I want us to make sure we are connected to the East Village community where our space is located to support as many artists as possible to say yes to as much as possible in ways that are interesting and innovative, and to stay as nimble as possible and remain open to ideas that are maybe uncomfortable but are ultimately going to best serve Performance Space and best foster art.” But I’m also interested in diversifying the board and making sure we continue to ensure that it’s not only people with money who get to sit on the board and make decisions-because that’s not a reflection of our actual community. Gay says, “My vision as board president is to continue supporting great experimental art and to make sure that a diversity of aesthetics is brought to Performance Space. Together, they attended Performance Space’s Spring 2019 gala, where Gay was inspired by the gathering of “so many interesting people who all love experimental theater and experimental art in one place, with the common goal of making sure that this sort of work is continuing to be nurtured.”
Gay, a lover of performance with years of experience in theater tech, with a robust legacy of supporting underrepresented and groundbreaking voices (through her Book Club and Substack), first stepped onto the board after having been connected with the organization by her wife, board member Debbie Millman. Gay’s new position at the board’s helm represents a further step towards ensuring Performance Space New York’s capacity to put artists’ need for risk-taking and community first. Earlier this year, the organization made strides in placing its artist-centric model at the very core of its institutional structure, bringing artists including Gay, Nicole Eisenman, as well 02020 cohort members Jonathan González and Jackson Polys onto the board and nearing a stated goal of building a board made up of at least 50% artists.
Performance Space New York announces influential best-selling author, professor, editor, and public intellectual Roxane Gay as Board President.