 2017, she served on the faculty for the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography's inaugural Moving Forward Dialogues Dance Lab for Emerging Choreographers. Ms. Yaa Asantewaa served as a member of the New York Dance and Performance (Bessie) Awards committee for three years and as a consultant or panelist for numerous arts funding or awards organizations including the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. A native New Yorker of Black Caribbean heritage, Eva makes her home in the East Village with her wife, Deborah, and cat, Crystal. https://infinitebody.blogspot.com

Bill Shannon is a multidisciplinary artist based in Pittsburgh. In 1992, Shannon attended the The Art Institute of Chicago, earning a BFA in 1995. In 1996 Shannon moved to NYC and immersed himself in the art, dance and skate cultures of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Over the past two decades, Shannon's installations, performances, choreography and video work have been presented nationally and internationally at numerous venues, festivals and events including the Sydney Opera House, Tate Liverpool Museum, NYC Town Hall, Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, The Holland Festival, Amsterdam, Temple Bar Dublin, Kiasma Museum Finland, the Hirshhorn Museum, and many more. Shannon also completed a project with Cirque du Soleil: he choreographed an aerial duet and a solo on crutches for their 2002 production "Varekai," which continues to tour. Shannon has been honored with a Newhouse Foundation Award, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, and a Foundation for Contemporary Art Award, among others. He has also received support for his work from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Dance Project of the New England Foundation for the Arts, Jerome Foundation, New York Foundation for the Arts, and others. [soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/114934856" params="" width=" 100%" height="166" iframe="true" /] GET TMSIDK: RSS | On iTunes | Download episode | Listen on Stitcher Follow TMSIDK on Twitter Tell Me Something I Don't Know is produced and hosted by three cartoonists and illustrators: Jim Rugg is a Pittsburgh-based comic book artist, graphic designer, zinemaker, and writer best known for Afrodisiac, The Plain Janes, and Street Angel. His latest project is SUPERMAG. Jasen Lex is a designer and illustrator from Pittsburgh. He is currently working on a graphic novel called Washington Unbound. All of his art and comics can be found at jasenlex.com. Cartoonist Ed Piskor (that's me) draws the Wizzywig, and draws the Brain Rot/ Hip Hop Family Tree comic strip at this very site, soon to be collected by Fantagraphics Books and available for pre-order now. Interested in sponsoring one of Boing Boing's podcasts? Visit Podlexing!

I'm at a board meeting of the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) in Northampton, Mass., where today we focused on the organization's new Native Arts program to support Native American artists in New England and across the country.  I was struck by the role arts and culture have played in preserving the identity of native people through centuries of incredible hardship.  Before dinner, I interviewed Pamela Kingfisher of LarsonAllen, who is working with the Ford Foundation to help create an entirely new national foundation to support native arts.  In this episode, she provides some context and emphasizes the importance of the New England initiative, also supported by the Ford Foundation. Background music is taken from the live performance before dinner by Thawn Harris and his wife Elanor Dove Harris, members of the Narraganset tribe in Rhode Island.