Celebrating the AAC Community
As we bring 2023 to a close, our hearts are filled with joy reflecting on our 2023 annual convening where we hosted over 300 artists and arts administrators of the global majority in Chicago, IL November 11-12. This year marked our first time ever hosting the annual convening outside of the DMV area where AAC was founded.
“For generations, Chicago has been the landing place for so many of our communities and the birthplace of major movements. It is an immigrant town, a destination in the great migration, an organizing town, and home of a vibrant and deeply-rooted artistic community. It is where my mother and I landed when we arrived from Puerto Rico, and is the place where I grew as an artist, activist, and arts administrator.
When imagining what the first AAC Convening would look like outside of the DMV area, I couldn’t think of a better place than to bring our national community to Chicago. My goals were for folks to see themselves in the artists and arts leaders of the Global Majority, for our Chicago community to learn from their peers from across the country, and for the 300 attendees who joined us to feel seen, celebrated, and affirmed in their journeys as artists and arts leaders.
And we did just that. Together we learned, together we celebrated and inspired, together we extended the table that AAC began constructing in 2016.
Every speaker, every performer, vendor, and attendee was an essential part of the success of the convening. Your continued investment in AAC ensures that we can continue to create these essential spaces for our network.” - Karla Estela Rivera
Check out this beautiful photo gallery below to catch a glimpse of the vibrancy our community brought to Chicago this year.
You can also learn about our phenomenal guest speakers, performers, and site visits hosts here.
As we move forward in our work, AAC remains a “for us by us” culture dedicated to supporting and harnessing the power of artists, arts administrators, and organizations of people of the global majority to connect and expand BIPOC leadership across the U. S. creative sector. If you are activated by our mission and looking to join our community of supporters, please consider making a gift to support the growth and sustainability of our organization.
In community,
