Blanca Herrada, Lawrence Arts Center Exhibitions Coordinator and local Lawrence artist, is one of 52 Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) arts and culture leaders selected for the inaugural National Leaders of Color Fellowship (LoCF).
The program brings together “arts and culture leaders from across the country [to] participate in a strategic leadership development program for BIPOC leaders committed to the advancement of cultural equity in the arts.” Of 460 applicants, Herrada is one of six BIPOC leaders representing the Mid-America Arts Alliance cohort.
“I believe it is vital to support and uplift the most marginalized in our communities. The LoCF is a unique opportunity to connect with other like-minded BIPOC folks working in the arts. I hope to increase my knowledge and skill set so I can apply what I have learned to my work within the Lawrence Arts Center, but most importantly, to all the communities I am a part of,” said Herrada.
Organized by the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), LoCF is an expansion of the Emerging Leaders of Color (ELC) program that has promoted equity in arts administration leadership since 2010.
Congrats, Blanca! 💫