ACF Artist Equity Summit 2021: Twin Cities Local Arts Leaders Roundtable No. 2

Local arts and cultural organizations play an essential role in our communities. In difficult times, they often act as the elastic thread in the fabric of the community that keeps it together. The spaces they create act as amplifiers for the voices and archivists of community history and transformation. They serve, through their storytelling, as places of healing. 2020 was a year that highlighted the importance of these treasured institutions. As we have reached out to artists and leaders in our community, we hear a consistent need and desire to connect with one another and support each other in these times. ACF seeks to share our platform to bring our circles together and build relationships, share experiences, and strengthen our work through dialogue and artmaking.

On May 20-21, 2021 as part of the ACF Artist Equity Summit, we invited Twin Cities Arts Leaders to discuss their longtime history of work in the community; sharing the lessons they have learned, reflecting on the challenges they have encountered, and highlighting the successes they have celebrated.

Dameun Strange, ACF Director of Community and Belonging, moderated two panel discussions that served as a culmination of these earlier conversations. We hope, through this convening, we can encourage collaboration, audience development, and new opportunities for the exceptional artists who reflect our diverse city to create new artistic experiences. Dameun is joined by artists Keno Evol, Black Table Arts, Sha Cage, TruRuts, Mary Anne Quiroz, Indigenous Roots, Alejandra Tobar-Alatriz, Rootsprings, Ananya Chatterjea, Ananya Dance Theatre, David Hamilton, Cedar Cultural Center, and Junauda Petrus-Nash, Free Black Dirt.

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