Who We Are
We Are A.R.T./New York is an independent coalition made up of current and former BIPOC staff of A.R.T./New York and their allies. After trying for years to make change from within the structures of our organization and being faced with gaslighting, retaliation, and silence from those in power, this group made the difficult decision to go public with our stories and to demand immediate, structural change. We aim not just to acknowledge and correct the countless instances of harm faced by BIPOC at the institution, but also to look forward and to imagine an anti-racist future for both A.R.T./New York and for the non-profit theatre community as a whole.
Above all else, we abide by the tenets of transparency and accountability. Secrecy, silence, and the withholding and ignoring of information is what has gotten us to this point, and we are determined to break that cycle. This is the reason that we went public with our stories; not seek revenge or “cancel” anyone, but to make sure that the community that A.R.T./New York serves can know the full truth about the organization and can hold us accountable as we move forward.
We believe that A.R.T/New York’s potential as a service organization to the non-profit and Off-Broadway community can be so much greater than what it has been in the past. We do not believe in harming people, in the name of doing good work. This is the time for systemic change within the A.R.T/New York organization and in the broader world, and to help signal positive change for New York’s non-profit theatre community.
Timeline of events
Last updated: March 7, 2022
March 7, 2022: The We Are A.R.T./New York coalition after almost 2 years of regular meetings and collaboration with A.R.T./New York, is ending it's practice.
June 23, 2020: The group that would become the We Are A.R.T./New York coalition meets for the first time.
July 13, 2020: The We Are A.R.T./New York letter is sent to the A.R.T./New York Executive Committee, as well as to the full staff of the organization.
July 14, 2020: Executive Director Ginny Louloudes is placed on paid administrative leave.
July 17, 2020: The We Are A.R.T./New York letter goes public.
July 27, 2020: The A.R.T./New York Board has a facilitated listening session with the staff and the We Are A.R.T./New York coalition.
August 6, 2020: Risa Shoup is announced as the Interim Executive Director of A.R.T./New York.
September 15, 2020: The Coalition, staff, and Board have their first facilitated working session.
September 17, 2020: A.R.T./New York holds a Virtual Meet & Greet for members to hear from the full staff, including Risa Shoup, in addition to representatives from the A.R.T./New York Board and the We Are A.R.T./New York Coalition.
October 13, 2020: The first BIPOC Affinity Spaces and White Learning Spaces are held for the staff. These facilitated sessions will be ongoing on a regular basis.
October 27, 2020: A.R.T./New York has their first meeting of the newly formed Ethics & Accountability Committee, an all-staff committee formed to audit A.R.T./New York's current practices and to hold the organization accountable to anti-oppressive values on an ongoing basis.
November 11, 2020: A.R.T./New York announces that Ginny Louloudes has stepped down as Executive Director of A.R.T./New York. Additionally, Risa Shoup's tenure as Interim Executive Director is extended through August 2021.
March 4-5, 2021: A.R.T./New York staff participates in a two-day Anti-Racism Learning Lab led by Equity Quotient.