Introducing the Members of Mamdani’s Arts and Culture Transition Committee
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced the formation of his Committee on Arts and Culture, part of 17 advisory committees established prior to his upcoming inauguration. This 28-member committee includes distinguished figures such as former NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Gonzalo Casals, curator and critic Kimberly Drew, Brooklyn Children’s Museum President Atiba Edwards, poet and Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander, The Kitchen Executive Director Legacy Russell, and Hiba Abid, the New York Public Library’s curator of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies.
During a recent press event in Central Park, Mamdani revealed his team of over 400 committee appointees to aid in policy direction and candidate selection from a pool of 70,000 applicants for about 17,000 city government vacancies. The committees will also play a crucial role in guiding the new administration’s policy implementation.
The Committee’s diverse appointees range from policy experts and nonprofit leaders to industry professionals deeply involved in New York’s creative workforce across various disciplines. Casals expressed his honor at being part of this transition, noting the cultural sector’s importance to New York’s economy and social fabric. Highlighting artists’ vulnerabilities, Casals referenced a recent Mellon Foundation survey indicating significant financial insecurity among U.S.-based artists.
Additional members of the committee include MoMA PS1 Director of Curatorial Affairs Ruba Katrib, Hip Hop Museum CEO Rocky Bucano, and leaders from various cultural institutions. Independent curator Jenna Hamed, representing non-affiliated artists, emphasized advocating for affordability and support for artists navigating challenges like high living costs and social justice causes.
The Committee on Arts and Culture comprises individuals committed to addressing critical issues like housing instability and inadequate compensation, ensuring New York’s creative community thrives under the new administration.
**Committee on Arts and Culture Members:**
– Hiba Abid, New York Public Library
– Dr. Elizabeth Alexander, Mellon Foundation
– Suroosh Alvi, Vice
– Jessica Baker Vodoor, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
– Alexis Bittar, Jewelry Designer
– Rocky Bucano, Hip Hop Museum
– Gonzalo Casals, Culture & Arts Policy Institute
– Carolyn Concepcion, ARTNOIR
– Colm Dillane, KidSuper
– Kimberly Drew, Pace Gallery
– Atiba Edwards, Brooklyn Children’s Museum
– Kamilah Forbes, Apollo Theatre
– Lisa Gold, Asian American Arts Alliance
– Jenna Hamed, Curator and Bookmaker
– Kemi Ilesanmi, KG1
– Wes Jackson, BRIC
– Ruba Katrib, MoMA PS1
– Coco Killingsworth, Cultural Institutions Group
– Mino Lora, The Peoples Theatre
– Patricia McGregor, NY Theatre Workshop
– Lydia Pilcher, Cine Mosaic
– Victoria Rogers, Leadership Strategist
– Hal Rosenbluth, Kaufman Astoria Studios
– Legacy Russell, The Kitchen
– Kenny Savoca, IATSE 161
– Hannah Traore, Hannah Traore Gallery
– Diya Vij, Powerhouse Arts
– Dennis Walcott, Queens Library