From April 30 to May 2, I facilitated the first NYC Borough Arts Council Retreat on Governors Island. This gathering brought together the Executive Directors from the Brooklyn Arts Council, Bronx Council on the Arts, State Island Arts, and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. The gathering included senior staff, artists from these boroughs, private funders, and local and state-level city officials.
The retreat’s goal was to start the co-creation of a shared framework of priorities, programs, and governance strategies that would strengthen the collective impact of the city’s borough arts councils. I structured the retreat through a carefully sequenced process of dialogue, collaboration, and reflection.
Participants identified shared barriers, clarified priorities, and developed a set of cross-borough initiatives we’re calling “Builds”—collaborative projects with clear objectives, strategic alignment, and public policy relevance. These Builds will serve as a blueprint for joint action, supported by a proposed governance model and initial indicators of success.
The retreat also deepened trust among leaders, strengthened relationships with external partners, and laid the foundation for sustained advocacy and resource development.
I was honored to facilitate this process. It affirmed that meaningful collaboration requires intentional design, space for honest and horizontal exchange, and a commitment to imagining—and building—something greater together.
If you’re interested in learning more about the process or outcomes, I’d be happy to share.