Events

The Mellon Arts Fellowship Program hosted two online panel events discussing equity and inclusion initiatives within major NYC arts institutions, and the new generation of diverse arts leaders.

TALKING ABOUT EQUITY IN THE ARTS 
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3RD, 2021

Panel 1: Building Equity

• Clive Chang, Chief Strategy/Innovation Officer, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
• Marcia Sells, Chief Diversity Officer, The Metropolitan Opera
• Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director & CEO, Ballet Hispánico
• April Kim Tonin, Ayesha Bulchandani Head of Education and Public Engagement, The Frick Collection

Moderated by Dara Meyers-Kingsley, Director of the Mellon Arts Fellowship, Office of the Arts and the Muse Scholar Program, Hunter College

Panel 2: Equity in Action

• James Horton, Vice President of Education and Engagement, Museum of the City of New York
• Daniella Topol, Artistic Director, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater
• Efe Igor, Assistant Director of Academic Engagement, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
• A.J. Benson, Director of Artistic Administration, Orchestra of St. Luke’s

Moderated by Mariel Mayz, Program Coordinator, Mellon Arts Fellowship Program and adjunct faculty in the Music Department, Hunter College

 

2021

• Orchestra of St. Luke’s “Sounds & Stories: Teju Cole”, live streamed concert
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s “Revelations”, rebroadcasted performance from Lincoln Center
• Drawing Together, virtual drawing session at The Frick Collection
• “The Way Forward: Theater’s Evolution in Moments of Change”, online panel discussion presented by 92Y and curated by The Public Theater

2020

• “Fall For Dance” Digital Performance‚ New York City Center
• “Pipeline,” play by Dominique Morriseau streamed from Lincoln Center Theater
• Drawing Together: Vermeer, virtual drawing session at The Frick Collection

2019

• Tour of the MET Museum with a museum educator, followed by a “LiveArts” evening performance
• “Long Lost” by Manhattan Theatre Club at the New York City Center
• “Sunday” at Atlantic Theater Company
• “Madama Butterfly” at the Metropolitan Opera

2018

• “The Business of Arts” Panel Discussion
• Reception/Luncheon with supervisors from our partnering organizations
• Visits and free passes to the Brooklyn Museum and New Museum
• “India Pale-Ale” at Manhattan Theatre Club
• “Fireflies” at Atlantic Theater Company
• “American Son” on Broadway at the Booth Theater
• “Waitress” on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre

2021

• “Preparing for an Internship in the Arts”
  • Caitlin Henningsen (The Frick Collection)
  • Isabelle Fernandez (The Frick Collection and Mellon Fellow Alum Cohort 2)

• “The World of a Curator”
  • Carmen Hermo (Brooklyn Museum)

• “Music, Leadership, and Equity”
  • Abigayl Venman (The Sphinx Organization)

• “From Artist to Administrator”
  • Nasha Thomas (Alvin Ailey)

• “Nonprofit Arts and Innovation”
  •  Alana Atterbury (TDF)
  • Clive Chang (Lincoln Center)

2020

• “Preparing for an Internship in the Arts”
  • Caitlin Henningsen (Frick Collection)
  • Isabelle Fernendez (Frick Collection, and Mellon Fellow Alum Cohort 2)

• “Introduction to Art Law”
  • Amy Lehman (Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts)

• “Remote Programming and the Dance World”
  • Eva Yaa Asantewaa (Gibney Dance)
  • Gilbert Small (Gibney Dance)

• “The Arts and Social Justice”
  • Jasmine Wahi (The Bronx Museum)

• “Leadership in the Arts”
  • Erika Floreska (Long Island Children’s Museum)

• “Cohort 3 Reunion”
  • Fellows of 2019’s Cohort 3

2019

• “Applying for Internships”
  • Rachel Himes (Frick Collection)
  • Deepsikha Chatterjee (Hunter College)

• “Departments Within Arts Organizations”
  • Gabriela Estrada (Ballet Hispanico)
  • Ilan Kravic, Isabelle Gaffney (Met Opera)
  • Stephen Lassonde (Hunter College)

• “The Job of a Curator”
  • Arden Sherman (Hunter East Harlem Gallery)
  • Carmen Hermo (Brooklyn Museum)

• “Leadership in the Arts”
  • Erika Floreska and Jillian Flexner (Bloomingdale School of Music)
  • Florie Seery and Ashley Thomas (Manhattan Theater Club)

• “Effective Change-Making and Summer Reflections”
  • Bruce Payne, Nigel Philip, Mariel Mayz

• “Cover Letter and Grant Writing”
  • Jack Kenigsberg (Rockowitz Writing Center)
  • Emily Vartarian (General Mischief Dance Theater)

• “Social Engagement in the Arts”
  • James C. Horton (Carnegie Hall)
  • Nick Luckenbaugh (Atlantic Theater Company)

• “Global Impact and Post-Undergraduate Steps”
  • Kimball Gallagher (Pianist & Entrepreneur, 88 International)

2018

• “Oral & Written Communication”
  • Deepsikha Chatterjee (Hunter College)
  • Aimee Good (The Drawing Center)
  • Andrew Leynse (Primary Stages)
  • Miloc Falconi (Cohort 1 fellow)

• “Developing your Professional Portfolio Agenda”
  • Courtney J. Boddie (The New Victory Theater)
  • Paule Aboite, Joyce Lim, Dorothy Rojas (Cohort 1 fellows)

• “Careers and Nonprofit Organizations”
  • Ella Baff (The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation)
  • Nikky Gonzalez, Kiefer Rondina (Cohort 1 Fellows)

• “Understanding the Structure of a Nonprofit Organization: How to be a Leader in the Arts”
  • Lina Attel (The National Center for Culture and Performing Arts/King Hussein Foundation)
  • Stephen Lassonde (The Ruth and Harold Newman Office of Prestigious Scholarships & Fellowships)
  • Eric Pryor (Harlem School of the Arts)
  • Leah Drayton and Lachanda Williams (Cohort 1 fellows)

• “Applying to Graduate School”
  • Rockowitz Writing Center

• “Grant Writing”
  • Ariel Estrada (Leviathan Lab)

• “Financial Management”
  • Sharon Counts (NYC Center)
  • Laurie Duke and Lucy Oakley (Grey Art Gallery)

• “Diversity and Inclusion”
  • Courtenay Casey (National Sawdust)
  • Jim Joseph (Alliance of Resident Theatres)
  • Dionis Ortiz (Visual Artist, Laundromat Project)

2017

• “Applying to Graduate School”
  • Rockowitz Writing Center (Hunter College)

• “Grant Writing”
  • Ariel Estrada (Leviathan Lab)
  • Stephen Lassonde (Hunter College)

• “Developing Your Elevator Pitch”
  • Sue Jeong Ka (Artist and Hunter MFA Alumni)
  • Victoria Cairl (Show-Score.com)

• “Farewell Party and Orientation”
  • Bruce Payne, Vanya Quinonez, Michelle Peterson, Zatara McIntyre

• “Oral & Written Communication”
  • Vanya Quinonez (Associate Provost)
  • Kyla Kupferstein (2017 Mellon Arts Program Coordinator)
  • Latifa Fletcher

• “Developing Your Arts Portfolio”
  • Deepsikha Chatterjee (Hunter College)
  • Charmaine Warren
  • Philemona Williamson

• “Understand the Structure of an Arts Organization”
  • Dennis Walters (ABT)
  • Elke Dehner (The Rubin Museum)
  • Lindsey Sag (Manhattan Theater Club)
  • Pamela Adams (Atlantic Theater Company)

• “People of Color in the Arts: Challenges in Representation”
  • Derek Fordjour (Artist and Hunter College Alumni)
  • Anna Glass (Dance Theater of Harlem)
  • Evans Richardson (Studio Museum of Harlem)
  • Jim Joseph (Samuel J. Friedman Theater)