CI to Eye with Monica Holt

Betty Avila is the Executive Director of Self Help Graphics & Art, an organization on the East side of Los Angeles. Working at the intersection of arts and social justice, Self Help's mission is to foster the creation and advancement of new art works by Chicana/o and Latinx artists, with a focus on printmaking. Betty was named one of C-Suite Quarterly Magazine’s NextGen 10 in Philanthropy, Arts and Culture, and an Impact-Maker to Watch by City Impact Labs. In this episode, Betty and Erik talk about her efforts to combat the workaholism culture in her organization and the challenges of fundraising as a person of color. Betty also questions the impact of Primarily White Institutions who are now taking on funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion work, possibly channeling funds away from organizations that have long existed to serve those needs.

This top-rated session from Capacity Interactive's Boot Camp 2020 explores what three incredible arts leaders have learned navigating their teams and themselves through this turbulent year. Whether you’re a team member, lead a department, or run an entire organization, this session will give you inspiration and insight as we move through this uncertain time.

Joshua Dachs is one of the world's leading theater design consultants. Drawing on a background as a violinist, an architect, and a theatrical set and lighting designer, he has led FDA's consulting practice since 1984. He provides planning, programming, and design leadership for hundreds of successful projects, including the Mariinsky II Opera House in St. Petersburg and the newest Broadway theatre, the Stephen Sondheim. In this episode, Joshua and Erik lift the curtain on the mysteries of theater design. They discuss how seat layout impacts the way comedy is received, why some roadhouses have "absurd capacities," and why Broadway theaters are so uncomfortable.

What is the state of the arts in 2020? Where are we? Where are we going? How have arts organizations responded to the massive changes driven by the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and the reckoning of systemic racism? In this episode, Erik speaks with three consultants to understand how the arts landscape has evolved and how it is moving forward. Tom O’Connor Consulting Group’s Performing Arts Marketing Roundtables COVID-19 Sector Benchmark - TRG TRG 30

Kristie Swink Benson is the Director of Communications at the High Museum of Art, where she has helped position the museum as an integral part of the fabric of Atlanta and developed a passionate and diverse audience. She built her communications career in government and the for-profit sector. In this episode, Kristie and Erik discuss how the High Museum programs beyond blockbusters, targets their institutional marketing to a three-to-five-mile radius around the museum, and employs thoughtful engagement efforts to attract and engage a more diverse visitor base.

Arthur Cohen is the Founder and CEO of LaPlaca Cohen. He oversees the company’s research project, Culture Track, an ongoing study tracking the shifting attitudes and behaviors of cultural audiences in the United States. In this episode, Arthur and Erik discuss the findings of LaPlaca Cohen and Slover Linett’s recent Culture Track study. This survey of arts audiences and the wider U.S. public seeks to answer a range of urgent, complex questions about how arts and culture fits into the hearts, minds, and social lives of Americans during these uncertain times. 

Britton Smith is an actor who has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regionally. He is also the President and co-founder of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, which builds the capacity of directly impacted advocates, artists, students, organizations, and communities to use the arts as an integral part of their social change work. In this episode, Britton and Erik talk about the recent Broadway for Black Lives Matter virtual forum, a public conversation about racism in theater that brought together thousands of industry players. The forum's mission was to "heal, listen, and hold itself accountable to its history of white supremacy while moving towards becoming an anti-racist and equitable space."

Anastasia Boudanoque is a classical talent manager, producer, and impresario who has been involved in the careers of some of the most compelling performers of our time. In this episode, Anastasia and Erik discuss how online views of classical music content have skyrocketed during the pandemic. This data suggests a much larger interest than previously assumed and a much higher potential for engagement with the art form.

Robert Barry Fleming is the new Executive Artistic Director at Actors Theatre of Louisville. A native Kentuckian, this is his first year at Actors Theatre after serving as Associate Artistic Director of the Cleveland Play House and Director of Artistic Programming at Arena Stage. He previously worked as a producer, director, choreographer, performer, and teacher. Tune in to his weekly podcast, Borrowed Wisdom, which asks what we can learn from one another. In this episode, Robert and Erik discuss his bold, new, modern vision for Actors Theatre of Louisville as its first queer, Black leader. Throughout the conversation, they address how capitalism, equity, race, and theater history intersect.

Kamilah Forbes is an award-winning director and producer and serves as the Executive Producer of the World Famous Apollo Theater. In this episode, Kamilah and Erik speak about the Apollo's historic and current foundational role in American culture and the global Black community. They also discuss the Apollo's planned physical expansion, their evolution from a presenting house to a curatorial and residency non-profit venue working to develop a broader American canon, and the importance of getting comfortable with discomfort in this moment of historic change for cultural institutions.