Arts & Ideas Festival Names New Executive Director

[Stacy Graham-Hunt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2026

CONTACT

Stacy Graham-Hunt

st...@sghpr.com 

203.843.5991

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Nationally Recognized Arts Leader, Curator, and Cultural Strategist to Lead Festival

International Festival of Arts & Ideas Appoints nico w. okoro as Executive Director

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New Haven, CT (June 8, 2026)  — The International Festival of Arts & Ideas  announced today the appointment of nico w. okoro as its next Executive Director, following a competitive national search conducted in partnership with 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, 2026.

A New Haven resident and longtime advocate for artists and cultural institutions, okoro is a nationally recognized arts leader, curator, educator, author, and cultural strategist with more than two decades of experience advancing arts engagement, institutional transformation, and community-centered cultural initiatives. She will lead the Festival as it builds on the momentum of its 30th anniversary season and enters its next chapter of growth and impact.

"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 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."

For okoro, the opportunity to lead the Festival is rooted in a vision that honors its history while expanding its impact in New Haven and beyond.

“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. 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," okoro said. 

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."

The appointment follows a months-long national search led by Creative Evolutions, a values-driven executive search and leadership development firm. The search attracted a highly qualified pool of candidates from across the country.

"We conducted a very competitive national search and were fortunate to have an excellent pool of candidates," said Board Vice Chair Lisa Stanger. "We are thrilled that our finalist, our new executive director, is someone who had already made New Haven her home."

Currently the founder and principal of BLDG FUND, LLC, okoro has advised cultural organizations, philanthropic institutions, artists, and public agencies on strategy, organizational development, and community impact. She has held executive leadership positions at NXTHVN, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and Rush Arts Gallery, and has organized more than forty exhibitions and hundreds of public programs throughout her career.

In addition to her leadership work, 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 Renaissance Alliance and has taught at Yale School of Art, Brown University, Barnard College, Hartford Art School, and Gateway Community College.

"Festivals don't just reflect culture — they shape it," okoro said. "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."

She added, "As a proud New Havener, I'm excited to work alongside the extraordinary Festival team and our community partners to strengthen our local arts and culture ecosystem while forging connections that reach across borders to inspire diverse communities."

Festival Co-Founder Roslyn Milstein Meyer said the appointment represents an exciting moment for the organization and the community it serves.

"The Festival is entering an exciting new chapter," said Meyer. "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."

The appointment comes at a pivotal time for the Festival as it continues to expand its year-round programming, strengthen community partnerships, and build on its recent recognition as the No. 3 Best Art Festival in the nation in the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers' Choice Awards.

Additional Perspectives on nico’s Appointment

“Organizations thrive when they are able to honor their history while embracing new opportunities. Nico brings the leadership, vision, and collaborative spirit needed to guide the Festival into its next phase. Her passion for the arts, commitment to community engagement, experience leading organizations, and belief in the power of bringing people together make her an outstanding choice to lead the organization. I am excited to see the Festival continue to grow and flourish under her leadership."

— Gordon Geballe (former Board Chair, International Festival of Arts & Ideas) 

“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. 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.” 

— Erik Clemons, Founding CEO, ConnCAT and ConnCORP

“nico understands and appreciates the rich, layered, challenging, and multi-faced arts ecosystem of New Haven and beyond. She is respected, admired, and valued across many communities. I think what grounds our collective admiration of nico is that she is the real deal; she sees her leadership and her support of artists as service. nico’s project as a leader is grounded in abundance and, in her vision of this work, there is room for everyone. I imagine she’ll take the best parts of the festival’s past and connect that to the organization’s future.” 

— Jacob Padrón, Artistic Director, Long Wharf Theatre

Pictured: nico okoro

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ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS

The International Festival of Arts & Ideas is a year-round organization that culminates with an annual celebration of performing arts, lectures, and conversations each June in New Haven, Connecticut. The Festival convenes leading artists, thinkers, and changemakers from around the world for dynamic public programs that engage, entertain, and inspire a diversity of communities. More than 85% of Festival programs are free to the public.