Creating Change Network Roundtable Series Offers Learning In Equity, Justice, And Anti-Racism For The NJ Arts Community

The Creating Change Network, a program hosted by New Jersey Theatre Alliance and ArtPride New Jersey that aims to build a more equitable, just, and anti-racist arts community in New Jersey, announces a a series of learning opportunities for artists and arts administrators in the state.

Launched in Spring 2021 with the Creating Change Virtual Symposium, attended by over 550 arts leaders, the Creating Change Network offers ongoing roundtables and workshops, in-person accountability check-ins, and other collaborative efforts. The programs of the Creating Change Network are guided by a steering committee, chaired by Donna Walker-Kuhne, Senior Advisor, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at NJPAC, and representing arts administrators, artists, and leaders of social justice organizations.

Beginning in November, 2021 the Creating Change Network will offer monthly educational gatherings featuring guest speakers and peer-to-peer discussion. Individual artists and anyone who works or volunteers in the arts field in New Jersey are invited to register for these free roundtables. The first roundtable, on November 16, will be facilitated by Bryan Joseph Lee and Brisa Areli Muñoz of CNTR Arts. The program will focus on how arts organizations can maintain momentum in the work of equity, justice, and anti-racism while also re-opening and entering a "new normal."

Mr. Lee is a creative producer, arts marketer, and civic organizer with 12 years of arts management experience and a decades-long career building creative communities at a local, national, and international level. Most recently, Bryan served as Director of Public Forum at The Public Theater in New York City. Previously, he led marketing and communications at Round House Theater, where his specific focus on cultivating diverse audiences through relationship building achieved the highest-grossing and highest-attended seasons in their 40-year history. Ms. Muñoz is the co-founder and Artistic Director of Applied Theatre Collective, with whom she has facilitated work both nationally and internationally. She is currently an adjunct professor for Brooklyn College's MFA in Performing Arts Management and Brisa serves as Manager of Community Partnerships for the Public Works program at The Public Theater.

"We are thrilled that Bryan Joseph Lee and Brisa Areli Muñoz will kick off this series of learning opportunities by sharing their expertise and experience with the arts community in New Jersey," said John McEwen, Executive Director of New Jersey Theatre Alliance. "We are grateful to the Grunin Foundation for supporting the important, and ongoing work of building a more equitable, just, and anti-racist arts sector. Because of their strong commitment, we are able to offer these learning opportunities free to all in the New Jersey Arts community."

This roundtable series, as well as other initiatives of the Creating Change Network, such as arts participation in the National Day of Racial Healing, and an in-person gathering this spring, are supported by the Grunin Foundation.

"We are eager to support New Jersey Theatre Alliance, ArtPride NJ, and the Creating Change Network in working towards a more just and equitable arts sector. Coming together with other nonprofits and state arts service organizations to participate in the National Day of Racial Healing, Day of Accountability and other Creating Change Network events will help us collectively move further towards being an anti-racist New Jersey arts community," says Jeremy Grunin, President of Grunin Foundation.

"We are delighted to present our second year of Creating Change programming, building awareness and taking action for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in our state's arts sector," said Donna Walker-Kuhne, Senior Advisor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at NJPAC, and chair of the Creating Change Steering Committee. "The time is now, for advocating for anti-racist behavior, becoming transparent in our work, and being accountable for our actions."

The full list of dates and topics for the Creating Change Roundtable series are below. Interested artists and arts administrators may register at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CreatingChangeRoundtablesTFY22

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