2025 Power Players in Arts & Culture

Jill Rafson has served as producing artistic director of Classic Stage Company since 2022. She was previously associate artistic director at Roundabout Theatre Company, where she led the acclaimed Roundabout Underground initiative. Rafson is a creative producer and dramaturg, who has produced and developed works that have gone on to win the Pulitzer Prize, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Lucille Lortel Awards. She resides in Queens with her husband.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
As a Tony Nominator, I’m privileged to get to see every new show opening on Broadway this season, but I would encourage everyone to take a chance on an off-Broadway play or musical. off-Broadway, the theaters are smaller, but the talent is just as massive, and there’s a huge variety of work on offer at prices that won’t make your jaw drop.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
Support arts and culture in this city by showing up! Live theater only exists when there’s an audience. Show up, and tell everyone when you see something you love. So much can be accomplished by word of mouth, especially for companies with tiny advertising budgets. Policymakers need to remember how much the arts contribute to the local economy and make sure that these organizations are supported both financially and vocally in turn.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
Even in challenging times, NY’s cultural organizations find ways to thrive. CSC is collaborating right now with two other nonprofit off-Broadway theaters, Transport Group and National Asian American Theater Company, on a revival of the great William Inge play Bus Stop, because we know that we can make great, mission-driven work together and that we can do it within responsible budgets. This city’s arts institutions will always find creative solutions that turn problems into opportunities.

Through Carlina’s time in office, she has been dedicated to nurturing art, culture, and creativity, and has secured over $50 million for organizations throughout her district’s communities. By improving access to the arts, she has highlighted its link to well-being, improved quality of life, and safer neighborhoods. Carlina looks forward to being a champion for the culture capital of the world through bolstering the sector with City funding and protecting its vital services for families.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
I recently went to the Amy Sherald: American Sublime exhibit at the Whitney, which was fabulous. I would love to go see Puerto Rico in Print: The Posters of Lorenzo Homar at the Poster House this month too.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
As chair of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, I work in lockstep with arts sector workers and advocates to secure the resources needed for arts and culture to thrive. I encourage New Yorkers to attend events, buy local art, and support community-based organizations. By valuing creativity and fighting for investments, we help sustain our vibrant cultural ecosystem which is a vital part of our identity. 

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 is known for its diversity, constant artistic innovation, and global influence. From world-class museums and theaters to underground art scenes and international cuisine, we remain a melting pot of creativity. Neighborhoods across the city pulse with music, fashion, literature, and ideas, proving that New York is still a place where culture is not just preserved, but constantly reinvented.

David joined Building for the Arts in 2022 with a goal to expand and modernize the impact of its three signature programs: Theatre Row, The American Playwriting Foundation, and Music and the Brain. He has over 25 years of experience in the performing arts and a background as an executive with a track record of leading organizations through moments of transformation. David is on the faculty at the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale.

A visionary urban planner and activist, Rebecca Robertson has served as the Adam R. Flatto founding president and executive producer of Park Avenue Armory since 2006, spearheading the ongoing $215-million revitalization and transformation of the historic Armory building into a nonprofit cultural institution. Under Robertson’s leadership, the Armory has garnered critical and popular acclaim for presenting innovative multidisciplinary artistic programming not possible anywhere else in the City.

Rosalba Rolón is the artistic director of Pregones+Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, with venues in The Bronx and the Theater District. A recipient of Creative Capital and Doris Duke Artist Awards, her recent credits include “The Red Rose” and “Torched!”.  She has collaborated with theaters in the U. S., Latin America, and Europe. This year, Rolón was invited to write and deliver the World Theater Day message on behalf of the theater sector in the U.S.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
I would love to attend ALL the performances presented by the NYC Alliance of Latino Theaters, which celebrates its annual TeatroFest NYC in March and April. Imagine! Eight theaters working together to produce a Festival, offering theater, dance, and music performances in Manhattan, The Bronx, and Queens for thousands of audience members from New York and our neighboring states. PregonesPRTT, Teatro SEA, IATI, Thalia Spanish Theatre, Repertorio Español, La TEA, INTAR and Teatro Círculo! 

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
Arts and culture in New York thrive when everyday New Yorkers, including policymakers,  say ‘Presente!’. Their collective voice impacts public forums in which arts and culture policies are discussed, and in which support for our sector is decided. By attending the huge range of arts/cultural events offered every day in all 5 Boroughs, audiences and policymakers will be inspired. And the impact of our sector in our City will be that much greater.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
A musician playing on a subway platform. A poet in a community garden. Theaters – -large and small – with year-round seasons. Storytellers in schools and senior centers. An exhibit by local artists. Sharing space with artists from around the world. The Theater District, museums, and galleries welcoming thousands of visitors. These are a few examples of how NY has claimed its place as the culture capital of the world. Interruptions in this arena are a threat to this legacy. 

Michael S. Rosenberg has a long and distinguished career leading performing arts institutions to nurture artists, expand audiences, and engage communities. Under his leadership, New York City Center continues to make extraordinary theater and dance accessible to all audiences through celebrated performance series like the Fall for Dance Festival; the Tony-honored Encores! musical theater program; the annual season by Principal Dance Company Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; and the artist-curated Artists at the Center series.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
I can proudly say that I will be attending Encores! WONDERFUL TOWN, directed by Zhailon Levingston, this month! I’m looking forward to Anika Noni Rose and Aisha Jackson stepping into this classic Leonard Berstein musical that celebrates the great city of New York.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
Go! Attend a performance. Visit a museum. Experience arts and culture firsthand. And when you do, take a moment to look around and see how people are reacting and engaging. You will witness first-hand the power of the arts and how sharing culture brings us together in the best possible way.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
On any day and at any moment, you can enjoy legendary performers and be introduced to incredible new talent. Artists and audiences from all five boroughs and from around the world collide and collaborate in New York City like no other place in the world. The City has always been a place where the arts belong to all of us – and the savviest New Yorkers know to take advantage of this gift every day.

Dina is the executive director of the Staten Island Children’s Museum, where she’s led for nearly 30 years with passion and vision. She holds an M.A. in art history from VCU and began her career at the American Museum of Natural History. Her work has spanned history, children’s, and science museums, including serving as director of science education at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Dina is committed to joyful, inclusive, and impactful learning.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
I’d love to see Lucy Darling at the Triad Theater. Her sharp wit, playful improv, and vintage flair are pure joy. I follow her on social media, and her performances always make me laugh – something we all need more of. I admire her quick thinking and the way she connects with audiences. As someone who finds joy in humor and playfulness, her show feels like the perfect escape and a celebration of creativity.

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
As someone who’s worked in museums for decades, I believe policymakers can support arts and culture by funding accessible, community-centered programs – especially for children. Everyday New Yorkers can show support by visiting local museums, performances, and exhibits, and advocating for arts education in schools. When we treat creativity as essential, not extra, we help build a city where everyone – especially kids – can grow, learn, and imagine through the arts.

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
I think New York continues to live up to its cultural legacy, especially through its commitment to arts in schools and investments in community programs. These efforts don’t just support creativity – they nurture the kind of thinking that leads to innovation. Nobel Prize winners are far more likely to engage in the arts than their peers, which tells you something: exposure to the arts matters. New York gets that, and it shows in the city’s priorities.

Scott Rothkopf is the Alice Pratt Brown director of the Whitney Museum. A Harvard-educated art historian, he joined the Whitney in 2009 and has held key leadership roles. He’s curated major exhibitions like Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror and Jeff Koons: A Retrospective, and written extensively on contemporary art. He has been a guest critic, lecturer, and panelist at numerous institutions and is a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation.

Samanthe Rubell, president of Pace Gallery, is responsible for steering the gallery’s mission, developing the overall programming of the gallery, and envisioning how to consistently enhance its support for artists and estates. Since her appointment to the role of president in early 2023, Rubell has taken the lead on business strategy at an international level, with oversight of Pace’s eight gallery spaces across the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

Taryn Sacramone has been executive director of Queens Theatre (QT) since 2013. QT presents performances and education programs that reflect its extraordinarily diverse community. In 2016, QT launched Theatre For All, an initiative to advance disability inclusion in the arts. Taryn previously served as chair of the Cultural Institutions Group and currently serves on the NYC Tourism and Conventions Board. She founded/co-leads Culture@3, a twice-weekly call that has included 1000+ NYC culture leaders since 2020.

If you could attend any event, show, or exhibit in the city this month, what would it be and why?
I’ve been looking forward to the Latin Culture & Dance Fiesta at Queens Theatre all season. QT’s Director of Audience Experience Willy Mosquera has curated three days of events (5/2-5/4), from CEIBO, an Argentine folkloric band, to Señor Bolero, a musical, to bilingual children’s films. I know that the theater will be filled with joyful crowds. Those experiences are so rewarding and energizing for all of us who work at Queens Theatre. 

How can policymakers and everyday New Yorkers support arts and culture within the city?
Most immediately, everyday New Yorkers can join with arts and culture leaders and advocates in a call for $75 million dollars to be secured for the City’s culture budget next year. The strength of the arts and culture sector impacts every other part of NYC life, with data-proven positive effects on the economy, public health, education, safety and more. Investing in culture benefits all NYC residents and visitors! 

New York has historically been considered the culture capital of the world. How do you feel the city upholds this legacy in 2025?
Being the cultural capital is less a legacy than it is a responsibility. It’s the daily work of extraordinary artists and cultural workers. The vibrancy of New York’s arts and culture sector is, without a doubt, one of the City’s greatest strengths, but we cannot take it for granted. Ensuring that New York continues to be a magnetic force culturally means committing to supporting the sector and those who work in it.