Upcoming Events:

NAAC Virtual Community Check-In

A DROP-IN space where NAAC members can laugh and cry together and share resources and support one another. Let’s build new relationships and circles of love and trust. This one of many different designs of virtual spaces we are planning over the next few months.

June 26, Zoom

NAAC Morning Mixer at AAE Conference

NAAC will be hosting a morning mixer with breakfast and coffee on the first day of the conference, before the 9 am opening plenary. This is an opportunity to gather with fellow NAAC members ahead of an exciting conference day filled with engaging conversations on arts equity, policy, community, inclusion, arts management, pedagogy

May 29, 8AM, Boston University

Past Events

Community Conversations: State of BIPOC Theater

Hear from leaders from Front Porch Arts Collective, Chuang Stage, Teatro Chelsea, and Theater Offensive about what it takes to head a theatre organizing built around, for, and by diverse communities!

W/ Giselle Byrd (Theater Offensive), Pascale Florestal (Front Porch Arts Collective), Armando Rivera (Teatro Chelsea), and Alison Qu (CHUANG Stage)

May 19, 7PM, Deane Hall at Calderwood Pavillion and livestreamed via Howlround

NAAC Virtual Community Check-In

A DROP-IN space where NAAC members can laugh and cry together and share resources and support one another. Let’s build new relationships and circles of love and trust. This one of many different designs of virtual spaces we are planning over the next few months.

May 7, Zoom

NAAC Mixer at Creative Sector Day

NAAC convened after Creative Sector Day at the State House on March 3rd to reflect on the day of advocacy over drinks, bites, and socialization.

March 3, 3PM, State House and Democracy Brewing

NAAC Town Hall 2026

NAAC members virtually convened to learn about NAAC’s strategic planning process and give their insights about NAAC’s potential future.

January 13, Zoom

NAAC “The Mountaintop” Mixer

NAAC members convened at Front Porch Arts Collective’s performance of “The Mountaintop,” followed by a reception at Estella

September 28, 2PM, Suffolk Modern Theater

NAAC Partner Collaboration: Boston Create the Vote Mayoral Forum on Arts & Culture

NAAC partnered with Create the Vote to actively recruit Boston artists and arts workers of color for the only Boston mayoral election cultural sector candidate forum and provided an event welcome table with NAAC staff.

July 30, Strand Theatre

NAAC Partner Collaboration: MASSCreative Creative Sector Summit

NAAC offered six scholarships to Network members to attend, 3 for emerging arts administrators under 30, 3 for seasoned administrators over 30.

June 5, Northampton Center for the Arts

Community Conversations: Shifts in Federal Funding

Join NAAC for a Zoom conversation diving into how recent sector-wide funding shifts will impact BIPOC arts administrators. In conversation with local leaders, we’ll examine what this change means for the NAAC community.

With Luke Blackadar (Arts and Business Council) and Ruth Mercado-Zizzo (EdVestors)

June 24, 3-4PM, Zoom

NAAC “Learning How to Read by Moonlight” Mixer

NAAC members convened at the Calderwood Pavillion before a performance of CHUANG Stage and Company One Theater’s production of “Learning How to Read by Moonlight” featuring community reader and NAAC member Lani Asuncion

May 22, 6PM, BCA

NAAC Mixer at Creative Sector Day

NAAC convened after Creative Sector Day at the State House on April 30th to reflect on the day of advocacy over drinks, bites, and socialization.

April 30, 3PM, State House and Estella

NAAC “Sister Act” Mixer

NAAC members convened at the Calderwood Pavillion before a screening of “Sister Act”for a light reception and networking.

February 23, Coolidge Corner Theater

NAAC Virtual Game Night

NAAC members gathered virtually to play Jackboz games and wrap up 2024!

December 4, Zoom

NAAC Community Conversation w/ MASSCreative

NAAC partnered with MASSCreative for a virtual session to collect insights to help inform the 2025-2026 Creative Sector Legislative Agenda.

October 22, Zoom

NAAC Town Hall 2024

NAAC gathered feedback, shared updates, and discussed future initiatives better to serve NAAC membership and the broader arts community.

May 9, Zoom

Mentor/Sponsorship Program 4.0

In its fourth year, NAACBoston’s Mentorship & Sponsorship Program built upon research showing both that arts administrators of color are under-mentored and that mentoring under-represented categories of professionals (women and people of color)—by itself—does not drive systemic change in the current power structures of our predominately white institutions and sectors. 

Panel 6: The Invisible Dancer

With Lumyr Derisier (Dancer, Photographer), Ashton “StiggityStackz” Lites, Elisabeth Lister

June 26, 2024, 6:30-8 PM, The Foundry, 101 Rogers St, Cambridge, MA

Panel 5: Understanding Stress Responses and Closing the Stress Cycle

With Meena Malik

May 15, 2024, 6:30-8PM, Online

Panel 4: Tale of Two Centers

With Connie Chin (Global Arts Live) and Diana Navarrete-Rackauckas (The Foundry)

April 17, 2024, 6:30-8 PM, The Loop Lab, 45 Temple Pl, Boston, MA

Panel 3: Equitable Budgeting for the Future

March 20, 2024, 6:30-8 PM, The Loop Lab, 45 Temple Pl, Boston, MA

Panel 2: Creating your Social Impact Story

February 21, 2024, 6:30-8 PM, The Loop Lab, 45 Temple Pl, Boston, MA

Panel 1: Creating and Sustaining an Inclusive Community

6:30-8 PM, Grub Street, 50 Liberty Drive Suite 500, Boston, MA 02210

Mentor/Sponsorship 3.0 Closing Celebration!

The Cinegroove, 350 Newbury St, Boston

Creating Art for Unconventional Spaces

A conversation around making public art outside of traditional insitutional spaces, both metaphorically and literally!

Partner Orgs: Boston Children’s Chorus

Panelists: SuperSobek, Sneha “Imagine” Shrestha and Kenny Mascary

Building Equitable Budgets

Welcome all members to engage with us on March 15th for an interactive workshop covering how to build an organizational budget while keeping in consideration anti-racist practices.

Partner Orgs: PAO Arts Center

Guest Speaker: Karthik Subramanian

How to Be A Sustainable Artist in 2023

An interactive workshop, covering tangible strategies and tactics for plugging in as a Boston artist no matter your discipline. Come join this session for creatives and culture bearers on managing, promoting, and safeguarding our practices. Let’s share and exchange best practices on resources to maintain forward momentum for ourselves and as a collective.

Partner Orgs: Boston Childrens Chorus

Guest Speaker: Ngoc-Tran Vu

Creating Accessible Art

A panel discussion on how we as arts administrators can make more accessible art for all!

Partner Orgs: Boston Childrens Chorus

Panelists: Chris Robinson and Ellice Patterson

Producing and Managing a BIPOC Dance Company
A conversation with dancer and choreographer LaTarsha Barnes about the logistics of performing and managing a BIPOC dance company and how she integrates her cultural heritage into her work.

Partner Orgs: Celebrity Series of Boston

Guest Speaker: Dancer, LaTarsha Barnes, and moderated by Aysha Upchurch

What is an Arts Administrator?
A panel conversation about the role of arts administration in the arts and the many shapes and forms it can take.

Partner Orgs: PAO Arts Center

Panelists: Malik Williams, Jasmine Garcia, and Dawn M. Simmons

NAAC Boston was created to support self-identifying arts administrators of color, such as Asian American, African American, Native American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Latin American, and multiracial individuals. The Network is open to individuals working in a full-time or part-time capacity at non-profit or for-profit arts and culture organizations in Greater Boston, as well as freelancers and consultants.

NAACBoston is made possible thanks to the support of