2025 Power Players in Arts & Culture

Colin B. Bailey is the sixth director of the Morgan Library and Museum, a position he has held since 2015. Bailey is a scholar of 18th- and 19th-century French art and has been responsible for many publications and exhibitions. A specialist of Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Bailey is organizing the first exhibition in a century to explore Renoir’s works on paper in depth, opening at the Morgan on October 17.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
I would have to say that it is the Morgan’s own exhibition, “Belle da Costa Greene: A Librarian’s Legacy.” This two-gallery show, devoted to the life and times of J. Pierpont Morgan’s personal Librarian – who led the Library as a public institution – has resonated deeply with our visitors. It has had a long run at the Morgan and closes on May 4.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
Visit, join as members, and talk to friends about places you have discovered and programs you have enjoyed. Word of mouth is still a very powerful method of communication.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
Cultural institutions plan years in advance, and most museums have very good information about their upcoming exhibitions and programs. City-supported marketing campaigns can access these offerings and help amplify the institutions’ own work in getting the word out to visitors to New York.

Regina Bain serves as the executive director of the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens, recipient of the 2024 National Medal for Museums and Libraries. She recently opened the 14,000 sq. foot, 26 million-dollar, Armstrong Center. Her writing is featured in the Handbook of Black Librarianship. Bain is a co-facilitator of Culture @3, a board member of NYC Tourism + Conventions, and she recently served on the Yale University Alumni Board of Governors.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
Nicholas Payton and Endea Owens are coming up at the Louis Armstrong Center. Come see us in Queens! I’m also excited to see Amy Sherald at the Whitney, the Queensboro Dance Festival throughout Queens, and Urban Bush Women at The Apollo.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
The loss of federal agencies that support our work is having an impact, but, like Ella and Louis sing, “Our love is here to stay.” Support the organizations you love through donations, volunteering, or sharing a post on social media. Be part of the movement.

Jessica Baker Vodoor leads with a focus on expanding cultural programming for the Staten Island community. Under her leadership, Snug Harbor has increased cultural and community collaborations, and the unique 83-acre culture park’s robust calendar of festivals and events is growing Snug Harbor’s recognition across the NYC cultural landscape. She serves on the Board of NYC Tourism & Conventions and is an avid advocate for cross-borough tourism.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
Dancers Unlimited will be in residence at Snug Harbor on May 17th, as a part of our Artist Residency program PASS! This is a new dance work in development that centers rest as a radical act, an act of liberation. I think that the themes of this performance celebrate perfectly the ideals of Snug Harbor, a place where nature, culture and reflection merge together into inspiration – I’m really looking forward to it!  

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
Show up for live performances and art exhibitions, please! Showing up for the arts is so important in normal times, but in these wild days where the very fabric of art and culture is under constant attack, we need New Yorkers to go to the theater, to the art museums, to cultural and community events REGULARLY!  Just participate in what makes New York City better than any other city in the world – our cultural offerings!

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
I believe that NY’s cultural legacy continues to grow its global influence. Visitors now explore farther and farther afield to enjoy cultural experiences across our great city, and it’s exciting to see that growth continue. New York’s strength is diversity, and our cultural institutions offer access to the entire world in one city. I hope to see outer-borough cultural offerings continue to gain attention because it’s amazing what every neighborhood contributes to our cultural legacy!    

Nicholas Baume is the artistic and executive director of Public Art Fund, which he joined in 2009. Originally from Australia, his curatorial work spans institutions including Kaldor Public Art Projects, MCA Sydney, the Wadsworth Atheneum, and the ICA Boston. He has curated numerous exhibitions with leading international artists, authored major catalogs, and is a frequent speaker and writer on contemporary art.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
At the beginning of this month, I was blown away by “The Threepenny Opera” at BAM, directed by the brilliant Berlin-based Aussie and dear friend, Barrie Kosky. In the art world, Laura Owens’s exhibition at Matthew Marks Gallery is a must see. Public Art Fund worked with Laura on her extraordinary permanent installation at LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B. Her deeply imaginative and visually arresting work consistently expands the boundaries of what painting can be. Also not to be missed is the profound Caspar David Friedrich exhibition at the Met. The greatest painter of the Romantic period still enthralls, setting the stage for so many of the themes that we continue to grapple with today. 

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
The best civic design includes thoughtfully integrated public art. Local leaders can support this cultural vitality by advocating for and investing in accessible, inclusive, and ambitious art programs. When people see themselves reflected in the public realm, it fosters community, belonging, and pride. We see the generative impact of public art embraced by policymakers, civic and local organizations, developers, and philanthropists who understand its value. As more people engage with public art, the demand and appreciation for it only grows.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
New York thrives thanks to the city’s openness to new ideas, diverse voices, and bold artistic experimentation. Artists are increasingly drawn to public space as a site of creative possibility, where people encounter art amidst daily life. These spontaneous, often unexpected interactions energize our neighborhoods, spark dialogue, and invite reflection. Since 1977, Public Art Fund has helped reshape the urban landscape by making contemporary art accessible beyond traditional museum and gallery walls, expanding the very definition of public art. One young New Yorker recently told us that public art is “the fuel to our fire.” That kind of energy and inspiration is needed now more than ever.

Adrian Benepe, president and CEO of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, is one of the nation’s foremost experts in parks and open green spaces. As senior vice president and director of national programs at the Trust for Public Land, Benepe led efforts to ensure that every city resident has a high-quality park within a 10-minute walk of home. He worked for NYC Parks & Recreation for 27 years, including 11 years as commissioner.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
My favorite “show” in spring is the display put on in many of the gardens and parks of NYC – especially the flowering cherry and crabapple trees, the daffodils, and the tulips, springtime in NYC is a parade of familiar hits every year!

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
The most important thing that elected and appointed city officials can do is make sure that arts and culture organizations receive their fair share of city funding that keeps up with inflation. Arts and culture is one of the few investments the City can make that returns a substantial ROI!

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
The arts and culture have never been under as grave an existential threat in the US as they are now, facing damaging cuts in funding by the federal administration. New York City must stay the course in not just maintaining but expanding its financial support of the arts to make sure we remain the cultural capital of the world.

Yoni is a lifelong New Yorker who has worked in government, politics, policy and economic development at the city, state, and international levels. At ESD, his role is to make New York State the best place to create movies, tv, and theater. To do this, he works with government and industry partners to craft programs, write policies, and facilitate productions all across the state.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
I’m excited to see The Frick Collection, which reopened this month, and Charlie XCX at Barclays in May! On the small screen, I am looking forward to watching Étoile, from the creators of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which highlights the ballet world in NY and Paris and The Four Seasons, a comedy miniseries by Tina Fey, both filmed throughout NY.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
Visit, support and promote local arts and cultural organizations. Each of the neighborhoods and communities throughout our state are unique and foster incredible talent. Engage your local small businesses and learn how various arts and cultural entities have economic impacts throughout your communities. More broadly, but critically, ensure there is affordable housing, education, transportation and safety for creatives.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
Absolutely. Quite simply: New York still has it all. Look at film festivals, for example: we have celebrations like ReelAbilities telling stories of people with disabilities, NewFest highlighting LGBTQ creators, film festivals in dozens of languages, and everything from niche indy productions to world premieres of major films. That story of incredible range and depth can be told in TV production, stage shows, and so many other art forms.

Matt Bolish is deputy director of Film at Lincoln Center and managing director of the New York Film Festival. He oversees planning and production for NYFF, including bringing its programs to all five boroughs. Bolish manages FLC’s festival partnerships, including annual collaborations with The Museum of Modern Art, the Jewish Museum, and others. He is a member of the board of directors for Art House Convergence, a national coalition of independent cinemas and film exhibitors.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
I would attend Opening Night of Film at Lincoln Center’s annual New Directors/New Films. I really love that the festival gives audiences the opportunity to discover new filmmakers and new voices, who we then get to follow along with as their careers develop in the future. It’s so exciting to be able to recognize an established filmmaker as someone who got their start at ND/NF years ago. 

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
First and foremost, they can attend. It’s so important for policymakers to experience the magical moment of seeing a film on the big screen with an audience or listening to a filmmaker talk about their work, especially through our education screenings which give students opportunities to ask filmmakers questions directly. It allows them to see the direct impact that these cultural activities have on audience members and stresses the importance of supporting and cultivating it.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
I feel that New York remains an unparalleled hub of arts and culture. However, with that comes the challenge of figuring out ways to find new audiences while delivering programs that engage and excite our diehard fans. It can be a balancing act but it’s one that makes our work so fulfilling in the long term: staying true to the mission while at the same time creating new opportunities to connect with the audience.

Dr. Jorrit Britschgi is an Asian art historian and executive director of the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, a position he has held since 2017. He led the recent transformation of the Rubin Museum into a globally operating museum without a central physical space. He has spearheaded an innovative museum model that builds on partnerships and long-term initiatives with the aim of creating more awareness and appreciation of Himalayan Art.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
I would go for an eclectic combo of revisiting the Cycladic art special installation at the Met, heading to the Brooklyn Museum (where the Rubin’s Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room is currently being installed) to see their 200th Anniversary exhibition, venture out to Pioneer Works in Red Hook, and perhaps end the day listening to a set by Ambrose Akinmusire at Village Vanguard.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
Art is an important part of New York’s cultural and economic ecosystem and should receive adequate funding and favorable conditions for it to inspire and connect humans. Innovation is only possible if there is affordable space to experiment and share in. New Yorkers can support the arts and culture by visiting and participating, becoming members and supporters, and spreading the word especially, about smaller organizations that are driven by innovative approaches.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
New York has an amazing array of cultural offerings from world-renowned institutions to small, alternative spaces, but there is also fierce competition for funding and attention both from audiences and media. New York can maintain its status as a culture capital if the city is able to maintain cultural breeding grounds that drive innovation and new forms of cultural experiences.

Frances Bronet is president of Pratt Institute in New York City. An educator and leader in interdisciplinary learning, she joined Pratt in 2018. Since then, international rankings, underrepresented enrollment, graduation rates, financial aid, and the endowment have increased. Pratt has invested in high-efficiency models to reduce energy and carbon usage. Under her leadership, Pratt established a research facility and MFA programs at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, co-founded The New York Climate Exchange, and launched a public high school focused on design.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
It’s my favorite time of year – Pratt Shows season. These public exhibitions showcase the culminating work of our graduating students across disciplines. Vibrant, urgent, and thoughtful, the shows celebrate years of creative inquiry, imagining new futures, and offer a glimpse into what matters most to the next generation of artists, designers, architects, and creative thinkers.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
Arts and culture are not only central to New York’s vitality – they are integral to the well-being, identity, and resilience of its neighborhoods. When we invest in arts education, support equitable access to creative spaces, and recognize artists as essential civic contributors, we are also advancing community wellness and quality of life. We are partners in civic arenas, from therapeutic art therapy to building resilient neighborhoods.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
New York earns its title as the culture capital through constant reinvention – and Pratt graduates are embedded in that process. Nearly one-third of our 65,000 alumni remain in the city, contributing to its creative and civic life. At the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Pratt’s presence – from the Research Yard to Dock 72 studios – puts students at the intersection of art, innovation, and industry. These spaces show how education and entrepreneurship fuel real-world impact. Across the city, alumni shape a vibrant, inclusive future.

Katherine Brown is executive director of New York City Ballet and the David H. Koch Theater, overseeing the management and administrative functions of both institutions. Prior to NYCB, Brown was the chief operating officer of WNYC Radio and executive director of jazz at Lincoln Center. She has also held senior positions at The New York Public Library and National Endowment for the Arts and is a past member of the Board of Trustees of Dance/USA. 

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
The City has always recognized the importance and contributions of cultural organizations to the overall vibrancy of the community, and the cultural economy generates $110 billion in economic activity in NYC – that’s 13% of the City’s economic activity.  So, it’s in policymakers’ interest to continue to provide strong support. Culture is for all New Yorkers, we need the City’s help to keep the sector thriving.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
As New Yorkers, we benefit from the most significant public funding towards culture in the entire country. Investing in culture is investing in New Yorkers of all ages and from all walks of life. Engaging in the arts and culture supports wellness and health, counteracts social isolation, and enhances civic life. The programs, exhibits, and experiences offered by our city’s cultural institutions and programs teach empathy, encourage intercultural exchange, and build resilience. The generous support provided by the City each year helps to safeguard these institutions, ensuring that New York City remains the cultural capital of the world.