Sphinx Organization
Sphinx is honored and grateful to receive a $1.5 million grant from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to support the launch of a new professional development initiative, Sphinx LEAD (Leaders in Excellence, Arts & Diversity).
The grant is part of the Knight Foundation's new $20 million investment in the arts in Detroit. Empowered
by the support of this new initiative, Sphinx LEAD will begin in
January 2019 and will serve Black and Latinx arts leaders who are
looking to advance their personal and professional growth in order to
produce impact in their communities and in the arts field as a whole.
“Working
toward social impact through the arts absolutely vital at this time.
For Sphinx, it is about changing the landscape of leadership to be more
reflective and connected. This transformative support from the Knight
Foundation will allow Sphinx LEAD to bring about immense positive change
by providing a path and a platform to emerging leaders in the field,”
said Afa Dworkin, Sphinx President and Artistic Director. “We are deeply
honored and grateful to be included in this historic initiative
alongside many legendary Detroit institutions.”
Each Sphinx LEAD participant will design a growth plan, receive
ongoing personalized coaching and mentorship, and attend Leadership
Retreats hosted by major cultural organizations. Retreats
will allow participants to learn from experts in the field and take
advantage of networking opportunities. The first of these will take
place in Detroit, bringing national arts leaders to the city where
Knight Foundation has committed to strengthening and empowering the
arts. “Great art, tough art, challenging art helps to tell a great
city’s own story. Nowhere is this more true than today’s Detroit,” said
Alberto Ibargüen, Knight Foundation president. Other retreats throughout
the program will take place at The Juilliard School in New York City;
the Cleveland Institute of Music; and New World Symphony in Miami, FL.
Stanford Thompson will oversee Sphinx LEAD as Dean. Thompson is the Founder and Executive Director of Play On, Philly!, an
organization that provides intensive music education to K-12 students.
He was also a recipient of Sphinx’s Medal of Excellence, a program which
recognizes outstanding classical musicians of color. Aaron P. Dworkin,
founder of the Sphinx Organization and Professor of Arts Leadership and
Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan, will serve as Senior
Advisor.
For Sphinx LEAD program information and application details, visit SphinxLEAD.org. For more information about the Knight Foundation investment, visit kf.org/detroitartsinvest.
About the Sphinx Organization
The Sphinx Organization is the social justice organization dedicated
to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts.
Sphinx’s four program areas – Education & Access, Artist
Development, Performing Artists, and Arts Leadership – form a pipeline
that develops and supports diversity and inclusion in classical music at
every level: music education, artists performing on stage, the
repertoire and programing being performed, the communities represented
in audiences, and the artistic and administrative leadership within the
field.
Sphinx programs reach more than 100,000 students and artists, as well
as live and broadcast audiences of more than two million annually. Read
more about Sphinx’s programs at www.SphinxMusic.org.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots.
We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where
brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our
goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are
essential for a healthy democracy.
About Stanford Thompson
Stanford Thompson is a musician and educator who serves as the
Founder and Executive Director of Play On, Philly! and Founding Board
Chairman of El Sistema USA, bringing music education to students in
underserved areas throughout Philadelphia and beyond. Recognized as a
TED Fellow in 2017, Stanford believes that music education is a powerful
tool for positive personal and community change. Mr. Thompson serves on
the faculties of the Global Leaders Program and SAAVY Arts Venture
while regularly lecturing at major Universities and Conservatories about
leadership, entrepreneurship and social justice. As a consultant, he
has guided the development of dozens of El Sistema-inspired programs
across the United States and collaborated with major orchestras and arts
organizations to develop new strategies and initiatives that helps
provide equitable access to the arts. As a professional trumpeter,
Stanford has performed as soloist and section member with major
international orchestras and continues to perform chamber music and
jazz. Stanford is a native of Atlanta, GA and hold degrees from The
Curtis Institute of Music and the New England Conservatory’s Sistema
Fellows Program.
About Aaron P. Dworkin
Named a 2005 MacArthur Fellow, President Obama’s first appointment to
the National Council on the Arts, and Governor Snyder’s appointment to
the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, Aaron P. Dworkin
previously served as dean of the University of Michigan’s School of
Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD), which is ranked among the top
performing arts schools in the nation. He is currently a tenured full
professor of arts leadership and entrepreneurship at SMTD as well as
serving as a professor of entrepreneurial studies at the Stephen M. Ross
School of Business at the University of Michigan. In addition, he is
the founder of ArtsShare.com, which serves as the global marketplace for
the arts, as well as The Sphinx Organization, the leading national arts
organization with the mission of transforming lives through the power
of diversity in the arts. Dworkin is the producer and host of AaronAsk, a
weekly online mentoring show on creativity and leadership.
The Cleveland Institute of Music empowers the world’s most talented
classical music students to fulfill their dreams and potential. Its
graduates command the most celebrated and revered stages in the world as
soloists, chamber musicians and ensemble members; compose meaningful,
award-winning new repertoire; and are highly sought-after teaching
artists, administrators and thought leaders. The Institute’s commitment
to diversifying American classical music, focusing on expanding
opportunities for African American and Latinx musicians in the
conservatory and in pre-college programs, has been celebrated by
students, alumni and partners. A testament to the excellence of a CIM
education, more than half of the members of The Cleveland Orchestra are
connected to CIM as members of the faculty, alumni or both. Explore cim.edu to learn more.
About The Juilliard School
Founded in 1905, The Juilliard School is a world leader in performing
arts education. Juilliard’s mission is to provide the highest caliber
of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors from
around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as
artists, leaders, and global citizens.
Located at Lincoln Center in New York City, Juilliard offers
undergraduate and graduate degrees in dance, drama (acting and
playwriting), and music (classical, jazz, historical performance, and
vocal arts). Currently more than 800 artists from 43 states and 41
countries are enrolled at Juilliard, where they appear in over 700
annual performances in the school’s five theaters; at Lincoln Center’s
Alice Tully and David Geffen halls and at Carnegie Hall; as well as
other venues around New York City, the country, and the world.
Beyond its New York campus, Juilliard is defining new directions in
global performing arts education for a range of learners and enthusiasts
through The Tianjin Juilliard School and K-12 educational curricula.
About New World Symphony
The New World Symphony, America’s Orchestral Academy (NWS), prepares
graduates of music programs for leadership roles in professional
orchestras and ensembles. In the 30 years since its co-founding by
Artistic Director Michael Tilson Thomas and Lin and Ted Arison, NWS has
helped launch the careers of more than 1000 alumni worldwide. A
laboratory for the way music is taught, presented and experienced, the
New World Symphony consists of 87 young musicians who are granted
fellowships lasting up to three years. The fellowship program offers
in-depth exposure to traditional and modern repertoire, professional
development training and personalized experiences working with leading
guest conductors, soloists and visiting faculty. Relationships with
these artists are extended through NWS’s extensive distance learning via
the internet. Visit nws.edu.
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