Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question that's not answered here? Email us at weareartny@gmail.com.
Who are the members of We Are A.R.T./New York?
We Are A.R.T./New York is comprised of current and former BIPOC staff of A.R.T./New York, along with certain white allies. All of us have experienced and/or witnessed harm as employees of A.R.T./New York, and all of us care deeply about the future of the organization.
The full coalition is:
Hope Chávez, former Programs Manager
Melissa Dognazzi, former Senior Manager of Institutional Giving
Alyssa Garland, Administrative Assistant
Jeannely Lopez, Membership Coordinator
Audrey Rush, Senior Manager of Individual Giving & Events
Sim Yan Ying, former Grants Coordinator
Bo Suh, former Communications Manager
Kirsten Sweeney, Former Education & Access Coordinator
Nathalie Thomas, Media & Outreach Strategist
What Is the Coalition Up To Now?
As of 3/7/2020 the coalition will be sunsetting. To read our full statement head to the updates section on our website.
Did the coalition have a say in choosing the Interim Executive Director?
No. The majority of the search process for an Interim Executive Director was carried out by the Board with the staff having no knowledge whatsoever that the process was even taking place. After this coalition pushed for more transparency, the staff was allowed to meet candidate Risa Shoup before they were officially hired. However, neither the staff (excluding leadership) nor the coalition had any meaningful involvement in the selection process.
That being said, the coalition is pleased with and cautiously optimistic about Risa’s appointment as the Interim Executive Director. We view Risa’s tenure as an opportunity to assist with the transition and changes that have taken place. They have expressed a desire to work with the coalition, and we are excited to see how we can work with Risa during their short time with the organization.
Was Ginny Louloudes fired?
No. One day after the A.R.T./New York Executive Committee received the We Are A.R.T./New York letter, Ginny was placed on paid administrative leave pending an external investigation into the claims made in the letter.
On November 11, 2020, A.R.T./New York announced that Ginny had stepped down from her position at the organization. To our knowledge, no investigation took place.
Did any of this have to be public?
Yes. Since 1972, A.R.T./New York has been a pillar of the non-profit theatre community, offering education, services, and advocacy that continue to shape the administrative structure of our field. It is our responsibility to operate under the values of equity and accountability that we impress upon our members and tout to our funders. When those values are compromised, it is our duty to take corrective action with full transparency. Everything we do is at the service of our members, and they deserve the opportunity to hold us accountable.
Additionally, as is addressed more fully in the question below, A.R.T./New York staff members have exhausted every internal avenue available to us in trying to rectify the harm we have experienced. Any concerns were met, at best, with inaction or false promises of change, and, at worst, with retaliation against staff members’ employment. We did not publish our letter to get “clicks” or to get our 15 minutes of internet fame; we were fully aware of the potential repercussions of going public, and we published it because we had been shown by our leadership that they would not respond to internal pressure alone.
Why weren't issues addressed internally?
They were. On multiple occasions, staff, consultants, and former board members voiced concerns to organizational leadership, to the board, and to Ginny herself. As is documented, multiple individuals have come forward over the course of the past decade in response to the toxic work environment and objectionable practices at A.R.T./New York. They have sought protection from supervisors, requested HR resources, and written directly to the board chair asking for assistance, and have been met with termination, apathy, verbal and emotional abuse, and gaslighting. There have been testimonies posted to hiring sites such as GlassDoor corroborating our accounts. Consultants have been brought in to assess the working environment and have been dismissed upon reporting toxic and abusive behavior. Ginny has been directly called in by staff numerous times for her harmful behavior, and she has been given ample opportunity over the years to right her wrongs and prove that she is able to grow. Despite this, her actions did not change, and she continued to actively harm her BIPOC staff.
Is this just a case of "Cancel Culture?"
No. Our letter of demands is not an act of vengeance. It is a call for change, signed by the full staff with the support of dozens of former employees, former board members, consultant firms, and contract artists that have shared harmful experiences. Our letter is not an unfair or outsized response to a few “mistakes” made by our Executive Director; it is a call for accountability for the deep harm experienced by BIPOC at the hands of not just one person, but of an entire institution that has racism woven into all of its systems.
This is not an attempt to erase decades of positive influence that Ginny had on some members of our community, but a moment of reckoning. The truth is that systemic racism is complex and deeply embedded in our institutions. It has been able to cause a tremendous amount of damage to some in our communities while simultaneously creating opportunities for others. And the value of anyone’s positive experience does not negate the value of another person’s pain.
How will A.R.T./New York operate now, especially when the field is in such dire need? Will your programs lose funding?
We will operate with the same commitment and perseverance as always, and with the entire community involved. This fear of losing funding is the rationale that has perpetuated harmful funding practices and white supremacist tendencies at A.R.T./New York for years. Part of the strategies of manipulation and abuse have been the gaslighting of funders and members into believing that, despite being a major service organization with a highly competent and passionate staff, we would not be able to raise money or function as an organization without Ginny at the helm. In reality, Ginny's abusive tactics often hindered the Development department's abilities to fundraise at their full potential.
The truth is that A.R.T./New York is, above all else, a community. We are more than just one person. We are 15 staff members, 26 board members, dozens of institutions, over 420 member companies, and thousands of patrons working hand in hand every day to ensure that our theatres reopen and thrive. We have been and will continue offering our services to the field and will take every opportunity to improve the depth and breadth of those services. This moment serves as a real opportunity for A.R.T./New York to re-evaluate not just how we operate internally, but also how we relate to and serve the non-profit theatre community at large.
Are the claims made in the letter true?
Yes. Every instance of racism detailed in our letter was either directly experienced by a member of this coalition or was fact-checked. There is documented proof spanning many years of this behavior happening at A.R.T./New York. And beyond that, we are choosing to take people at their word when they tell us that they have been harmed, and we hope that you will do that same.
If you find yourself still unsure or unwilling to believe that BIPOC really have experienced harm at this institution, we invite you to ask yourself why that is. We have come to this point by doubting and dismissing the lived experiences of BIPOC staff for far too long, and we will not question the validity of their experiences moving forward.