The Incubator for Executive Leaders of Color 2021

Through the support of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and designed with input from a group of alumni of NYFA’s Emerging Leaders Program and participants of NYSCA Special Arts Services Technical Assistance programs, New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is pleased to announce the first session of The Incubator for Executive Leaders of Color, an outgrowth of NYFA’s Emerging Leaders program that served over 150 leaders since 2013. This free incubator will provide leadership training and community support for 16 arts administrators from April 2021 to October 2021. By fostering the professional development of leaders of color, we aim to encourage the sustainability and success of their organizations, and the equitability and diversity of the arts industry.

NYFA will work with facilitators from Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities. The curriculum will be designed through the lens of inclusion and racial equity, and we will work diligently with partner organizations and external consultants to ensure that we meet the needs of our participants.

The goals of the program are:

• To serve as an incubator for exploring new models and trends in Arts Administration in New York City.
• Offer individual and group activities that focus on arts leadership and networking, thus leading to support and collaboration among participants and sparking new ideas.
• Provide space to discuss issues specific to BIPOC leaders and move toward solutions.
• Opportunity to engage with a variety of nationwide leaders in the arts.

Selected participants will benefit from:

• A peer cohort-learning model that relies on shared experiences to explore and develop a greater awareness of your personal leadership style.
• Case studies, guest speakers, panel discussions, and group exercises that focus on purpose-centered leadership, including diversity, equity, and inclusion; negotiation skills; and decision-making frameworks.
• Peer-to-peer exchange and transferable resources that will further develop your organization in the long-term and better support the communities you serve.
• Technical workshops and panels related to HR management, strategic planning, fundraising, and board development.
• Access to NYFA’s arts leadership programs’ network and dedicated advisors for 6-8 hours of individual guidance and support.

Requirements

Eligibility:

• Self identify as a leader of color.
• Executive Leaders from non-profit arts and cultural organizations with all size budgets.** (i.e. Executive Director, Artistic Director, Deputy Director, Program Director)
• Commitment to mandatory attendance to all sessions.
• Open to participants from the five boroughs of New York City. We acknowledge there are different organizational models in New York City, so if you have any questions about eligibility, please contact us at learning@nyfa.org.

Application Instructions

For the application, we ask you to provide:

• Organization information (i.e. organization mission, focus, website, and operational budget).
• Why you are interested in applying to this program and a list of goals relative to your leadership career path within the next 5+ years.
• Your current role and responsibilities.
• A particular challenge in your current organization that participating in this program could help you address.
• A narrative bio of your professional career.
• Contact details of a Board member or an Advisory committee member of your organization. *** *** We will only contact them if you are selected for the program. This is to ask for their support for the time commitment involved.

Apply here: https://nyfa.submittable.com/submit/030a93a8-f538-4f78-986f-947dc316dd18/2021-nyfas-incubator-for-executive-leaders-of-color