“The impetus for this symposium is the lack of color diversity in senior leadership in the arts and cultural sector in greater Rochester and its direct and indirect impacts on the lack of participation by patrons, consumers, and audiences of color in the work of area artists and cultural offerings. The negative impact this has on the bottom line. It is just as important for arts and culture to be committed to diversity and inclusion as it has been for corporations and educational institutions.”
Rachel Y. DeGuzman, President and CEO at 21st Century Arts
Entrepreneurship in the Arts: A Call to Action in ROC
The Entrepreneurship in the Arts: A Call to Action in ROC symposium was presented on Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at the historic Sibley Building, 25 Franklin Street, Rochester, New York. The Entrepreneurship in the Arts symposium was free of charge and open to the public.
The symposium addressed the imperative for the arts and cultural sector in greater Rochester to become more entrepreneurial - to achieve greater sustainability and relevance. And to explore how arts and culture can work more effectively and intentionally with other business sectors to build a more vital community.
You may see the program details, along with a list of the symposium speakers, by clicking here.
The Entrepreneurship in the Arts: A Call to Action in ROC is made possible by the generous sponsorship and support of the following:
21st Century Arts, PeaceArt International, Genesee Center for the Arts & Education, Conifer Realty LLC, Delta Air Lines, WinnDevelopment, & Cheshire
Collaborative partners:
Janklow Arts Leadership Program at Syracuse University, Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, A Call to Action Advisory Task Force
Special thanks:
Deborah Tretter, Thomas Warfield, Margot Muto, Carol White Llewellyn
Diversity in the Arts: A Call to Action in ROC
The Diversity in the Arts: A Call to Action in ROC symposium was held on Thursday, July 24, 2014, and was produced by 21st Century Arts in collaboration with PeaceArt International and Rochester Institute of Technology. The Diversity in the Arts symposium was free of charge and open to the public.
The one day symposium, Diversity in the Arts: A Call to Action in ROC, was comprised of narratives from experts (see program details here) on why diversity is important to their respective fields with the assumption that these same imperatives also apply to the arts and cultural sector. It will explore the lack of diversity’s impact on sustainability and relevance as well as make the connection between declining participation, demographical shifts, and diversity in the arts.
Media coverage about Diversity in the Arts: A Call to Action in ROC can be read by clicking here

Diversity in the Arts: A Call to Action in ROC - Thomas Warfield, Mark Nerenhausen, Rachel DeGuzman, Essie Calhoun-McDavid, Nancy Gong, and Dr. Aaron Dworkin
“An event like the Diversity in the Arts: A Call to Action in ROC symposium raises many issues around diversity in the arts and cultural sector of our community. This discussion is long overdue and an important addition to our ongoing conversation on race and pluralism. My hope is that the symposium inspires intentional action, which leads to more inclusiveness in the field.”
Thomas Warfield, artistic director of PeaceArt International.
The Diversity in the Arts: A Call to Action in Roc symposium is made possible with grant support from Rochester Area Community Foundation and a donation from Ruby P. Lockhart as well as with in-kind contributions from Rochester Institute of Technology, Del Monte Hotel Group,
Delta Airlines, Garth Fagan Dance, Deborah Tretter, 21st Century Arts, and PeaceArt International.