Innovation Exchange Residency Take Part in Art — Global Leaders Institute: Innovation Exchange Residence (2022)

Palm Beach County, Florida, United States

Context

In June 2022, I participated in the Innovation Exchange Residence of the Global Leaders Institute, hosted by the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach, Florida. The residency brought together 60 arts professionals from 19 countries to collaboratively design innovative, community-centered solutions addressing structural challenges faced by local cultural organizations, particularly audience access, inclusion and cross-organizational collaboration.

The program culminated in a Shark Tank-style public forum, where interdisciplinary teams pitched concrete, market-tested cultural projects to a panel of international leaders in arts, philanthropy and investment.

The Challenge

Despite the density of major cultural institutions in Palm Beach County, 59% of residents had not engaged with the local cultural corridor in the previous year and 37% of organizations struggled to reach audiences beyond their core participants.

This gap was particularly evident in the Historic Northwest District of West Palm Beach, a historically Black neighborhood founded in 1890 and currently undergoing revitalization, yet largely disconnected from the surrounding cultural ecosystem.

The Proposal: Take Part in Art

Our team proposed Take Part in Art, a community-led, place-based cultural initiative designed to bring the arts directly into the Historic Northwest District, rather than expecting residents to cross institutional and symbolic barriers. The initiative was developed in collaboration with the Norton Museum of Art, the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, and the Dreyfoos School of the Arts Foundation.

The project centered on:

• A series of free workshops in music, dance, visual arts and spoken word
• Local artist commissions developed in collaboration with community partners
• A public parade and neighborhood celebration connecting key cultural and historical sites and culminating in a shared civic moment

The initiative was designed in partnership with the West Palm Beach Center for Arts and Technology, emphasizing long-term trust, local leadership and sustainable engagement.

Outcomes and Impact

Take Part in Art was conceived not as a one-off event, but as a catalyst for systemic change, with measurable short- and long-term goals:

• Connecting multiple cultural organizations through a shared community focus
• Commissioning local artists and embedding them in neighborhood life
• Engaging over 1,200 residents in the first year, with scalable growth in subsequent years
• Shifting power dynamics by positioning the community as co-creator, not passive audience

Shark Tank Jury and Recognition

The proposal was presented to a distinguished panel of judges, whose expertise underscored the credibility and real-world relevance of the Innovation Exchange:

• Ricardo Obert — Chairman, Fundacion Azteca (Mexico)
• Juan Antonio Cuellar — CEO, National Symphony Orchestra and National Symphonic Association of Colombia
• Dave Lawrence — President and CEO, Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
• Hilda Ochoa-Brillembourg — Founder and Chairman, Strategic Investment Group (USA)
• Robert Forbes — Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees, Society of the Four Arts

The jury selected Take Part in Art as the top award winner, recognizing its community-first approach, feasibility and potential for lasting social impact. Judges highlighted its ability to rebalance cultural decision-making, moving from institutions toward the people they aim to serve—facilitating access to arts education in under-resourced communities.

Reflection

This project reinforced a central insight of the Global Leaders Institute: innovation in the arts does not require new resources, but a radical reorientation of existing ones. Take Part in Art exemplifies my approach to cultural design—listening first, co-creating with communities and translating artistic excellence into social relevance.