“Who better than artists and cultural workers to help us see a new world that our people can’t envision because we haven’t lived in it yet?”

- Activist Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, NOCD-NY Peer Learning Exchange: Activating the Cultural Power of a Movement

Visioning sessions and learning exchanges as part of Reimagining New York City

The COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on social and economic inequities and structural racism in our city. An erosion of democracy and distrust in government has challenged inclusive decision making. Critical social networks and the community resources that support them are in danger of being lost.

NOCD-NY’s Reimagining New York City initiative furthers New York City’s ability to heal, recover, and transform by incorporating the wisdom, imagination, and creative practices of community cultural organizations, artists, and neighborhood residents in decision making and transformative change. It supports the cross-sector collaborations needed to address New York City’s complex problems and strengthen community-based arts and culture as a critical part of the cultural ecology.

The small cultural organizations that communities depend on are struggling to survive, challenged by historic disinvestment exacerbated by the pandemic and economic crisis. In spite of this, these organizations have connected people, tended to grief and loss, supported mutual aid, provided jobs, and interrupted violence. Drawing on the trust they have built, they have supported immigrant communities and others who are fearful of mainstream institutions. They are sources of comfort, joy, and healing, and provide spaces to speak truth to power and to organize for change.

As we rebuild, New York City is under new leadership and this initiative seizes this moment. Having been involved in past citywide leadership transitions, we are well aware of the barriers that will keep our communities from being at the table. In spite of its proven role during the pandemic, community arts and culture will likely be undervalued. We are overcoming these barriers by coming together through new narratives, creative civic engagement, and proactive action.

NOCD-NY has brought our communities and networks together to re-imagine our city through visioning sessions, learning exchanges and citywide forums from 2021 - 2023.

Visioning workshops and exchanges included presentations and dialogue, incorporated cultural processes, and cultivated relationships. Some focused on place and others were thematic. They built on existing work and addressed key topics such as the role of cultural hubs, new economies and organizational forms, racial equity, activism and movement building, climate and environmental justice, public space, and more.

We convened multiple citywide forums. Our youth forum was an opportunity for young groups across the city to design and lead their own discussion. Two citywide forums—both online and in-person—reflected on what came out of the visioning sessions and helped refine our priorities.

Artists also created commissions and writers have composed essays that reflect the themes raised during our visioning sessions.

Reimaining New York City partners include ArtBuilt, Artichoke Dance, Arts & Democracy, Art.Coop, The Chocolate Factory Theater, City Lore, The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center, DeeArah Wright, IndieSpace, Kensington Cultural Council, The Laundromat Project, Masoom Moitra, New York City Council Member Shahana Hanif, THE POINT CDC, El Puente, Raquel de Anda, Staten Island Arts; and additional collaborators and participants.

Reimagining New York City is supported by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council, New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and National Endowment for the Arts. It is also supported by the Lily Auchincloss Foundation. Previous funders of the early visioning process include The New York Community Trust and Rockefeller Brothers Fund.