Cancelled - Culture as Catalyst: The Arts and Civic Development Panel

This event will be rescheduled due to severe winter weather.

Culture as Catalyst: The Arts and Civic Development brings together nationally renowned leaders whose work proves that strategic investment in arts and culture can be a transformative force for thriving, equitable communities.

From the global impact of the Guggenheim Bilbao to grassroots placemaking and national philanthropic strategies, panelists will share compelling case studies and lessons learned at the intersection of arts, economic mobility, and civic life. Together, they’ll explore the essential role of culture in shaping public spaces, expanding opportunity, and building more inclusive cities.

Featured speakers include:

• Gail Harrity, Retired President & COO, Philadelphia Museum of Art, formerly Deputy Director, Guggenheim Museum, and Project Director, Guggenheim Bilbao
• Sam Gill, President & CEO, Doris Duke Foundation, on Performing Arts & Civic Development
• Jean Desravines, President, Wallace Foundation, on The Artists & Economic Mobility
• Kristina Newman-Scott, Vice President for the Arts, Knight Foundation, previously, Director of Culture for the State of Connecticut, on the City of Hartford’s iQuilt Plan and Connecticut’s READI Plan, which together advanced cultural vitality, civic connection, and shared public spaces.  
   

The panel will be moderated by Eric Barnes, CEO of The Daily Memphian.

Held at the Halloran Centre, this event is co-hosted by the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, National Civil Rights Museum, The Orpheum Theatre Group, and Downtown Memphis Commission—four institutions committed to the civic and cultural life of Memphis. 5-6p Reception will be followed by the panel from 6-7p.

Join us for this timely conversation on the power of the arts to drive civic development, foster equity, and shape vibrant futures.