Thrive Fest 2024 Digital Program

THRIVE FEST 2024

ThriveFest 2024 is presented with BRIC Arts Media. Thrive Fest 2024 “Community Sound Bath & Cyphers” is made possible by the support of the Open Society Foundations. Additional event support is provided by New York University (NYU) and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Image: “Octopus” organized by Moriah Evans, featuring Anh Vo, 2023 BAC Grantee. Photo by Maria Baranova, 2022.

WELCOME TO

THRIVE FEST 2024

SATURDAY, MARCH 23 12 PM - 7:30 PM BRIC ARTS MEDIA 647 FULTON ST, BROOKLYN

Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) presents "Thrive Fest 2024 – Get Money!

Strategies, Portals, and Cyphers for Abundant Brooklyn Futures" with BRIC Arts Media.

BAC’s Thrive Fest stands as the premier day-long symposium uniquely dedicated to enriching the lives of Brooklyn's vibrant creative community. This innovative event pioneers a holistic approach to the challenges faced by artists, focusing on nurturing financial resilience, professional growth, and personal wellness.

Unlike traditional festivals that spotlight artistic outputs and showcase artworks, Thrive Fest seeks to provide foundational aspects of creating a sustainable creative practice. It offers a rich tapestry of resources, from financial advice and business strategies to wellness practices and equitable opportunities, all designed to foster a thriving, just, and sustainable creative ecosystem. Attendees engage in a dynamic exchange of strategies and ideas, building networks and learning from leading funders, entrepreneurs, and wellness experts. With art activations and wellness installations enriching the experience, Thrive Fest is more than a symposium; it's a collective movement towards crafting abundant futures for Brooklyn's creatives, ensuring their art and well-being flourish side by side.

Event Map ARTIST STUDIO

One-on-One Coaching

THRIVE RESOURCE LOUNGE BALLROOM

Artistic Freedom Initiative BAC Brooklyn Innovation Portal

Opening Ceremony & Welcome Remarks

BAC Arts in Education Brooklyn Innovation Studio Screenings

Capture Acid Center for Art Law Entertainment Community Fund

Thrive Talks

Material for the Arts Keynote Ignition Talk

Men at Work Healing Sound Mind Live

Closing Remarks

The Free Store Project

CHECK-IN

CAFÉ

TV STUDIO Group Coaching Sessions

STOOPS

Art Activation

Brooklyn Innovation Studio Screenings

ENTRANCE

Data Through Design (DxD) 2024 – “Aftermath”

*NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

Community Sound Bath & Cyphers

Ballroom SCHEDULE

1:00 - 1:45 PM — OPENING CEREMONY & WELCOME REMARKS Hosted by Toni Blackman Opening Act by Redhawk Indigenous Arts Council Remarks by Deron Johnston, Chief Programming Officer; Rasu Jilani, BAC Executive Director; and Mai-Elka Prado, BAC Programs & Cultural Heritage Manager

1:45 - 2:15 PM — BROOKLYN INNOVATION STUDIO SCREENING Featuring Artists Akie Bermiss & Melvis Santa Brooklyn Innovation Studio (BIS), produced by Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC), develops instructional and culturally enriching video content featuring creative entrepreneurs from diverse artistic practices. In this series, each artist carefully crafted three types of professional development content, including performances, peer-to-peer trainings, and interactive workshops, as a way to help build the capacity of other artists. So far, 16 artists have participated in BIS, innovating and creating a total of 48 videos.

2:15 - 3:15 PM — THRIVE TALK 1 “/Blend — The Promise and Perils of AI in the Arts” with Carla Gannis, Eli Kuslansky, Sam Israel, and Ari Melanciano The role of Artificial intelligence (AI) in the arts is a topic of ongoing exploration and debate. Is Artificial intelligence more likely to be a collaborator or a competitor? Many argue that AI augments human creativity rather than replaces it, while others feel it is a threat to their livelihood, an assault on the artisanal, and a form of cheating and theft. Probably, it’s some or all of the above. The Promise and Peril of AI in the Arts is a 50-minute presentation and panel discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) in the arts. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the role of AI in the creative arts to be better positioned in this period of radical change.

3:20 - 3:50 PM — THRIVE TALK 2 “Collective Ownership and Investment” with Ebony Gustave As the fragility and exploitation of capitalism become more apparent, communities are returning to ancestral practices of cooperation with the land and each other. Many people are questioning what lies beyond this system, how people are resisting it, and building models rooted in solidarity. This presentation will give an overview of the solidarity economy and examples of people collectivizing to meet their needs within it.

3:55 - 4:25 PM — THRIVE TALK 3 "Toward Abundance! — Community-Centric Fundraising and the Solidarity Economy" with Erika Pettersen and Sruti Suryanarayanan By creating and embracing new narratives of abundance, artists can challenge and disrupt paradigms of scarcity produced by U.S. commercial, governmental, and philanthropic systems.

In this interactive talk, we’ll explore tools, tactics, and strategies offered by the CommunityCentric Fundraising (CCF) and Solidarity Economy (SE) movements for rejecting scarcity mindsets rooted in white supremacy culture. Join Erika Pettersen (independent researcher, strategist, and resource builder) and Sruti Suryanarayanan (co-organizer at art.coop) in envisioning how practices of reciprocity and collaboration can grow more plentiful resources and deeper networks for artists and their communities.

4:30 - 5:30 PM — THRIVE TALK 4 “Thriving Against the Odds: Strategies for Equity and Impact from Brooklyn's CommunityCentric Cultural Leaders” with Desiree Gordon, Toya Lillard, L Marmon, Cliff Matias, and Ayesha Williams "Thriving Against the Odds" is a dynamic panel discussion featuring leaders from 651Arts, The Laundromat Project, Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy, Queer|Arts, and Redhawk Indigenous Arts Council. This session will explore how community-centric arts organizations navigate funding inequities and operational challenges to create sustainable, impactful futures.

Panelists will share innovative strategies that leverage intersectionality and community engagement to overcome obstacles and thrive. The discussion will provide practical insights for arts leaders and advocates on fostering resilience, embracing diverse identities, and amplifying social impact despite financial constraints. Join us for an enlightening conversation on turning adversity into opportunity and learning how these principles can be applied within the Brooklyn community and beyond.

5:35 - 6:35 PM — THRIVE TALK 5 “The Business of Art” with Rasu Jilani, Donna Augustin-Quinn, and Nathaniel Mary Quinn Join us for "The Business of Art," an enlightening panel discussion about the intricate dynamics of merging creativity with commerce. Featuring a dynamic duo of industry trailblazers, the stage will be graced by the esteemed American painter Nathaniel Mary Quinn and multi-talented actress, writer, and producer Donna Maria Augustin. Moderating this insightful conversation is none other than Rasu Jilani, Executive Director of Brooklyn Arts Council. Nathaniel and Donna will share their wealth of experience and expertise, offering invaluable insights into navigating the ever-evolving art world landscape. From establishing a foothold in the industry to sustaining a thriving career, they will share strategies and principles essential for success. Whether you're an aspiring artist, a seasoned professional, or simply an enthusiast, this discussion promises to equip you with practical tips and inspiration to not only enter but also flourish in the business of art.

6:45 - 7:15 PM — KEYNOTE IGNITION TALK “Cey Adams: Hip-Hop’s Role in Shaping Culture and Driving the Creative Economy” Discover the power of inspiration and legacy in the art sector in this captivating Keynote Ignition Talk! Join us as we delve into the unique experiences and breakthroughs of Cey Adams, an extraordinary artist whose story will inspire and enlighten you. Gain valuable insights and practical tips for thriving in the competitive art industry.

7:15 - 7:30 PM — CLOSING REMARKS Rasu Jilani, BAC Executive Director

Artist Studio SCHEDULE

12:00 PM - 5:15 PM — ONE-ON-ONE COACHING SESSIONS Featured Coaches Kevin Benoit, June Lei, Atreya Mathur, Randy Peralta, Selome Samuel, Daniela Velez, and Ketriana Yvonne Take advantage of a unique opportunity to access complimentary one-on-one financial, grant writing, and legal coaching sessions with experts in the field!

1:00 PM - 1:45 PM

3:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Legal with Atreya Mathur Personal Finance with Selome Samuel

Grant Writing with Kevin Benoit Personal Finance with Selome Samuel Housing with Randy Peralta

1:30 PM - 2:15 PM Labor Rights with June Lei Grant Writing with Daniela Velez

4:00 PM - 4:45 PM

2:00 PM - 2:45 PM

Legal with Atreya Mathur Grant Writing with Daniela Velez Housing with Randy Peralta

Personal Finance with Selome Samuel Housing with Randy Peralta

4:30 PM - 5:15 PM Personal Finance with Selome Samuel

2:30 PM - 3:15 PM Grant Writing with Daniela Velez Personal Finance with Ketriana Yvonne

Stoops SCHEDULE

12:00 PM - 7:00 PM — DATA THROUGH DESIGN (DXD) 2024 – “AFTERMATH” DxD is a 2023 Brooklyn Arts Fund Grantee DxD is a yearly data art exhibition featuring works that creatively analyze, interpret, and interrogate data made available in NYC’s Open Data Portal. DxD 2024 – “Aftermath” is an exhibition of nine data-driven, interdisciplinary art projects.

We live in a perpetual state of aftermath. The data we collect today represent reverberations of past events; edited, interpreted, and distilled to tell a story of history. Data drives our narratives and shapes not only the future but also our vision of the future — a narrative of us and where we expect to be. Who is telling that story, and how does the aftermath of events shape how it’s told?

This year, DxD invited artists to explore how data reflects (and does not reflect) these lived aftermaths and to interpret the idea of aftermath through data. How does data define and organize time and space in our articulations about the world? How has the past molded our present and how will we sustain our future? Will we drown in a flood of information or make meaning from the mess…?

datathroughdesign.com @dataxdesign

1:30 - 2:15 PM — GROUP COACHING SESSION 1 Grant Writing with Kevin Benoit "Funding & Partnerships for Your Growing Nonprofit" with Kevin Benoit, Founder of Parlé Endeavors. Expand your funding opportunities and grow your organization with available resources. From grant opportunities to internships, we'll go over some options to get you started immediately.

2:15 - 2:30 PM — BROOKLYN INNOVATION STUDIO SCREENING Featuring Artist Modesto “Flako” Jimenez Brooklyn Innovation Studio (BIS), produced by Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC), develops instructional and culturally enriching video content featuring creative entrepreneurs from diverse artistic practices. In this series, each artist carefully crafted three types of professional development content, including performances, peer-to-peer trainings, and interactive workshops, as a way to help build the capacity of other artists. So far, 16 artists have participated in BIS, innovating and creating a total of 48 videos.

2:30 - 3:15 PM — GROUP COACHING SESSION 2 Legal with Atreya Mathur Join an informative session where Atreya Mathur, Director of Legal Research at the Center for Art Law will discuss copyright and artist rights, exploring fundamental concepts such as authorship, fair use, and infringement through case studies. Through examining real-world examples including registering artwork, appropriation art, and sharing artwork on social media, attendees will gain practical insights into navigating copyright law. Additionally, the session offers a brief examination of the intersection between AI and copyright, shedding light on emerging issues in intellectual property as technology evolves for traditional as well as digital artists. This session aims to deepen understanding of copyright and empower artists to advocate for and protect artistic endeavors effectively.

3:15 - 3:30 PM — BROOKLYN INNOVATION STUDIO SCREENING Featuring Artist Julia Rocha aka “Chispa”

3:30 - 4:15 PM — GROUP COACHING SESSION 3 Labor Rights with June Lei Know your rights and strengthen workplace democracy! Join our group coaching session to talk through workplace and labor issues for art workers, and learn strategies to take action and make change.

4:15 - 4:30 PM — BROOKLYN INNOVATION STUDIO SCREENING Featuring Artist Persephone DaCosta

4:30 - 5:15 PM — GROUP COACHING SESSION 4 Labor Rights with Taeesha Muhammad How can Teaching Artists (TA) expand their skills to include unique and untapped income streams? There are ways to engage the clients to create a relationship that will be mutually beneficial to both the families and the artist. This session will discuss ways TAs can find and market themselves to homeschool cohorts and families, protect intellectual property, engage community partnerships for space, and provide additional resources to connect the community. This specialized interactive niche will inform TAs on how to create safe and inviting spaces for homeschooled scholars to create.

TV Studio SCHEDULE

1:00 - 6:30 PM — COMMUNITY SOUND BATH & CYPHERS Featuring Artists Gina D’ Soto, Abou Lion Diarra, Connor Evans, R.Nejumi Muhammad (Saint Jummix), and Jill Peacock; Sound Production and Engineering by Mario Castro of Capture Acid Step into the TV Studio and unleash your creativity! Join us for a one-of-a-kind activation where you'll have the opportunity to make and record music, improvise, and connect with likeminded artists. Whether you're a seasoned musician or just starting out, this interactive session promises to ignite your passion for music and leave you with unforgettable memories.

Don't miss out on this chance to express yourself and be part of something truly special!

Thrive Fest 2024 Community Sound Bath & Cyphers is made possible by the support of the Open Society Foundations.

Thrive Resource Lounge LOCATION: NORTH HALLWAY

1:00 PM - 7:30 PM — NETWORKING & RECRUITMENT Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI) Artistic Freedom Initiative (AFI) provides pro bono immigration representation and resettlement assistance for international artists who have faced persecution, censorship, or other restrictions on their free expression. Led by immigration and human rights attorneys and based in Brooklyn, AFI works with immigrant artists to champion art produced in exile, advance creative cultural exchange, and safeguard artists' ability to express themselves creatively. Since its inception in 2017, AFI has taken over 1,650 atrisk artist cases and provided over $4.5 million in pro bono legal and resettlement services. AFI-supported artists come from 60+ countries and work across 40+ creative disciplines.

artisticfreedominitiative.org @artistic_freedom_initiative @artistic_AFI

BAC Arts in Education (AIE) BAC AIE offers a diverse range of programs designed to enrich the educational experience of students, parents, and community members in Brooklyn schools and Older Adult Centers. These programs encompass a broad range of disciplines that represent Brooklyn's diversity and excellence in dance, digital media, theater, visual, and literary arts. BAC AIE aims to foster creativity, cultural awareness, and critical thinking through engaging artsbased activities and collaborations with Teaching Artists.

BAC Brooklyn Innovation Portal (BIP) BAC is launching Phase I of the Brooklyn Innovation Portal (BIP), a new interactive digital platform that will serve as the go-to resource for participants in Brooklyn’s creative economy — a dynamic, searchable, interactive, mapped digital database of resources across Brooklyn’s creative industries. The BIP will connect artists to markets, audiences, patrons, collaborators, and each other; monetize creative services and content; and invest in Brooklyn neighborhoods by investing in Brooklyn artists. It will give us all a chance to leverage art assets, art networks, creative content, and creative services for joy, equity, innovation, and abundance. BAC BIP is supported, in part, by the New York Community Trust.

Capture Acid Capture Acid is an acclaimed recording and production studio located in the heart of New York City. Capture Acid stands as a beacon of innovation and creativity, attracting a diverse array of artists seeking to realize their musical visions. Founder Mario Castro remains actively engaged in the New York music scene, performing saxophone and producing and recording local indie artists, enriching the cultural landscape with his infectious energy and unmistakable talent.

Center for Art Law Center for Art Law is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that offers educational resources and programming for the advancement of a vibrant arts and law community. Created in 2009 as an online resource, the Center evolved into a go-to leader in the field that provides learning opportunities to a worldwide community. Today, the Center is the only independent art law entity in the United States dedicated to writing, gathering, and sharing law and visual arts information for the benefit of artists, students, lawyers, academics, and many more.

brooklynartscouncil.org @bkartscouncil

bip.brooklynartscouncil.org @bkartscouncil

captureacid.com @captureacid

itsartlaw.org @centerforartlaw

Entertainment Community Fund (ECF) The Entertainment Community Fund is a national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals.

Services include affordable housing, social services, health care and insurance counseling, senior care, secondary career development, and more.

Materials for the Arts (MFTA) MFTA is NYC's premier creative reuse center, providing NYC arts nonprofits, public schools, and City agencies with access to free materials, as a program of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs.

MFTA strives to keep these valuable items from entering the landfill and puts them into the hands of arts professionals, educators, and students across the five boroughs. We give unwanted items the opportunity to become something new through creative reuse, inspired education, and unlimited imagination.

Men at Work Healing Men At Work Healing is a transformative brotherhood reshaping manhood through Story, Purpose, Healing, and Play. We uphold the divine masculine with awareness, and self-actualization, fostering internal and essential growth. Our supportive community guides men toward genuine freedom and integration. We offer a range of community engagement opportunities for healing which involve physical activity, meditation, virtual and in-person connection, and reflection. These offerings include The Medicine: A potluck conversation and The Reimagine Manhood Workshop.

Our pedagogy is activated by exploring stories, defining purpose, and remembering how to play in order to access holistic healing.

Sound Mind Live Sound Mind Live fosters community, dialogue, and action on mental health through the power of music. Their annual Sound Mind Music Festival for Mental Health in NYC as well as other events and programs throughout the year create a safe space for music, mental health, and wellness. In 2024, they're launching Sound Mind Center, a groundbreaking music-venue-meetswellness-center. By day Sound Mind Center offers transformative experiences like sound meditations and music workshops promoting self-connection. By night the space transforms into a lively venue for music showcases, concerts, and open mics, promoting community engagement. The center provides inclusivity for all despite circumstances.

entertainmentcommunity.org @alifeinthearts

materialsforthearts.org nyc.gov/content/mfta/pages @materialsforthearts

menatworkhealing.com @menatworkhealing

soundmindlive.org @soundmind_live @soundmindlive

The Free Store Project Formed during the recent pandemic, The Free Store Project is a community-centered initiative aimed at solving economic inequality while addressing climate change. Through our many events, engagement, and community outreach, we strive to make a positive impact with all of our pursuits. We set out to restore both hope and neighborhoods with freestanding alt-markets that reclaim public space and offer solace and resources to neighborhoods across NYC. These sharing hubs are open and accessible to the public 24/7. Called “Free Stores,” our kiosks provide resources and a dignified “shopping” experience to all who visit. At our Free Stores, there are no patrons, only participants.

thefreestoreproject.com @thefreestoreproject @freestorestorenetwork

Host & MC TONI BLACKMAN U.S. Hip Hop Ambassador & Creator, Rhyme Like a Girl & The Freestyle Union

The first official U.S. Hip Hop ambassador, Toni Blackman, has traveled to 50 countries and performed at Summerstage events, the UN, Town Hall NYC, BAM, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Apollo Theater, 9:30 Club in DC, the Roxy in L.A., the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, BRIC, and Lincoln Center. Creator of Rhyme like a Girl and The Freestyle Union, Toni worked as the Spoken Word/Rap Coach for Kwame Alexander’s Emmy Award winning Disney series, “The Crossover.” She also leads workshops, coaches clients, speaks and co-hosts the Lyrical Meditation Cypher Podcast. Toni has been an Echoing Green Fellow, a Soros Fellow, received a NYSCA grant to complete her Hip Hop Meditation album and was recently selected for a SheStories Grant with Big We Foundation. Toni is currently living between Brooklyn, NY and Dakar, Senegal. toniblackman.com @toniblackman

Speakers CEY ADAMS Visual Artist, BAC Board Member, & Founding Creative Director, Def Jam Recordings Cey Adams, a New York City native, emerged from the downtown graffiti movement to exhibit alongside fellow artists Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. As the Creative Director of Def Jam Recordings, he created visual identities, album covers, logos, and campaigns for Run DMC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Notorious B.I.G., Maroon 5, and Jay-Z. Adams draws inspiration from 60’s pop art, vintage sign painting, and comics. His work focuses on themes including pop culture, brand identity, cultural, and community issues. He has collaborated with many global brands including Levi’s, Mattel, The Recording Academy, Apple, Bacardi, IDEO, Foot Locker, Converse, Pabst Blue Ribbon, YouTube, and Google.

ceyadams.com @ceyadams

CARLA GANNIS Interdisciplinary Artist & Industry Professor, NYU Tandon School of Engineering Carla Gannis’ art is characterized by a commitment to experimentation. Throughout her career, she has worked with an array of mediums and tools, including drawing, painting, video, interactivity, extended reality, and artificial intelligence. Her multilayered narratives engage with the loci of identity within the context of atomized and hyperreal 21stcentury conditions. Gannis holds an MFA in painting from Boston University. Today she teaches “healing-edge” technology as an Industry Professor at NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering in the Department of Technology, Culture and Society, Integrated Design and Media Program. Gannis's work has been exhibited globally in exhibitions, screenings, and internet projects. She is a Year 7 Alum of NEW INC, in the XR: Bodies in Space track, New York. carlagannis.com @carlagannis

DESIREE GORDON Executive Director, Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy

ifetayo.org @ifetayoculture

Desirée Gordon is currently the Executive Director of Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy. She is a cultural strategist and producer interested in the role of the arts and cultural heritage in catalyzing sustainable, radical, imaginative, holistic, and thriving communities. Desiree has curated and produced art-based community engagement initiatives at the intersection of the arts, social innovation, and social practice at organizations like Brooklyn Arts Council, Brooklyn Museum, The Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute, The Schomburg Center, and The Studio Museum in Harlem. As an immigrant, a lifelong instinct for diplomacy informs her practice, synthesizing creative development with a humanitarian drive to lay pipelines of opportunity, build networks of resources, and amplify dynamic voices. Desirée received a Smithsonian Institute Fellowship for her work and is a Yale University alumna.

EBONY GUSTAVE Art.Coop Co-organizer & Host, Cooperative Journal Podcast Ebony Gustave is an organizer, community architect, and storyteller. They are the host of Cooperative Journal podcast, an archive of interviews highlighting international examples of how people are collectivizing to meet their needs beyond capitalism. As a co-steward of its multimedia umbrella, they are bridging the gaps between political education, imagination, co-creation, and actualization. She is also an organizer at Art.coop and Creative Wildfire where she weaves solidarity economics, cooperative learning, and artist organizing.

cooperativejournalmedia.com @cooperativejournal

SAM ISRAEL Founder & Managing Partner, Sam P. Israel, P.C. Sam P. Israel is a commercial litigator who represents designers, artists, photographers, agencies, and persons and entities in the larger investment community. He is the founder of Sam P. Israel, P.C., a select five-lawyer boutique litigation practice headquartered in New York City’s financial district. Mr. Israel’s practice covers a wide range of subjects, including intellectual property, securities, employment, and arts and photography. Mr. Israel achieved a landmark victory in the United States Supreme Court in the copyright case, Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, preventing a devastation of a $60 billion industry of copyrighted works manufactured abroad and re-sold in the United States. Beyond his institutional pedigree, Mr. Israel also studied art at the Arts Students’ League and the School of Visual Arts, bringing a unique, creative approach to his cases. spi-pc.com @SPIPC

RASU JILANI Executive Director, Brooklyn Arts Council

brooklynartscouncil.org @bkartscouncil

A native New Yorker of Caribbean heritage, Rasu brings more than 15 years of experience advocating for the Brooklyn cultural and creative community to the organization. Most recently, Rasu applied his dynamic crosscultural curatorial skills as the Cultural Network Curator at Lambent Foundation, where he translated Lambent’s core values and organizational practice to foster collaboration and exchange among grant partners in New York City, New Orleans, and Nairobi, Kenya. Prior to Lambent, he served as Director of Recruitment and Community Engagement for the New Museum’s art and tech incubator, NEW INC, where he built a professional network of artists, designers, technologists, and entrepreneurs into a cohesive workspace that reflects New York’s diverse and multi-faceted artists.

Rasu is also a reputable facilitator in the cultural sector, the founder of Coup d’état BROOKLYN and Coup d’état Arts, and was a producer for Afropunk.

DERON JOHNSTON Chief Programming Officer, BRIC

bricartsmedia.org @bricbrooklyn

Deron Johnston is BRIC's Chief Programming Officer, and is responsible for overseeing the creative direction of BRIC’s media and non-media programming inclusive of BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!, BRIC JazzFest, Contemporary Art, Adult Media Education, Youth Education, Community Engagement, BRIClab Residencies, BRIC TV, Studio BK, and Brooklyn Free Speech. With his extensive background as a nonprofit executive and accomplished musician/producer collaborating with a range of artists such as SZA, El Da Sensei and Tame One, Johnston brings a unique blend of expertise to this new role. Prior to joining BRIC, Johnston served as Director of Community Development, Strategy & Innovation at the Center for Justice Innovation, managing fundraising efforts while championing the interests of underrepresented communities. Throughout his career, Johnston has earned prestigious awards such as the Spark Prize for Brooklyn Nonprofits, JP Morgan Chase Advancing Cities, the Center for Active Design: Excellence Award.

ELI KUSLANSKY Art Movez Co-Host, Artist, and Partner & Chief Strategist, Unified Field Eli Kuslansky is a Brooklyn-born artist, a co-host of the WNYE Art Movez radio show about art, innovation, and social justice, and a Partner and Chief Strategist at Unified Field, an international award-winning creative innovation firm. He is also an internationally recognized thought leader on the use of digital media in public spaces, cultural institutions of the future, and the creation of Legible Cities, the humanistic smart city. His artistic career began at Cooper Union, where he did early computer modeling in the role of illusion in perception. After graduating, he worked at the South Street Seaport Museum to further his study of 19th-century sailing vessels. His current work is about the complexities of human experience and perception, and allegorical concepts related to morality, temptation, redemption, and the eternal struggle between good and evil. artmovez.net @artmovez_

TOYA LILLARD Executive Director, 651 ARTS

651arts.org @651arts

Toya Lillard is a theater artist, director, arts educator, and facilitator. Toya currently serves as Executive Director of 651 ARTS, a nationally renowned arts presenting organization. Before, Toya was Executive Director of viBe Theater Experience, an arts education organization and theater company in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to her role at viBe, Toya was Director of School Programs for the New York Philharmonic’s Education Department, where she helped develop its nationally-recognized School Partnership Program. Toya is part-time faculty at The New School, where she teaches Collaborative Theatre Practice. Toya serves on the Board of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable, cochairs the TaskForce on Equity and Inclusion, and serves on the Board of viBe Theater Experience. Toya holds a B.A. from Vassar College, and an M.A. from New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study.

L MARMON Co-Director of Finance & Fundraising, Queer|Art L Marmon (they/them) is a white queer disabled artist and arts administrator based in Brooklyn, NY. They support nonprofit operations through fundraising strategy, grants management, and donor/government relations. In addition to working as a consultant, L has worked on staff for the Museum of the City of New York and The Civilians. They are also a former/forever theatermaker with extensive performance and production experience. L received a BA in Theater and Music from GWU and studied arts and culture strategy through executive certificate programs at CUNY and UPenn. L is affiliated with Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and Culture@3, and they are engaged in communities of practice in emergent strategy and community-centric fundraising. queer-art.org @queerart

CLIFF MATIAS Cultural Director, Redhawk Indigenous Arts Council

redhawkcouncil.org @redhawknativeamericancouncil

Cliff Matias is of the Taino and Quechua Indigenous people.

Since 1994, Cliff has served as the Cultural Director of the Redhawk Indigenous Arts Council. He is also the Founder and International President of Redrum Motorcycle Club, the largest Indigenous motorcycle club in the world. A lifelong resident of Sunset Park, Cliff was the 1982 NYC Welterweight Golden Gloves Champion. Cliff is one of the original members of the renowned Arawak Mountain Singers. He was also a cultural interpreter for the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and served as the NYC Cultural Director for Title IX Native American Education. As a competitive dancer, Cliff is the first Taino dancer to ever place five years in a row at the Pow Wow Dance World Championships in the men’s northern traditional category. Within the activist community, Cliff has spent 30 years on the front lines and has been present at Standing Rock, Mauna Kea, Line 3, Oak Flats, and Split Rock.

ARI MELANCIANO Artist, Technologist, Researcher, and Theorist Ari Melenciano is an artist, technologist, researcher, and theorist whose work reveals the synergy between computation, cultural metacognition, and transcendental expression. She is a public speaker and guest lecturer at universities around the world, sharing her research on creative and societally inquisitive uses of emerging technologies. Currently, she is University of Maryland’s Inaugural Arts for All Artist-in-Residence. She also occasionally teaches courses at NYU, Pratt Institute Design School, Parsons School of Design, The New School, and Hunter College’s Integrated Media Arts Program. She is also the founder of Afrotectopia, a cultural institution that is imagining, researching, and building at the nexus of new media art, design, science, and technology through a Black and Afrocentric lens. ariciano.earth @ariciano

ERIKA PETTERSEN Researcher, Strategist, and Resource Builder Erika Pettersen (she/her) roots her work as an independent researcher, strategist, and resource builder in a commitment to challenging marginalizing discourses and systems. With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, the majority of her roles as a fundraiser and capacity builder have been situated at the intersection of arts, culture, and community.

She prioritizes supporting Black-led, community-rooted organizations in Brooklyn, such as the Youth Design Center, Haiti Cultural Exchange, and Brooklyn Queens Land Trust. Her work is guided by a wide range of educational experiences alongside her lived experiences as a woman of mixed white and Latina heritage. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Amherst College, an M.A. in Latin American Studies from Tulane University, and a certificate in Arts & Culture Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania. ejpettersen.wordpress.com @erika_pettersen

MAI-ELKA PRADO GIL Programs & Cultural Heritage Manager, Brooklyn Arts Council Mai-Elka Prado Gil is the Co-Director of the Afro- Latino Festival of New York, a cultural curator/organizer and live event producer: Afro-Latino Festival NYC, the Liberación Film Festival, and AfrolatinTalks. Currently working for the Brooklyn Arts Council as Programs and Cultural Heritage Manager. As a cultural organizer, her work is focused on developing platforms and content curations that unite multicultural audiences. Mai-Elka works closely with activists, culture producers, non-profit organizations, musicians, and institutional leaders in the U.S., Panamá, Colombia, and Perú; to raise the visibility of Black communities from Latin America and their diasporas. Her work has been an integral part of the representation and conversation about Afrolatinidad in the US since 2011. ejpettersen.wordpress.com @erika_pettersen

DONNA MARIA AUGUSTINE QUINN Actress, Director, Writer, and Producer

donnaaugustin.com @donnaaugustinquinn

Donna Augustin-Quinn is a British-born actress, director, writer, and producer who lives in Brooklyn, New York. She has successfully produced a critically acclaimed theater play - “Shoot 2 Win” - and two comedic web series: “The Show” for the BBC and YouTube show “Dirty Laundry.” Her first short film - “Magpie Sings the Blues” - was officially selected at London’s Black Urban Film Festival in 2014. After that, she wrote, directed, and starred in the short film “Bodega” which screened at many film festivals, including the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, Black Harvest Film Festival in Chicago, Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival, and HBO’s American Black Film Festival in the Emerging Directors category. She’s developing two feature films, “Quinn” and “The Formidable Mr. Foresythe,” and several TV projects. In addition, Donna continues to enjoy acting; her recent roles include NBC’s yearly comedy showcase, Netflix’s “It’s Bruno,” and Starz’s “Hightown.”

NATHANIEL MARY QUINN Visual Artist

@nathanielmaryquinn

Nathaniel Mary Quinn probes the relationship between visual memory and perception in his collage-like composite portraits derived from sources both personal and found. He received a BA in art and psychology from Wabash College and an MFA from New York University. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Wabash College in 2023. In his practice, Quinn collects images from mass media that call out to him, divesting them of their original cultural context and repurposing them in a purely aesthetic manner. He then uses these visual snippets to bring imagined visions of his past and present into physical existence in his studio. Using oil paint, charcoal, gouache, oil stick, and pastel, he recreates details and facial features from these found images.

By adapting the medium of collage and translating it into a painterly, cohesive two-dimensionality, Quinn suggests that multiplicity is a perennial rather than a fleeting state.

SRUTI SURYANARAYANAN Art.Coop Co-organizer, Researcher, Writer, and Artist

ssuryana.com @labornlove

Sruti Suryanarayanan (they/them) is a Brooklyn-based researcher, writer, and artist studying how people use culture to resist the dominant systems of racial, economic, and migration inequity and build the future worlds we deserve. They use this focus to study, seed, and sustain solidarity economy movements in the arts and culture ecosystem led with, by, and for the self-determination of QTBIPOC, and away from state, interpersonal, and historically traumatic violence. Sruti is a co-organizer with Art.coop and weaves systems for transformative labor, resource, and monetary exchange across borders. They are also a researcher with the Cultural Solidarity Fund, documenting local community-led funds’ support of individual artists and cultural workers in and beyond crises.

In addition, Sruti is examining how movements for artists' rights economically, culturally, and socially integrate with movements against fascism through their work with SALAM.

AYESHA WILLIAMS Executive Director, The Laundromat Project

laundromatproject.org @laundromat_proj

Ayesha Williams is the Executive Director of The Laundromat Project (The LP), a NYC community-based arts organization dedicated to making sustained investments in growing a community of multiracial, multigenerational, and multidisciplinary artists and neighbors committed to societal change. She is an arts professional with almost two decades of experience working with visual artists, presenting programs, and generating funding for commercial galleries and nonprofit institutions. Ayesha is on the board of Rivers Institute for Contemporary Art & Thought and The Black School, and a member of the Independent Curators International Independents. She also served as a Steering Committee member of the UN Women’s Conference. She received her Master’s degree in Visual Arts Administration from New York University and Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

Coaches KEVIN BENOIT Founder & Executive Director, Parlé Endeavors Empowering the urban community has been a goal for Kevin Benoit for almost 20 years. In 2022, he founded Parlé Endeavors, Inc. a New York-based non-profit organization whose mission is to empower young adults and support youth development through mentorship, scholarships, grants, exposure, and experience. In 2023, Kevin launched Parlé New York, a local curated brand that serves as a celebration of Black excellence and empowerment, highlighting stories of the thriving people of color in New York City. A first-generation Haitian American, Kevin graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2007 with a BS in Legal Studies. He also has an MA in Business Administration with a focus on media management.

parleendeavors.org @parlewithme

JUNE LEI Public Programs Assistant, Brooklyn Museum June Lei is an art worker, poet, and a lifelong New Yorker.

She works in the Public Programs Department at the Brooklyn Museum as a cultural producer and administrator.

She has previously worked in arts organizations, museums, and galleries, including Creative Time and Asia Art Archive.

A proud graduate of the NYC public school system, June holds a BA in Art History and English from Bowdoin College, and is currently a graduate student at the City University of New York. As Secretary of DC37 Local 1502, she represents art workers at the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Her writing has been published in the Brooklyn Rail, Columbia Journal, and Poets.org.

ATREYA MATHUR Director of Legal Research, Center for Art Law Atreya Mathur is the Director of Legal Research at the Center for Art Law. She received her Master of Laws from NYU School of Law where she specialized in Competition, Innovation, and Information Laws, with a focus on copyright, intellectual property, and art law. At the Center, she conducts legal research on an array of art and law-related topics including copyright law, artificial intelligence and art, contracts, artists rights, estates and legal issues in contemporary and digital art. She publishes articles, conducts and teaches art and law workshops, addresses legal inquiries, and conducts interviews with artists on general legal concerns. She has instructed several workshops on intellectual property, copyright and contracts for attorneys and artists at various universities, non-profits, art organizations and institutes. itsartlaw.org @centerforartlaw

TAEESHA MUHAMMAD AIE Advocacy & Outreach Coordinator, Brooklyn Arts Council Taeesha Muhammad is an international artist and educator whose works inspire dialog about the power of language related to the Africans in the Americas from all Diasporas.

Taeesha is a native New Yorker and has taught at various locations in and around Brooklyn, including Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Charter, Private, and Homeschool clusters. Internationally, she has conducted workshops in Morocco, Madrid, and Mexico. As a POC and a global citizen, her motivation is to seek opportunities that create dialog, understanding, and connections of cultural norms. It is our nuances that create our culture. Taeesha is the co-director of GAMA, Gathering All Muslim Artists, a Teaching Fellow at Arts Westchester, Visual Storyteller, Culture Bearer, and Curator. brooklynartscouncil.org @bkartscouncil

RANDY PERALTA Housing Specialist, Entertainment Community Fund Randy Peralta (he/him/his) is the Housing Specialist at the Entertainment Community Fund and is responsible for educational programs and resource sharing through the Housing Resource Center. Recently, the Housing Resource Center launched “Thrive In Place” a workshop to help creative sector workers understand the relationship between housing choices and their financial well-being. Prior to joining The Entertainment Community Fund, Randy worked as an Occupancy Specialist for a NYC-based affordable housing developer, West Side Federation for Senior Supportive Housing. Randy also worked at the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation as a Case Manager within their Legal Department assisting clients with landlord and tenant issues. entertainmentcommunity.org @alifeinthearts

SELOMÉ SAMUEL Founder & Money Coach, Net Positive Coaching Selomé Samuel is a certified trauma-informed financial and life coach who wants to help people realize that anyone can be good with money. It’s her mission to restore financial power to those who have historically been stripped of it.

Through doing her own deep work around money, she realized how much money stress had hijacked her creative energy and how money often determined who could afford to be creative. She founded Net Positive Coaching in 2020 to change how creative folks relate to money. She works with clients to heal their emotional relationship to money and live relaxed, confident, and abundant lives that are in line with their values. She helps people realize they were never “bad” with money, they were simply unaware of the role their bodies and nervous systems played in their challenges with money and that every money “mistake” is fixable. netpositivecoaching.co @netpositivemoney

DANIELA VELEZ Fundraising & Development Consultant Daniela Velez, CFRE (she/her) is a development and fundraising professional dedicated to supporting changemakers and organizations at the intersection of creativity and social justice. Her background in institutional giving and government relations, combined with her experience as a mixed media artist running her own small business, Wild Hudson Studio, gives her a unique perspective on building relationships and telling stories that resonate with supporters and build community. As a consultant, she’s worked with several arts and social justice organizations, including the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, TIDE Film Fest, the Young Black Lawyers Organizing Coalition, the Center for Artistic Activism, and The Art Effect. She is also the Development Manager for the Brooklyn-based ecotheater nonprofit Superhero Clubhouse.

KETRIANA YVONNE CEO, One Woman League Kerriana Yvonne is the CEO of One Woman League Productions, a media, business consulting, and production company. She is the poet and author of “Sequin Soul Poetry from the Spirit” and the host and producer of “The Ketriana Yvonne Show,” a two-time winner of the BFree First Amendment Award, airing on BRIC’s Brooklyn Free Speech TV. In 2022, she was honored as a Ft. Greene Community Hero and serves on the ICAC Intergenerational Community Arts Council. and is also a Board Member of the Society of Old Brooklynites. Ketriana is committed to being a force of change in the world serving her community as Chair of the Finance Committee and County Committee Member and Treasurer of the Democratic Assembly District of the 57th Committee of the County of Kings. She writes to inspire and is immersed in all things art, health, and wellness. @ketrianabelove

Performers MARIO CASTRO Saxophonist, Composer, and Music Producer, Capture Acid

captureacid.com @captureacid

Mario Castro's multifaceted career is a testament to his boundless creativity and relentless pursuit of artistic excellence. Raised amidst the vibrant culture of Humacao, Puerto Rico, Mario's musical journey began under the guidance of his mother, who dropped him off at his first music lesson. Mario's quest for musical growth led him to the prestigious Berklee College of Music and in 2011, Mario began his exploration into music production and recording.

What started as a modest setup soon evolved into Capture Acid, Mario's acclaimed recording and production studio located in the heart of NYC. Today, Capture Acid stands as a beacon of innovation and creativity, attracting a diverse array of artists seeking to realize their musical visions. Mario remains actively engaged in the New York music scene, performing saxophone and producing and recording local indie artists, enriching the cultural landscape with his infectious energy and unmistakable talent.

GINA D'SOTO Singer, Songwriter, and Composer Gina D'Soto, a native of Havana, Cuba, has established herself as an authentic and effortless vocalist in New York.

Her sound is a fusion of jazz, soul, and Cuban traditions, providing listeners with a melodic experience. She has emerged as one of the greatest Cuban artists of her generation, thanks to her talents as a singer-songwriter, composer, and sonic arranger. She has shared the stage with renowned musicians such as Arturo O'Farrill, Antonio Sanchez, Roman Filiu, Ana Tijoux, and Jon Faddis, performing at national musical events and venues like the International Jazz Plaza Festival, Havana Jazz Festival 2023, and jazz clubs like La Zorra and El Cuervo. She continues to create musical waves on platforms like NPR Live Sessions. ginadsoto.com @ginadsoto

ABOU LION DIARRA Drummer, Teacher, Producer, and Songwriter Ivory Coast’s Abou Lion Diarra is the founder and musical director of The Black Warriors, NYC’s premiere band working with West Africa’s biggest acts. Abou is a new breed of drummers who can navigate through different genres switching beats, rhythms and styles. Abou’s musical journey first set out studying with Soro Mades, one of Ivory Coast’s most renowned drummers. He then went on to the Institute National des Arts (INA). The same summer, his band entered the Podium competition and won, landing him a scholarship to Orchestre de L’Universite D’Abidjan (OUA). Aside from playing the drums Abou also plays flute, saxophone, clarinet, guitar, bass, piano and djembe. Abou is currently pursuing his songwriting talents and producing local artists.

aboulionmusic.wordpress.com

CONNOR EVANS Multi-instrumentalist, Sound Artist, & Composer Connor is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and sound artist based in Brooklyn. Connor studied jazz guitar and composition at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

He’s worked with acclaimed artists like Dave Stryker, Walter Smith III, Marquis Hill, Brent Wallarab, Steve Houghton, and more. His music pulls influence from genres including progressive metal, jazz, classical, R&B, singer-songwriter, minimalist, and electronic. As a sound artist, Connor produces ambient soundscapes, immersive harmonic works, experimental IDM, and more. His music draws from the harmonic, melodic, and rhythmic language of impressionistic classical and jazz while utilizing modern technology.

Connor’s latest project, a singer-songwriter fusion album “Catapult”, is set to be released in late 2025. connorevansguitar.com @connorpevans

R.NEJUMI MUHAMMAD (SAINT JUMMIX) Visual & Musical Artist R.Nejumi Muhammad (Saint Jummix), is a Brooklyn-based visual and musical artist. He has been working on musical projects since 2017 and visual illustrations his whole life. He has collaborated with several Brooklyn artists and organizations, creating songs, album/song covers, clothing, merch, spoken word performances, and murals which helped him to gain the experience and patience it took to evolve into the artist here before you. Currently, he is working on the release of a Deluxe Album (PSA DELUXE) with 14 new song tracks.

JILL PEACOCK Multi-instrumentalist Jill Peacock is a multi-instrumentalist from Toronto, Canada.

Jill is a multi-faceted artist and also founded the Bolero duo Los Cielitos where she sings in Spanish and plays bass. Jill has opened for Moonchild, played with Kadjha Bonet, and performed in the Revolution Series and the Hum Series in Brooklyn. She released her self-titled debut EP on Toronto’s DoRight label in 2017. In 2021, she released her first fulllength album “Moon Garden” where she worked with a variety of accomplished producers including Jack Deboe (Yebba, Meshell Ndegeocello, and Emily King) to further develop her electro-soul sound. Her newest album, “Inner Wilderness,” is her first solo record. Jill is a new member of the Recording Academy and is currently promoting her latest work whilst recording her fourth album with Puerto Rican producer Mario Castro. jillpeacock.com @jillpeacock_

Thrive Brooklyn Resource Guide Dive into BAC's multi-media digital resource guide for financial wellness that we're producing with an aggregate of community partners who are serious about asset building and equity. Content topics include: Personal Financial Literacy; Business Development; Digital Literacy; New Economies; Income & Fundraising; and Legal Basics.

BROOKLYNARTSCOUNCIL.ORG/THRIVE-BROOKLYN

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Brooklyn Innovation Portal BAC is launching Phase I of the Brooklyn Innovation Portal (BIP), a new interactive digital platform that will serve as the go-to resource for participants in Brooklyn’s creative economy — a dynamic, searchable, interactive, mapped digital database of resources across Brooklyn’s creative industries. The BIP will connect artists to markets, audiences, patrons, collaborators, and each other; monetize creative services and content; and invest in Brooklyn neighborhoods by investing in Brooklyn artists. It will give us all a chance to leverage art assets, art networks, creative content, and creative services for joy, equity, innovation, and abundance.

BAC‘s Brooklyn Innovation Portal (BIP) is supported. in part, by the New York Community Trust.

BIP.BROOKLYNARTSCOUNCIL.ORG

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F1RST NYC Menu AVAILABLE AT BRIC CAFÉ

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP — $11 fresh basil, & cheddar cornbread

F1RST’S SIGNATURE S.E.C. — $12 house-made chicken sausage, fried egg, American cheese, & spicy aioli

GRILLED CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD OR WRAP — $14 romaine, garlic crouton, parmesan, & caesar dressing ** caesar salad without chicken will be available — $11**

WILD RICE AND SEASONAL SQUASH BOWL — $14 arugula, feta, & maple dijon dressing

WINTER CITRUS SALAD — $12 seasonal citrus, pickled fennel, avocado, & citrus vinaigrette

f1rstnyc.com | @f1rstnyc

Staff & Leadership BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STAFF

Honorary Chairman Antonio Reynoso Brooklyn Borough President

Melissa Caballero Operations & Executive Coordinator

Chair Toni Yuille Williams Vice Chair K Sophia Auster Secretary Sidney R. Jean, Esq. Treasurer Frazier Holloway Board Members Cey Adams

Emma Cookson Operations Director Stanley Delva Development Manager Mai-Elka Prado Gil Programs & Cultural Heritage Manager Rasu Jilani Executive Director Yasmine Lalkaka Programs, Grants & Community Engagement Coordinator

Audrey Frank Anastasi Julia Chu Jack Esterson, AIA Ellen Gottlieb Lisa Dolberry Hancock

Allie Marotta AIE Coordinator for School Partnerships Taeesha Muhammad AIE Advocacy & Outreach Coordinator

Ashley Hart Samara Karasyk Jidan Kim Kristina Newman-Scott Christine Osuji Barbara Stallworth, PMP, CSM

Didintle Ntsie Grants & Artist Engagement Manager Marie Szalkiewicz Communications Manager M’Kina Tapscott AIE Manager for Community & Equity Emmy Weissman Associate Grants Coordinator

About Brooklyn Arts Council Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) centers and empowers artists through programs that build and invest in a self-sustaining Brooklyn artist community; strives for racial, gender, and ethnic justice; commits to equity and accessibility in the distribution of grants and services; advocates for and advances an inclusive and participatory culture where all voices are heard; partners with the arts community to drive equity in philanthropy and programming; and connects with artists to build relationships and supportive networks.

BROOKLYNARTSCOUNCIL.ORG @BKARTSCOUNCIL @BKARTSCOUNCIL @BROOKLYNARTSCOUNCIL