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Cultural Partners Network Summit: Showing Up for Our Community

Aspects of humanity that are central to the missions and integral to the values of many of our organizations are being threatened. It is easy to feel isolation and solitude during times of exceptional turmoil. For this year’s Summit, we’re working against the intention to cause chaos and divide by focusing on finding ways to stay connected, be in community, and work collaboratively. How can we show up for each other and stand together? 

Moderated by Priya Frank, join ArtsFund’s Cultural Partners Network on June 18 from 10 am-1 pm for a Virtual Summit to discuss how we can show up for each other and stand together.

Breakout Conversations  |  Accessibility  |  Agenda  |  Session Descriptions  |  Speaker Bios  |  Networking Event

When

June 18, 10 am – 1 pm – Virtual sessions

June 18, 4:00 – 6:30 pm – in-person networking event (at SIFF Film Center)

Button in with an orange background and white letters that say "Register"

Breakout Conversations

Breakout conversations will be facilitated by colleagues from the Cultural Partners Network and will center around themes of youth engagement and advocacy, collective and collaborative messaging, and community relationship building. 

Breakout facilitators include:

Arts and cultural staff members of all levels are invited to attend.

 

Accessibility

  • ASL Interpretation
  • Auto-generated captions
  • Visual description

AGENDA

Breakout session details TBD.

10:00 a.m. Welcome and opening remarks

10:15 a.m. Full group session

10:40 a.m. Breakout Session 1

11:25 a.m. Break

11:30 a.m. Breakout Session 2

12:15 p.m. Break

12:20 p.m. Final Debrief

View detailed agenda.

 

Session Descriptions

Organizational Culture and Self-Care 

Full group discussion 

We all want to be able to continue serving our communities and organizations. But as the saying goes, you can’t fill from an empty cup. How are we creating space in our organizations and for ourselves to refill our cups? How are we creating the sense of safety and trust in our own organizations? 

More Than a Program: Holding Third Place Space for Youth Voice and Belonging 

Dr. Kimberly Keith, Hilltop Artists
Katy Evans, Hilltop Artists 

What does it mean to be a “third place” for young people today and how can we build and sustain these spaces in ways that center youth voice, leadership, and long-term belonging? 

At Hilltop Artists, our studios are more than classrooms, they are third places. A space where youth show up not just to create, but to belong, to be seen, and to grow into their power. In a world where many young people are navigating disconnection, fear, stress, and shifting systems, these third places are more important than ever. 

This session is a conversation about how we hold that space: how we nurture belonging, elevate youth voices, and build organizations that adapt to the real, evolving needs of the young people we serve. 

Creative Collaboration 

Kevin Malgesini, Seattle Children’s Theatre
Vi Nguyen, Project Management Consultant

Kevin Malgesini and Vi Nguyen host a community conversation on creative collaborations using the SCT and Seattle Rep Box Office collaboration project as a foundational case study, and incorporating the experiences and stories of those in the room, to share learnings and support creative collaborations and partnerships. 

Sharing Space, Fighting Scarcity Mentality, and Meeting Youth Where They Are At!

Amy Poisson, Producing Artistic Director, Seattle Public Theater

Producing Artistic Director Amy Poisson will share her thoughts and experience on coproductions, moving Macha in with Seattle Public, and the idea of go big or go home. Also, she will share about the Youth program which is run by a Youth Advisory cohort and generally going analog with community and building relationships. 

Community Relationship Building 

Teresa Thuman, Sound Theatre Company 

Getting our audiences to return to our arts and cultural spaces after the pandemic started has been a struggle. This session will focus on building relationships: with our communities and audiences, with the Indigenous communities who have long stewarded the lands we occupy, with the artists and leaders we encounter on a daily basis, with our colleagues in the arts and culture sector, and beyond. We’ll look for strategies around community gathering and making together. 

Speaker Bios

Katy Evans is a nonprofit executive, writer, and strategist dedicated to justice, curiosity, and collaboration. She brings nearly two decades of experience in Northwest nonprofits, currently serving as Deputy Director of Hilltop Artists, a youth arts nonprofit in Tacoma. 

Since joining Hilltop Artists in 2019, Katy has led strategic planning and budget development while developing the organization’s government and business relations, policy and procedure modernization, and equitable compensation philosophy. Her portfolio includes organizational strategy, communications, fundraising, and staff care. Previously, she served as Assistant Executive Director at The Grand Cinema, leading outreach campaigns and education programming. Katy has also held roles at Museum of Glass, Metro Parks Tacoma, and co-founded the online magazine Post Defiance. A storyteller and fundraiser, she has raised millions in support of creative and community-based work. Katy is a graduate of The Evergreen State College and a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum (Class XXV). She co-hosts the We Art Tacoma podcast and lives in Tacoma with her partner and cat. She loves to travel, cook, read, walk, watch films, puzzle, and sing. 

Priya Frank (she/her) is a changemaker with over 25 years of experience specializing in racial equity strategy, philanthropic development, and community engagement in the arts. Her career is defined by a proven ability to lead complex organizational change, most recently in a former senior leadership role at the Seattle Art Museum, where she led racial equity initiatives, curated impactful programs, and forged strategic community partnerships. Her expertise extends to the philanthropic sector, with experience at the University of Washington, and public service, as former Chair of the Seattle Arts Commission. Priya is a published author, speaker, and community leader who translates complex concepts into actionable strategies through MovementMakers.us, a consulting, coaching, and creative services practice that works with leaders and organizations to clarify values, overcome hurdles, and align strategies that create healthier, more collaborative work places where folx can feel seen, valued and celebrated for the gifts they bring. 

Born and raised in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood, Dr. Kimberly Keith has served as Executive Director of Hilltop Artists since 2017, bringing thoughtful and innovative leadership. Under her guidance, the organization was named the 2020 Washington State Organization of the Year. A steadfast champion for equity and staff well-being, Dr. Keith has strengthened wages and benefits while supporting professional and artistic growth for her team. 

She has expanded opportunities for students through global learning partnerships with organizations such as Crafting the Future, Museum of Glass, and Pilchuck Glass School. Dr. Keith also represents Hilltop Artists in Glass Impact, a national coalition advancing equity in the glass arts. Her community leadership includes serving on the boards of the Tacoma Community College Foundation and Oasis Youth Center, the DEI Committee at Pilchuck Glass School, and the Tacoma Creates renewal Steering Committee. A graduate of The Evergreen State College, Dr. Keith earned her PhD in Sociology from Goldsmiths, University of London, with research focused on how museum practitioners in the U.S. and U.K. engage diverse audiences. She is a past chair of the Arts & Culture Coalition of Pierce County and a proud ALF Class XXV fellow. 

Kevin Malgesini is a nonprofit leader and arts executive with deep roots in Seattle’s cultural community. Since 2018, he has served as Managing Director of Seattle Children’s Theatre, helping to lead bold collaborations, a major renovation to improve accessibility, and mission-driven growth. Prior to SCT, Kevin held leadership roles across the city’s creative sector, including at Town Hall Seattle, where he led the Campaign for Town Hall, renovating the historic venue at the edge of Downtown. He has also served on several non profit boards, including at Intiman Theatre where he served as Board President during a period of intense transition. Kevin’s work is grounded in a belief in the power of storytelling and a commitment to collaborative, equity-centered leadership. He is passionate about partnerships that bring artists, educators, and communities together to create inclusive and imaginative experiences for all ages. Kevin holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Washington, a MA in Theology from The Seattle School and BA in Theatre from Western Washington University. 

Vi Nguyen is a project management consultant and coach who helps leaders and teams get clarity, get organized and get it done. Vi brings over 15 years’ experience guiding and supporting individuals and organizations through complex projects involving change at the systems, product and people level. She has played a variety of roles in her career – project manager, scrum master, product owner, coach – and has worked closely with leadership, program, technology and operations teams in for-profit, nonprofit and public organizations. Most recently in the arts and culture sector, Vi project managed a consulting engagement with the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development on cultural strategies for downtown revitalization; facilitated strategic planning and season planning for Seattle Children’s Theatre; and led the feasibility study and implementation for SCT and Seattle Rep’s new shared box office. Vi earned a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College, a Certificate in Project Management from the University of Washington and multiple Agile certifications. 

Amy Poisson (Producing Artistic Director, Seattle Public Theater) is a Seattle-based dramaturgical director specializing in supporting world premiere plays and musicals by femme writers. She is the Producing Artistic Director of Seattle Public Theater and Macha Theatre Works.  Upcoming projects: Amy is directing the world premiere of Stage of Fools in October of 2025 and the world premiere of Aviatrix, a musical opening May 2026 at Seattle Public Theater. Past work includes: Macbeth: A Rock musical by Lisa Tricomi and Joe Popp, Once More Just for You written by Maggie Lee, The Park by Jenn Ruzumna and Lisa Every, Letters from Max, a ritual by Sarah Ruhl, La Tofana’s Poison Emporium by Joy McCullough, 17 Minute Stories, Macha’s Live-streamed Season, The Fifth Wave by Jenn Ruzumna and Lisa Every; Blood Water Paint and Smoke & Dust by Joy McCullough; Sheathed by Maggie Lee (2019 Gregory Award winner for Outstanding New Play); Happy, Happy, Happy… by Jenn Ruzumna and Lisa Every; The Flight Before Xmas by Maggie Lee for Macha Theatre Works in 2019 and Seattle Public Theater in 2017; A Hand of Talons by Maggie Lee (2016 Gregory Award winner for Costumes; multiple Gypsy Rose Awards); The Twelfth Story by Rebecca Goldberg at Annex Theatre; Blood/Water/Paint by Joy McCullough-Carranza for Live Girls! Theater; Fast Company by Carla Ching (2014 Seattle Times Footlight Award); and The Clockwork Professor and The Tumbleweed Zephyr (2016 Gregory Award nominee for Best New Play) by Maggie Lee, produced by Pork Filled Productions. Amy also directed These Streets by Gretta Harley & Sarah Rudinoff at ACT Central Heating Lab. 

 

Networking Event

On June 18 from 4:00 – 6:30 p.m., after our virtual summit has ended, join with your colleagues and peers in the Cultural Partners Network for an in-person networking event at SIFF Film Center to keep the conversations going. We will provide light fare, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic options.

When: Thursday, June 18, 4:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Where: SIFF Film Center

167 Republican Street

Seattle, WA 98109