Culture & Community | Downtown | International Festival of Arts & Ideas | Arts & Culture | Westville
okoro inside SOURCE / MATERIAL at 838 Whalley Ave., where a member artists' show runs through June 21. Lucy Gellman File Photo.
The following was submitted by Stacy Graham-Hunt. It includes additions from Arts Paper Editor Lucy Gellman.
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas announced today the appointment of artist and curator nico w. okoro as its next executive director, following a competitive national search conducted in partnership with the search firm Creative Evolutions.
okoro has already begun working alongside Festival staff and board leadership as part of a phased transition and will assume the role full-time on August 1 of this year. She plans to continue her work with the BLDG FUND, of which she is the founder and principal, and its not-for-profit arm SOURCE / MATERIAL (more on that below).
Prior to her appointment, the Festival was without permanent leadership for almost two years, after the departure of Executive Director Shelley Quiala in August 2024. From September 2024 though September 2025, the Rev. Kevin Ewing served as interim director. Since that time, a transition team comprising board and staff has been working to keep the organization running and program this year’s festival, which is now underway.
“The word ‘international’ in our name is a call to action, to build spaces of belonging that hold each of us in our full complexity and transform difference into shared possibility,” okoro said. “I envision a Festival that deepens its roots in New Haven while boldly reimagining our city as a living nexus — a global gathering place where the artists, thinkers, and movements that shape our world converge and collide to spark the civic imagination.”
"Festivals don't just reflect culture — they shape it," she added. "The International Festival of Arts & Ideas has long been a respected platform for cultural expression, artistic innovation, and community connection. I'm honored to help steward its next chapter and grateful to the Festival's founders and Board for entrusting me with a vision that has always understood art as a driver of social cohesion and change."
That’s very much already a part of the work okoro folds into everything she does. Before moving to New Haven in 2019, okoro shaped public programming at the Studio Museum in Harlem, building out community engagement initiatives that continue today. Seven years ago, she moved to the Elm City for a leadership position at the Henry Street incubator NXTHVN, where she remained for a year before beginning to create and expand her own powerful artistic footprint in the city.
And create she has (all while also becoming a mom and cranking out a book reimagining museological practice). In 2020, okoro founded the BLDG FUND, a multi-purpose locomotive for artists and cultural workers—particularly Black artists and non-Black artists of color, whose needs often go unmet by organizations and municipal offices alike—in New Haven. At its helm, okoro has become a resource for both artists and arts lovers, activating spaces like Creative Arts Workshop, the LAB at ConnCORP and soon-to-open First Haven in Dixwell with work from New Haven and New Haven area based artists. At the LAB, she runs Orchid Gallery, where there is currently a solo show from artist Clara Nartey on view.
In addition to her leadership work, which has ranged from NXTHVN to the Rush Gallery in Philadelphia, okoro is an author, educator, and curator whose work explores the intersection of art, cultural equity, entrepreneurship, and institutional change. She currently serves on the boards of the National Academy of Design and the Westville Village Renaissance Alliance (WVRA) and has taught at Yale School of Art, Brown University, Barnard College, Hartford Art School, and Gateway Community College.
She lives in New Haven’s Westville neighborhood with her young son, Nile, and lovable dog, Fife. There, okoro runs an arts incubator called SOURCE / MATERIAL out of of 838 Whalley Ave., a property made possible through New Haven’s ArLoW (Art Lofts West) initiative. Read more about that here.
"From our earliest conversations with nico, it was clear that she brings not only vision and creativity, but also a genuine commitment to listening, collaborating, and community," said Festival Board Co-Chair Risë Nelson. "Her vision of the Festival as a platform for cultural expression and engagement that is 'locally rooted, regionally supported, and globally oriented' resonated deeply with us.”
“As we look to the future, we are excited to welcome a leader whose experience, values, and deep appreciation for our community will help strengthen the Festival's role as a vibrant gathering place for artists, audiences, and neighbors alike."
Board Co-Chair Annie Lin said okoro's appointment positions the Festival for continued innovation and community engagement.
"nico will lead the Festival's next chapter with bold art, fresh ideas, and deep community partnerships that drive New Haven's creative economy," said Lin. "We're excited to support nico and the team as they bring joy and opportunity to all."
Festival Co-Founder Roslyn Milstein Meyer said the appointment, which follows the Festival’s 30th anniversary year, represents an exciting moment for the organization and the community it serves.
"The Festival is entering an exciting new chapter," Meyer said. "With nico's leadership, we have an opportunity to build on three decades of artistic excellence while expanding our impact throughout New Haven and beyond. Her commitment to community engagement, cultural exchange, and creative innovation reflects the values that have guided the Festival since its beginning."
Erik Clemons, president and CEO of ConnCAT and founding CEO of ConnCORP, said he’s equally excited for okoro’s appointment. In the pst few years, the two have become very close through okoro’s creative work, including her vision for the Orchid Gallery.
“Since her arrival in New Haven in 2019, nico has prompted our city and its cultural organizations to reimagine how the arts can be presented, engaged, and interpreted. Her appointment means a great deal to everyone who has longed for a voice in this organization,” he said. "nico is a well-versed bridge builder, whose clarity of vision and entrepreneurial spirit uniquely position her to take the Festival to the next level.”