How arts organizations are transforming their policies, practices, and culture to advance equity.
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New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, photo by David Prentiss
Stories of organizational change from our partners
Barr Foundation’s Arts & Creativity Program is centering racial equity in three key ways: centering BIPOC artists, organizations, and communities; supporting partners to become anti-racist; and committing to equitable philanthropic practices. In supporting our partners to be anti-racist, we have provided targeted trainings, individual and group coaching, peer-learning, and supplemental funds to advance organizational learning.
We are seeing interesting and inspiring practices emerge that deserve a spotlight so we are working with several storytellers to create case studies of organizational change - capturing lessons learned, areas of tension, and new practices. We believe these stories of organizational transformation can help inform and inspire action in the Massachusetts arts and creativity sector.
We invite you to explore these stories and case studies below.
One consistent theme in my conversations with arts leaders in recent years - they are hungry for an exchange of ideas.
Featured Stories
Orchestrating Change
A Far Cry
A Boston classical music group rededicates itself to diversifying the musical canon prompted by the pandemic shutdown and a national movement for racial justice.
The New Bedford Symphony Orchestra offers a case study on how one arts organization is growing a new, diverse audience for classical music.
Becoming a Place of Belonging
Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center
Staff from Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center share reflections and learnings from their internal diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging process.
