New England Arts Leaders of Color Selected for National Leadership Development Cohort

(Boston, MA) The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is excited to announce the six New England arts leaders selected for the second annual National Leaders of Color Fellowship cohort.

These six leaders join 48 others from communities across the country to 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 Regional Arts Organizations, the no-cost program takes place online and provides 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.

The six participants are:

Atabey Sánchez-Haiman, Providence, RI: Owner, Giraffes and Robots Pop Art Studio
Alexandra James, Portland, ME: Director of Training Programs, Bates Dance Festival
Victoria Johnson, Bethel, VT: Music Program Manager, BarnArts
Miguel Petris, Arlington, MA: Operations Coordinator, Artists for Humanity
Ámbar Ruiz, Manchester, NH: Currier Collective board, the Currier Museum of Art
Jeanika Browne-Springer, East Hartford, CT: Director, LifeLong Learning, HartBeat Ensemble

Six portraits of folks of color (two in black and white, one with a horn). — (clockwise from top left:) Sánchez-Haiman, James, Johnson, Browne-Springer, Ruiz, and Petris

Learn more about the New England fellows.

“Investing in the generational leaders is essential as we continue our work to build the capacity of our region’s arts workers and ensure equitable access to quality leadership development opportunities,” said NEFA executive director Harold Steward. “Partnering with our RAO colleagues enables these six New England leaders to be a part of a powerful national cohort; we are excited to see what they bring to the region.”

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 National 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.

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. Learn more about all of the 2023-24 fellows.

About NEFA

The New England Foundation for the Arts invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation. NEFA accomplishes this by granting funds to artists and cultural organizations; connecting them to each other and their audiences; and analyzing their economic contributions. NEFA serves as a regional partner for the National Endowment for the Arts, New England’s state arts agencies, and private foundations. Learn more at www.nefa.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 www.usregionalarts.org.

Contact: Ann Wicks | 617-423-1390