Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Essentials Playlist
This playlist is meant to serve as an introduction to the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility resources that ArtsU has provided over the past few years. We hope you will continue to explore our archives for more useful content! Check out the content tab for more information on each activity. If you have any questions please reach out to ArtsU@artsusa.org.
This webinar is a part of the 2022 Arts & Cultural Equity Studio | Mid-Career Leaders Collection. Carol Tatch and Della Rae, new leaders of the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) in Portland, OR, will offer insights into the strategic journey their organization has taken to accomplish its mission and lead with its Core Values. This journey has led the organization to adopt a shared leadership model that has them serving to direct and lead the external and internal operations, respectively. This session will center their experiences as shared leadership executives and discuss what it means for an organization to intentionally lean in and make this transitional step to focus on equity and be responsive to, meet, and exceed community needs.
About this Webinar
Carol Tatch and Della Rae, new leaders of the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) in Portland, OR, will offer insights into the strategic journey their organization has taken to accomplish its mission and lead with its Core Values. This journey has led the organization to adopt a shared leadership model that has them serving to direct and lead the external and internal operations, respectively. This session will center their experiences as shared leadership executives and discuss what it means for an organization to intentionally lean in and make this transitional step to focus on equity and be responsive to, meet, and exceed community needs.
Participants will walk away with:
A sense of how an organization can prepare for leadership transitions - Leaning into Critical Conversations
Insight into the intent behind and impact of a shared leadership model - Intentionality vs. Performative engagement
Guidance on how to approach organizational and structural change – Best thinking from an organization that is in the middle of its change
The Arts & Culture Equity Studio | Mid-Career Leaders Collection provides mid-career arts administrators access to tailored training aimed at helping them develop the skills needed to advance in the arts management field. ACES is a three-part professional development collection spanning all topics regarding cultural equity in arts administration and career advancement. You can register for the full collection here.
Della Rae
Chief of Internal Operations
Regional Arts & Culture Council
Della Rae joins the leadership team of RACC to lead People & Culture with over ten years of experience in the field of Human Resources and Administrative Management. She is passionate about prioritizing people and inclusion as a pillar of long-term strategy for sustainable agencies. Nonprofit consulting and board member service are also strengths she brings to the table.
Her work in the sector began when she co-founded a local nonprofit that connected community needs with resources. For her efforts she received numerous local, regional and national community service and leadership awards.
Della is an author, self-agency advocate and is also certified in Human Resource Management. She knows what it takes for an organization to thrive. Pronouns: she/her/hers.
Carol Tatch
Chief of External Operations
Regional Arts & Culture Council
Carol joins her colleagues at RACC in 2020 with a grateful heart! An Oregon resident for 14 years, Carol has enjoyed the opportunity to help the most vulnerable populations in this state and internationally.
She brings to RACC 30 years of experience in Philanthropy, Development, Leadership, and Community Engagement, Program Development, and Team building. Athough a native of the Atlantic Southeast, Carol has found the Pacific Northwest to be the perfect place to further hone her skills and talents in leadership and philanthropic engagement for non-profit social justice, arts, humanitarian, and social services programs. As an engaged listener her favorite words are, “Tell me your story.”
Carol has certifications in Nonprofit Management, Meeting and Event Planning, Executive Leadership and Development, and has completed WVDO’s Executive Leadership Academy. As a non-stop learner, she embraces the opportunities to become a better human that continually arise from professional and social education and training. Pronouns: she/her/hers.
We are trying out a new membership briefing format to better highlight the amazing work our members are doing in the field as well as to provide insight into Americans for the Arts’ strategy and programming! The August briefing will feature recent American Express Emerging Leader Award winner and Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of New Haven, Adriane Jefferson, in dialogue with Americans for the Arts’ new Chief of Staff, Daniel Fitzmaurice about their experience and success with developing a cultural equity plan for The City of New Haven.
About the Member Briefing August 9 at 3:00PM ET
We are trying out a new membership briefing format to better highlight the amazing work our members are doing in the field as well as to provide insight into Americans for the Arts’ strategy and programming!
August briefing will feature recent American Express Emerging Leader Award winner and Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of New Haven, Adriane Jefferson, in dialogue with Americans for the Arts’ new Chief of Staff, Daniel Fitzmaurice about their experience and success with developing a cultural equity plan for The City of New Haven.
This hour-long discussion will cover:
What a cultural equity plan is
How Adriane and Daniel developed one for the City of New Haven
Why a cultural equity plan is a necessity for any organization
How you can develop a cultural equity plan for your community
What you can do to foster support for developing your own plan
We will also leave time for your questions!
Adriane Jefferson
Director of Cultural Affairs
City of New Haven
Adriane is an Executive in Arts Administration and cultural equity with expertise in program design, event & media production, grant making, external affairs ,community partnerships, and new program initiatives. She specializes in professional development programming for young creative professionals, programs that amplifying Black, Indigenous, people of color and social change initiatives. She is a thought leader, adviser and educator pertaining to issues of Justice, Diversity, equity, access, and inclusion. She has dedicated her career to creating programs that result in a more equitable, vibrant and sustainable arts landscape. Adriane is currently the Director of the Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs for the City of New Haven and the Executive Director of New Haven Festival Inc.
Daniel Fitzmaurice
Executive Office
Americans for the Arts
Daniel is positive that everyone benefits from creativity in their communities, which is why cultural equity is a core value in his work. With professional experience as a classical pianist, music educator, and arts administrator, he personally understands the joys and challenges of navigating creative ecosystems. He most recently served as the Executive Director at the Arts Council of Greater New Haven from 2017-2022 after leadership appointments at Creative Arts Workshop and Elm Shakespeare Company, all in New Haven, CT. As a passionate arts advocate, he co-organized Connecticut's first Create the Vote campaigns from 2018 to 2022 and served on a statewide policy advisory committee for arts, culture, and tourism. As a community leader committed personally and professionally to anti-racism, he co-created Connecticut's first COVID-19 relief fund for individual creatives, Arts for Anti-Racism Pledge, and Cultural Equity Plan. He is also proud to have served as a facilitator for the Community Leadership Program and on the Boards of CT Arts Alliance, New Haven Innovation Collaborative, and the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. He and his family love exploring the vast creative ecosystem of their home states of Connecticut and Rhode Island and experience living in Portland, Oregon, and Philadelphia, PA.
ArtsU Intensives are extended deep dive learning sessions of hyper-focused topics. These enriched e-learning sessions are quarterly opportunities for members of the field to interact with, engage and immerse in crucial topics and concepts.
About this Intensive
Data shows us that the U.S. population has been steadily diversifying, yet the average demographic of most current arts audiences has remained stagnant and does not reflect the diverse makeup of our communities. The long-term success of arts and culture organizations depends on audience diversification and engagement.
In this intensive, we will take a hands-on approach to identify successful methods that can be used to build engagement in diverse communities. There will be a mix of presentation, conversation, and interactive activities that will help you create a framework for diversification efforts at your organization. At the end of the session, you will have the foundational elements of how you can implement tactics to meaningfully engage with the diverse communities in your area.
We'll also look at case studies from around the industry including those from Palm Beach Opera and The High Museum. Palm Beach Opera successfully engaged the African American community and increased attendance at the Opera’s events through a multi-year initiative. The High Museum has tripled the nonwhite audience so that its visitors more closely mirror the population of the Atlanta metro area, of which 51 percent are people of color.
This session will focus on tactics that organizations of all budget sizes and attendees will walk away with actionable knowledge about:
Determining your target audience(s)
Best communication methods and channels
Creating messaging that resonates
Grass-roots methods that actually work
Creating successful short-term and long-term strategies
About ArtsU Intensives
ArtsU Intensives are extended deep dive learning sessions of hyper-focused topics. These enriched e-learning sessions are quarterly opportunities for members of the field to interact with, engage and immerse in crucial topics and concepts.
Ceci Dadisman
Arts Marketing Consultant
Ceci Dadisman is a marketing professional with more than 15 years of experience creating effective communications campaigns utilizing innovative, forward thinking methods. She is nationally recognized as a leader in digital marketing and specializes in multichannel communications campaigns.
A frequent public speaker, Ceci’s recent and upcoming engagements feature national conference appearances at NTEN, Museums and the Web, National Arts Marketing Project, Arts Midwest, American Alliance of Museums, OPERA America, Midwest Museums Association, and Chorus America in addition to many other local and regional events. Known for her easy-going and vernacular style, she creates open learning environments with an emphasis on information sharing and useful takeaways.
Ceci is passionate about empowering people through marketing and is a senior contributor to Arts Hacker where she regularly shares timely information and step-by-step tutorials. She also teaches the arts marketing course at West Virginia University’s College of Creative Arts and is the Dean of Chorus America’s Chorus Management Institute.
A chronic early-adopter, Ceci has a passion for discovering ways that technology can be used to create more engaging experiences. The Curated Arts Experience focuses on collecting real-world case studies about how organizations around the world are using technology to engage the participant or enrich the experience at an arts event.
She is a member of the National Arts Marketing Project Advisory Committee and the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts Visiting Committee, and is a mentor in West Virginia University’s Creative Consultant program. She has also served on the Arts Midwest Conference Professional Development Committee and the NTEN Conference Session Advisory Committee. She also served for many years as the OPERA America Marketing Network Chair.
Ceci was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from West Virginia University’s College of Creative Arts. She currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Kristie Swink Benson, APR, is the director of communications atthe High Museum of Art where she leads a team of ROCKSTARS who support allpublic relations, marketing, creative services, and web/new media needs for themuseum. She is dedicated to building an exceptional brand that is consistentwith the High’s priorities of growth, inclusivity, collaboration, andconnectivity.
As a communications executive, she has extensive experience in publicrelations, crisis communications, marketing, and strategy.
She started her career more than a decade ago in localgovernment and has since provided communications expertise to mental health,utilities and now the arts and culture industries.
A self-proclaimed professional development junkie, Benson earnedher accreditation in public relations in June 2015, a prestigious designationgiven by the Universal Accreditation Board. She also holds a Master of Arts inpublic communication from American University (Washington, D.C.) and a Bachelorof Arts in mass communications from Winston-Salem State University (WinstonSalem, NC).
Benson is member of the 2021 Inspire Atlanta Class; the PRSA2019 Augural Class of 40 Under 40; and 2018 American Express LeadershipAcademy. She also holds board positions with the Georgia Chapter of the PublicRelations Society of America and Art Museum Marketing Association.
Ann Marie Sorrell is an award-winning business leader and the President & CEO of The Mosaic Group, an award-winning public relations, marketing, and government relations firm serving clients throughout the United States and Caribbean. Ann Marie oversees the day-to-day operations, serves as Project Manager for most of the firm’s projects, and has managed more than 500 campaigns and projects ranging from $10,000 to $3 billion. Clients include AECOM, Cohen Brothers Realty Corporation, City of West Palm Beach, Broward Health, Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, Hallandale Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, Broward College, and the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale to name a few. Ann Marie is the author of Chronicles of a Serial Dater, a journey through the good, bad, funny – and steamy – of dating and relationships told through short stories.
She holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Management from Florida A&M University. She is a Charter Member of the South Florida Business Journal Leadership Trust, and a member of Leadership Palm Beach County, Leadership Florida, Economic Forum, the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Florida Advisory Committee, National Association of Black Women in Construction, Urban League Young Professionals of Palm Beach County and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Ann Marie is a subject matter expert and guru in the field of Marketing and has developed The Marketing MashUp which includes trainings, seminars, webinars, and a book series (will be released in Winter 2020).
The Mosaic Group
The Mosaic Group is an award-winning, full-service marketing, public relations, events management, and government relations firm serving clients throughout the United States and Caribbean. We are a certified minority and women-owned business enterprise. The Mosaic Group was incorporated in 2005 and has served over 500 clients locally, regionally, and globally. We have offices in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Our mission is to build credibility and increase visibility for our clients. We strive to provide the highest quality of customer care and innovative solutions.
Our multi-cultural team of English, Spanish, Creole and Portuguese speaking communications specialists is comprised of a highly-qualified and seasoned group of experts who boasts over 150 years of combined experience and backgrounds to serve diverse audiences. Our expertise with diverse markets including African American, Caribbean and Hispanic communities allow our clients to stand out and reach target audiences with the right media and the right message. It is no secret that our frontline team has direct access to media outlets locally, throughout the United States and internationally—allowing a more hands-on approach to organize, inform, and engage. We blend in and we can stand out! The Mosaic Group have developed and managed more than 300 campaigns and projects ranging from $10,000 to $3 billion. Clients include AECOM, Cohen Brothers Realty Corporation, City of West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach Housing Authority, Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, Riviera Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, Broward College, Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency, City of Fort Lauderdale Community Redevelopment Agency, and the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Lauderdale to name a few. Recent awards include the Chamber of the Palm Beaches 2018 Diverse Organization of the Year Award, Black Owned Media Alliance (BOMA) 2018 Advertising Agency of the Year Award, South Florida Business Journal 2016 Best Places to Work Award, PBC Business Matchmaker 2016 DBE of the Year Award, and PBC Business Matchmaker 2015 Small Business Advocate of the Year Award.
Despite increased calls for diversity at all levels of cultural organizations, there are still significant portions of the cultural sector that have yet to make strides in correcting this. Join us on April 24 for a webinar with Dr. Brea M. Heidelberg of Drexel University looking at how cultural organizations can assess their current organizational culture and structure and prepare their organization to welcome a more diverse workforce. Specific attention will be paid to articulating the different forms of bias and diversity resistance that may present themselves during the recruitment and selection processes.
About this Webinar
Despite increased calls for diversity at all levels of cultural organizations, there are still significant portions of the cultural sector that are solely White and middle class – excluding voices of color and those that represent a wider range of socio-economic backgrounds. This workshop presents a framework for how cultural organizations can assess their current organizational culture and structure and prepare their organization to welcome a more diverse workforce. Specific attention will be paid to articulating the different forms of bias and diversity resistance that may present themselves during the recruitment and selection processes. This session will conclude with a discussion of practical steps toward recruiting, selecting, and onboarding a diverse workforce in previously homogenous workspaces – and there will be ample time for questions!
After this session, participants will be able to:
Identify subtle forms of bias that can creep into recruitment and selection processes
Identify more subtle forms of diversity resistance
Craft an equitable position description
Articulate an action plan for the next hiring opportunity in their organization
Brea Heidelberg
Associate Professor and Program Director of Entertainment & Arts Management Organization
Drexel University
Brea M. Heidelberg is an arts management educator, consultant, and researcher focusing on the intersection of the arts and other fields of study. She joined the Entertainment & Arts Management faculty in 2017 and currently serves as Program Director. She sees arts administrators as intellectual translators and works to instill a respect for both theory and practice in her students and clients. She has served the field as Vice President of the Association of Arts Administration Educators, Co-Chair of Americans for the Arts’ Emerging Leaders Council, and on the editorial board of the American Journal of Arts Management.
Dr. Heidelberg earned her PhD in Arts Administration, Education and Policy from The Ohio State University. Her research interests include professional development issues facing arts administrators, arts advocacy rhetoric, and (inter)national cultural diplomacy. In addition to earning a MA in Arts Policy and Administration from The Ohio State University, she also earned a MS in Human Resource Development from Villanova University. Her current research interests involve the professionalization of the field of arts management, the training and development of arts managers, and management issues unique to small and midsized nonprofit arts organizations. Past projects include investigations into arts policy and advocacy rhetoric at the state and federal levels.
Dr. Heidelberg’s consulting work focuses on human resources issues in the nonprofit arts, particularly issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In her consulting practice Dr. Heidelberg addresses issues such as employee recruitment and retention, organizational structuring, and succession planning. She also assists arts organizations with board development, organizational and program evaluation, and strategic planning. She enjoys bringing her work in the field back into the classroom to prepare her students to be thoughtful leaders. Dr. Heidelberg thoroughly enjoys office supplies, graphic novels, and getting back to her first love: dance.
What do knowledge and resources do arts administrators need to support artists with disabilities? Join us on 8/6 for a Coffee Chat with Judith Smith, Founder and Director Emerita of AXIS Dance Company, as she discusses strategies for your organization to ready itself to be more inclusive to people with disabilities.
About this Conversation
Supporting Individual Artists Coffee Chat
Supporting Artists with Disabilities
Americans for the Arts is excited to bring you a monthly series of informal discussions about supporting individual artists. As part of Americans for the Arts ongoing program, Arts Administrators Essentials: Supporting Individual Artists, these monthly "Coffee Chats" are your opportunity to hear from individuals and organizations in the arts and culture field that support individual artists as part of their everyday work. Each month, we will bring you a new topic to support your work with artists. Our topic for this month will be about supporting artists with disabilities.
How can you support artists with disabilities?
Join Judith Smith, Founder and Director Emerita of AXIS Dance Company, as she discusses strategies for your organization to ready itself to be more inclusive to people with disabilities; how you can support disabled artists in your programming and hiring processes; as well as what resources are available to support disabled artists.
This project is supported in part by the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation.
Judith Smith
Founding Member and Artistic Director Emerita, AXIS Dance Company
Judith Smith, Founding Member and Artistic Director Emerita of AXIS Dance Company, is one of the world’s driving forces in physically integrated dance. She was born and raised in the mountains of Colorado. Prior to becoming disabled in a car accident at age 17 in 1977, Judith was a champion equestrian. She transferred her passion for riding to dance after discovering contact improvisation in 1983. Judith helped launch AXIS in 1987 and she grew the Company to be the nation’s leading physically integrated dance ensemble. She has left an amazing legacy and vision for the future of AXIS and integrated dance.
Her advocacy and equity work led to the first-ever National Convening on the Future of Physically Integrated Dance in the USA, followed by six regional town halls throughout the country in 2016. This project, supported by the prestigious Doris Duke Charitable Foundation National Project Program, culminated in an extensive report and the launch of the AXIS Artistic Advancement Platform to Advance Artistry, Opportunity and Equity for Dancers with Disabilities. She has been instrumental in the creation of the Dance/USA Disability and Dance Affinity Group and co-chairs the group.
Judith is currently working as an independent consultant in dance and disability. She is an activist for the environment, animals and people with disabilities. She gardens for pollinators, birdwatches, raises butterflies and is involved in thoroughbred racehorse rescue and adaptive carriage driving.
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Recorded On: 03/18/2022
About this Webinar
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Recorded On: 08/11/2022
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Recorded On: 09/30/2020
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Recorded On: 04/24/2019
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Recorded On: 08/06/2019
