Marian Brown

Marian (she/her) is a Boston-based artist, arts and culture, and higher ed nurturer. Her work utilizes art as a mechanism to build and support inclusive and equitable communities, investigating art as a means for healing, collective action, and creative justice. Her discontent with oppressive systems, alongside her eternal optimism and belief in what we can collectively create, heal and nurture, keep her on the path.

*resides in Dorchester, lands of the Massachusett peoples.

Social Entrepreneurship

In 2014 Marian founded, and is now the co-director of collective abundance at, the Boston-based non-profit Arts Connect International (ACI).

ACI is focused on cultural equity and creative justice, and over the years the work has taken many forms, including:

1) Leadership Nurturing for arts leaders via residencies, grants, retreats, etc.

2) Community Convening, spanning myriad types and forms of programming, with our national Arts Equity Summit the most well known,

3) Research through the Transformative Research Collective, with several publications and community findings reports, and

4) Sector Supports, including our consulting arm — Consult With ACI, collective action shared workspace with the Cultural Equity Incubator, and intersectional anti-racism training through the Cultural Equity Learning Community.

ACI was honored as a “Model Equity Organization” by the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, City of Boston (2019).

Please feel free to reach out to Marian or any of ACI’s co-directors to get involved.

Higher Education Teaching

Marian takes great joy in supporting arts leaders on their paths towards creative justice. This includes teaching as a college lecturer, and innovating within the higher ed space.

Marian taught as a visiting Assistant Professor at Heilbronn University (2021 — 2022) in the School of Arts Management, and in the Honors College at UMass Boston as an Associate Lecturer, focused on systems leadership for social change (2019 — 2020).

Please feel free to reach out with part-time teaching inquiries, as well as tenure track, and professor of practice, and higher ed leadership opportunities that feel aligned.

Sector Wide Consulting

Marian works as a coach with sector leaders, and as a consultant for arts and culture organizations.

Marian specializes in systems analysis, asset-mapping, strategic planning, organizational transformation, leadership development, research, monitoring and evaluation, grant making, systems leadership models, and application and programmatic development.

Marian has worked with the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Massachusetts College of Art & Design, the New England Museum Association, Now + There, MASSCreative, Open Door Arts, Laughter League, The Dance Complex, New Rep Theater and MassMoca by way of MassAssembly.

Please reach out with any consulting inquiries.

Previous Leadership Experience

• 2017 - 2019 | Open Door Arts, Change Management Consultant
• 2016 - 2017 | Institute of Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston, Research Assistant
• 2013 - 2014 | Art & Global Health Center Africa, Research and Development Global Health Corps Fellow
• 2012 - 2013 | Hearthstone Alzheimer Care’s research division, Research Associate
• 2021 - 2013 | ARTZ: Artist’s for Alzheimer’s, Associate Director
• 2011 - 2012 | Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Research Assistant
• 2011 - 2012 | Open Door Arts, Research Assistant
• 2008 - 2012 | Private Ski Instructor & Competitive Mogul Skiing Coach for Vail Resorts, Aspen Skiing Company & Team Breckenridge

Awards & Recognitions

• 2020 | candidate for Fulbright Scholars program, Germany
• 2019 | awarded “Model Equity Organization” for ACI by the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, City of Boston 2017 - 2018 | awarded Social Science Research Center - Transdisciplinary Fellowship
• 2013 - 2014 | awarded Global Health Corps Fellowship
• 2009 - 2010 | awarded for outstanding customer service and work ethic by Vail Resorts
• 2009 | graduated with distinction in Studio Art from Colorado College

Funding Awards

• 2014 - 2023 | 2M+ awarded in support of Arts Connect International from: Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, The Boston Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, The Boston Cultural Council, Foley Hoag Foundation, Living Closer Foundation, MassHumanities, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Barr Foundation, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, Cambridge Community Foundation, Cambridge Arts Council, Shinnyo-en Foundation, University of Massachusetts Boston , Social Science Research Center, and more.
• 2013 - 2014 | 38K+ awarded in support of ArtGlo from: US Embassy and the Segal Family Foundation.
• 2012 - 2013 | 160K+ awarded in support of ARTZ: Artist’s for Alzheimer’s from: The Cummings Foundation and the Skal Club.

Grant Panels

• 2022, 2021, 2020 | Live Arts Boston, The Boston Foundation
• 2021, 2020 | Kahn Award, Boston University
• 2019 | Boston Artist in Residence, Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture
• 2016, 2015, 2014 | International Artist in Residence, Arts Connect International

Education

• 2016 - 2020 | Doctorate of Philosophy, Global Inclusion & Social Development, University of Massachusetts Boston
• 2011 - 2012 | Master’s in Education, Arts in Education, The Harvard Graduate School of Education
• 2005 - 2009 | Bachelor’s in Studio Art, minor in Education, Colorado College

Other Certifications & Accreditations

• 2014 | Nonprofit Management & Leadership Core Certificate, Questrom School of Business, Boston University
• 2008 - 2011 | Level II Alpine Skiing, Children’s Level II & Freestyle Level I accreditations through Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA)