Anika Kwinana is an artist and arts manager who is passionate about the role of the arts in supporting community development.  Her work has included directing music and arts programming for a diverse, 5,000-member religious organization in South Africa, where she mentored and led 100+ volunteer artists; produced, wrote and performed on two live CD-DVD projects; and, oversaw concerts, conferences and facility rentals. 

She also managed, facilitated and fundraised for several community-based youth, HIV-AIDS, and women’s empowerment organizations in the country.  In the U.S, Anika has designed and implemented STEM and arts-related college and career fairs, with an emphasis on concept development; event management; committee oversight; program design and implementation; and, partnership-building.  She is currently Manager, National Partnerships in the Education Division at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where she co-leads the Any Given Child Initiative, supporting 27 communities, nationally, to expand equitable access to quality arts education for public school students.  Anika is a Commissioner for the Arlington County Commission for the Arts where she chairs the Community Arts Advisory Committee. She is also an executive board member (Treasurer) for the Arts Administrators of Color Network. Anika holds an M.A. in Arts Management from George Mason University and an M.A. Public Anthropology from American University.  Her most recent work with Americans for the Arts was a co-presented workshop at the 2019 Convention, “How to Make and Use a Theory of Change” and moderated an ArtsU webinar, “Advancing the Diversity of Your Board.”

Twitter: @anikakwinana  

Tony Allegretti served as the Executive Director of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville from 2014 to 2018. During this time, the direct economic impact of the Cultural Service Grant funded organizations served by the Cultural Council has grown from $58 million to $83+ million, and from twenty-one organizations to twenty-seven. Under Allegretti’s leadership Art in Public Places has advocated and earned nearly $2 million in new and reallocated public art funding, including new works in neighborhoods that do not feature public art. The Cultural Council has also invested more than $250,000 in grants and professional development to local artists and small arts organizations over the last three years and ushered in another $150,000 specifically for diversity and inclusion and access to art and culture. Since the Cultural Council has adopted its Cultural Equity Commitment under Allegretti's leadership, African American board participation at Cultural Service grant funded organizations has increased 400%. In 2018, 69% percent of those organizations increased African American participation. More than 150 students of color have completed the curriculum of Career Pathways to jobs in arts and culture. More than 90 students of color have completed Cultural Service Internships (paid) in Cultural Service organizations.

Previous to this position, Tony was Director of Downtown Engagement for JAX Chamber. In 2004, Tony won the individual award from the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville for his work establishing the First Wednesday Art Walk with Downtown Vision. He was also the Founding Director of the Riverside Arts Market and created Community First Saturdays Downtown. He is a stakeholder and entrepreneur with his partnerships at Burrito Gallery, Uptown Market, and BREW. Tony currently serves on the Board of Visit Jacksonville, Downtown Vision, Any Given Child, United States Urban Arts Federation (Executive Committee), Urban Education & Policy Center, and has also served on the Jax Chamber Board of Governors, as well as Jax Area Legal Aid and was a founding board member of the Downtown Investment Authority. Tony lives on the edge of San Marco with his wife Tammy, one young vocalist, and one young soccer star.