Building Cultural Equity

A Tale of Two Cities

Monday, October 30, 10:00am – 11:30am

Organized by Ryan Deal, Vice President, Cultural & Community Investment, Arts & Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

Presented by Ryan Deal, Vice President, Cultural & Community Investment, Arts & Science Council of Charlotte-Mecklenburg; and Tariana Navas-Nieves, Director, Cultural Affairs, Denver Arts & Venues, City & County of Denver.

This session will facilitate discussion and dialogue about internal and external system changes underway in two local arts agencies (one publicly funded and one public-private partnership) with an eye toward building cultural equity. Case studies and discussion will address how equity-focused change work began and is continuously supported in these organizations, leading to structural changes to investment strategies, and capacity building through cohort learning. Participants are invited to listen, reflect, contribute, encourage, and challenge initiatives, success measures, and ongoing challenges as they consider ways to build on or begin inclusion and equity work inside their own organizations.