Brief
As part of an ongoing partnership with Independent Sector, I co-curated a series of 10 exhibitions and screenings designed to bring socially engaged art into institutional and policy-adjacent spaces. The aim was to humanize abstract issues like gentrification, immigration, and bodily autonomy for funders, policymakers, and nonprofit executives who often encounter these themes at a distance.

Idea
Embed art directly into Independent Sector’s DC headquarters, not as décor, but as intervention. By presenting film, photography, poetry, and live performance in a corporate setting, the series invited audiences to move beyond policy language and into lived realities, sparking dialogue rooted in empathy rather than abstraction.

Role

• Co-curated the series in collaboration with artists across mediums

• Acted as co–creative director, shaping visual identities and run-of-shows to translate artistic visions into institutional contexts without losing resonance

• Navigated stakeholder alignment and approvals, building trust with an institution initially hesitant about politically charged themes

• Produced live events, managing technical direction, artist support, and community engagement logistics

Execution
Over the course of 10 events, exhibitions and screenings drew hundreds of attendees, including funders, policymakers, nonprofit executives, and community members. Programming ranged from a performance series on home and displacement to a photographic tribute to immigrant motherhood. By designing run-of-shows and placing the work inside a corporate headquarters, the series reframed art as a catalyst for dialogue in spaces of influence.

Impact

• Created a platform where policy leaders reported a deeper understanding of issues when presented through human-centered storytelling

• Strengthened trust between Independent Sector and community artists, establishing an ongoing partnership model

• Supported organizational growth: Independent Sector saw measurable spikes in funding after these events (20% increases tied to programming cycles)

• Demonstrated the power of art as narrative strategy in policy spaces, showing how cultural programming can move audiences more quickly than data alone