54 Fellows Announced for U.S. Regional Arts Organization-Supported
National Leaders of Color Fellowship
Unique Eight-Month Leadership Development
Experience Begins this Month
December 13, 2023 – The six United States Regional Arts Organizations (US RAOs), Arts Midwest, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Mid Atlantic Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts, South Arts, and program convener WESTAF are excited to announce the 2023-24 National Leaders of Color Fellows. Fifty-four leaders from communities across the country will participate in a transformative eight-month leadership development experience designed to establish multicultural leadership in the creative and cultural sector. Curated by WESTAF and in partnership with the five other US RAOs, the no-cost program takes place online and will provide fellows with access to specialists in the field, strategic learning objectives determined to deepen thought on anti-racist and culturally-oriented leadership practices, and national-level network and cohort building.
An expansion of WESTAF’s Emerging Leaders of Color program, which has been partnering with and supporting 100+ BIPOC arts and culture leaders since 2010, the Leaders of Color Fellowship (LoCF) and its mission have become a national endeavor with collective support and commitment from the collaborative of the six Regional Arts Organizations.
Juan Souki, Executive Director of Mid Atlantic Arts, said “It’s been a joy and an inspiration to meet the Fellows for the 2023-2024 National Leaders of Color Fellowship program. Their work is pertinent and informed by their communities, spans multiple disciplines, and speaks to the diverse creativity of the artistic community. We hope we can keep learning from them and are excited to share resources during this journey, working together to grow their practice during this period. I look forward to meeting with the ten members of the Mid Atlantic Arts’ regional cohort in the coming months and extend my congratulations to all 54 National Fellows.”
“As we enter the second year of the program, I can truly say that the content has grown due to the feedback from the most recent alumni,” said Anika Tené, WESTAF director of social responsibility and inclusion and LoCF strategic lead. “The new fellows can expect deeper engagement with each other, faculty, and US RAO staff, while grappling with regional and national issues that impact our sector. We anticipate that the second-year fellows will become thought partners, ready to engage in national conversations about the arts”.
Upon completion of the program, participants transition to alumni status and have opportunities to collaborate with the RAO in their region as advisors, funding panelists, and/or other professional capacities. To learn more about the 2023-24 fellows, visit https://artslead.org/leaders/2023nationalfellows/.
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About Mid Atlantic Arts
Mid Atlantic Arts supports artists, presenters, and organizations through unique programming, grant support, partnerships, and information sharing. Created in 1979, Mid Atlantic Arts is aligned with the region’s state arts councils and the National Endowment for the Arts. We combine state and federal funding with private support from corporations, foundations, and individuals to nurture diverse artistic expression while connecting people to meaningful arts experiences within our region and beyond. To learn more about Mid Atlantic Arts visit www.midatlanticarts.org.
About the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations
The United States Regional Arts Organizations (US RAOs) strengthen and support arts, culture, and creativity in their individual regions as well as across the nation. They serve the nation’s artists, arts and culture organizations, and creative communities with programs that reflect and celebrate the diversity of the field in which they work. They partner with the National Endowment for the Arts, state arts agencies, individuals, and other public and private funders to develop and deliver programs, services, and products that advance arts and creativity. Learn more at usregionalarts.org.
Contacts:
Leah Horn (WESTAF), leah.horn@westaf.org, 720.664.2239
Karen Newell (Mid Atlantic Arts), karen@midatlanticarts.org, 410.539.6656 x104