NYC Gazette

In a significant partnership, Lincoln Center and Juilliard, alongside the School of American Ballet (SAB), New York City Ballet, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Lincoln Center Theater, New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, and New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, hosted the first Curriculum for Change Conference: Innovating Access in the Performing Arts. This hybrid conference took place in October and gathered around 300 educators, administrators, and artists both in person and online to rethink accessibility and inclusion within the performing arts.

The event was held at Juilliard and commenced with speeches from Mariko Silver, president and CEO of Lincoln Center; Damian Woetzel, president of Juilliard; and Shanta Thake, Lincoln Center's Ehrenkranz chief artistic officer. The opening included a performance by Kate Morton, a second-year master’s mezzo-soprano, and Inkyo Hong, a second-year graduate collaborative pianist. Stephanie Pacheco, national youth poet laureate, delivered the keynote address. Their performances combined art song with elements of Cherokee Nation heritage and Bronx-rooted poetry.

The conference sessions addressed critical issues such as accessibility in physical spaces, digital innovation, and institutional reform. Highlights included SAB’s national visiting fellows program aimed at improving dance education access and a panel discussion on supporting women of color in arts leadership roles.

A key aspect was the focus on practical solutions. Workshops like "Building Our Own Tables" explored podcasting as a tool for social change. Another session examined DEI initiatives' legal landscape amid current political climates. Topics also covered gender inclusivity in casting with insights from University of Michigan experts.

Digital innovation was emphasized through discussions on technology's role in enhancing program accessibility. The conference also tackled challenging topics like "HBCU Arts 911," which focused on support pathways for marginalized artists from historically Black colleges.

Demonstrations included tours of David Geffen Hall’s accessible design and discussions on relaxed performance models across various art genres. A workshop titled "Innovating Lincoln Center: 2040" encouraged participants to envision future cultural campus developments while honoring John D. Rockefeller III’s belief that "the arts are not for the privileged few but for the many."

The event concluded with a networking mixer that fostered connections among attendees and staff from across Lincoln Center’s campus. This gathering highlighted the collaborative spirit necessary for lasting change in performing arts.

This conference marks an important step forward in Lincoln Center’s efforts to expand access to the arts while offering a model for other cultural institutions. By uniting diverse voices, it demonstrated that accessibility innovation extends beyond physical spaces or digital tools—it's about reimagining how we create and share arts with all communities.

Ria DasGupta is Juilliard’s director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) initiatives; Brittney Burgess is the program manager for EDIB partnerships and access; Robert Torigoe is the education initiatives manager at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.