Overview
THE KCACTF/LORT ASPIRE LEADERSHIP FELLOWS PROGRAM
The KCACTF/LORT ASPIRE Leadership Fellows Program is designed to cultivate a new generation of artistic and administrative leaders for the American Theatre with a focus of engaging Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and members of other groups that are historically underrepresented in the field. This diverse national cohort of fellows assembled from all of KCACTF’s eight regions will engage in topics concerning equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism, as well as leadership skills building, investigation of institutional challenges, and professional networking opportunities. No intent to participate or nomination is required to participate in this program.
Students interested in the world of arts leadership are encouraged to register for this program. Whether you hope to become an artistic leader or are curious about how theaters operate, ASPIRE is a fantastic conference opportunity, and 2025 offers us the opportunity to connect virtually and in person with fellow theater artists and leaders from across the country. ASPIRE Arts Leadership programming will include workshops and discussions curated by all of KCACTF’s ASPIRE Regional Coordinators, National ASPIRE Chair Stefanie Sertich, and the National ASPIRE team.
In 2026, there are two ways to participate in the KCACTF/LORT ASPIRE Arts Leadership program: in person at your Regional Conference or virtually via Zoom (date and time TBD). The latter option is intended for students who cannot attend their Regional Conference or whose schools do not participate in KCACTF.
For more information or questions, email KCACTF Region 8 Coordinator
Bella O’Keeffe
WHAT IF I CAN’T ATTEND FESTIVAL IN-PERSON?
In-person participation at Festival is ideal, however, for those unable to attend Festival, the National Coordinators are planning virtual programming known as Region Z. With the virtual option, there’ll be a cohort of students that attend a weekend of streamed workshops. At the end of the session, they’ll have the option to do a presentation, and the selectees will be added to the existing cohort chosen from each region to attend Nationals.
As of right now, Region Z is slated for Saturday, March 2 (2-5:30pm EST – calculate for your timezone!) and Sunday, March 3 (2-5:30pm EST – calculate for your timezone!), with 30-minute presentations on March 8/9th. Registration will be organized and managed through the KCACTF National Website.
For Students who are interested in attending Region Z or need more information, REGISTER below for the Zoom Q&A on Dec 3rd at 2pm EST – calculate for your timezone!
For more information about Region Z and the Zoom Q&A on Dec. 3, 2023, visit the KCACTF National Website or email
Stefanie Sertich
KCACTF National ASPIRE Coordinator
[email protected]
Workshops
Open to all students, participants will hear from current professionals working in the areas of arts administration and management. Workshop schedule available in Festival 56 GUIDEBOOK: https://guidebook.com/g/festival56/