Stay ConnectedThis is arts and culture. Unfiltered. Unscripted.
Formerly known as CI to Eye, Arts Unscripted with Monica Holt is a trove of meaningful interviews with executives, artists, and experts across industries. Together with Monica, we’ll explore the way innovation, leadership, and joy drive our industry forward.
Shanta Thake sees artistic curation as a practice rooted in curiosity and community connection.
As the Ehrenkranz Chief Artistic Officer at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Shanta is helping redefine what one of the world's most storied institutions can be. Since joining in 2021, she's helped usher in an era of experimentation and access to ensure the arts remain central to New York City's civic life.
In this episode, Shanta reflects on what it means to democratize the programming process, how the arts contribute to community wellbeing, and why leading with curiosity sparks meaningful innovation. She also takes listeners behind the scenes of initiatives like Lincoln Center's West Side Expansion and Summer for the City—efforts rooted in humility, collaboration, and partnership with local communities.
LINKS:
Lincoln Center | A New West Side
For Rachel S. Moore, the arts aren't just a mirror for society. They're a means of shaping it.
As President and CEO of The Music Center in Los Angeles, she oversees one of the largest performing arts centers in North America, stewarding $3 billion in county assets and programming that reaches hundreds of thousands of Angelenos each year. A former professional dancer with American Ballet Theatre (she's also its former CEO and executive director), Rachel brings an artist's discipline to leadership—and a belief that creativity and civic life are deeply intertwined.
In this episode, Rachel shares what ballet has taught her about resilience and collaboration, how The Music Center works to stay accountable to its community, and why building relevance doesn't just sustain our organizations, but strengthens democracy itself.
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Reimagining a centuries-old art form takes more than talent; it takes courage, curiosity, and a deep belief that tradition can evolve. Few embody that spirit like Babatunde Akinboboye.
A classically trained baritone and viral "hip hopera" artist, Babatunde is redefining what opera can sound like—and who it's for. His mashups of rap and arias have captivated millions online, and garnered attention from The Ellen Show, America's Got Talent and TIME Magazine. He's now channeling that distinctive style into his upcoming debut album.
In this episode, Babatunde shares how he discovered opera by chance, what it took to find his artistic voice in a space that didn't always reflect him, and how blending genres can make opera feel newly accessible. He also offers insight into building genuine audience connections and broadening ideas of what great music can be.
LINKS:
TIME Magazine | Hero Masterfully Creates His Own Hip-Hopera While Driving
Can a performing arts center change the identity of a city? Tom Gabbard has spent more than two decades proving it can as CEO of Blumenthal Arts in Charlotte, NC.
Under his leadership, Blumenthal has grown from a regional performing arts center into a national force. Charlotte now ranks among North America's Top 10 markets for touring Broadway shows, and the organization also fosters experimental projects in Blume Studios, a 44,000-square-foot "arts R&D lab" that pushes beyond traditional stages.
In this episode, Tom reflects on how he balances commercial success with cultural mission, programs with local artists and community needs in mind, and pilots immersive experiences that redefine what arts participation can look like.
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How do you bring audiences along as you expand their definition of an art form? That's the question Jane Raleigh has grappled with throughout her career.
As the former Director of Dance Programming at the Kennedy Center, she spent more than a decade transforming the institution's siloed approach to dance into a continuum that celebrates both classical works and contemporary voices. Now, as the founder of DC Dance Network, she's creating new ways for artists and audiences to engage.
In this episode, Jane shares her approach to stretching audiences' comfort zones without losing their engagement, building pathways that link programming with community impact, and shaping a more connected, resilient dance ecosystem.
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Audiences don't just want to watch theater; they want to step inside it. Few people understand that better than casting director Kate Lumpkin.
Kate has become a go-to voice in immersive performance, shaping productions that dissolve the line between stage and audience. Her latest project? Masquerade NYC: an immersive Phantom of the Opera revival now running Off Broadway.
For Kate, immersive work isn't a trend. It's a response to what audiences are hungry for: connection, participation, and community. Her vision flips the question from "How do we fill the seats?" to "How do we open the doors wider?"
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Arts and culture don't thrive in isolation. They thrive when artists, institutions, and policymakers work in concert. Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director of Mass Cultural Council, is making that bridge his life's work, showing how government and the arts can partner to create healthier, stronger, more sustainable communities.
From his early days as a performer and choreographer to his current role shaping statewide cultural policy, Michael has witnessed both the joys and the shortcomings of the arts sector. In this episode, he argues that the sector's future depends on how boldly we organize, build cross-sector partnerships, and demand our place at the table.
LINKS:
WBUR | Mass. starts country's first arts prescription program for physical and behavioral health
How do you invite new audiences into the symphony in a way that feels fresh, joyful, and unforgettable? Macy Schmidt has been asking that question with every project she takes on. As the founder of The Sinfonietta and CEO of Overture Global Entertainment, she's not just producing concerts—she's designing live experiences that feel transformative for new audiences.
In this episode, Macy reflects on the early influences that shaped her approach to orchestration, the audience-first philosophy that guides her work, and how she's scaling women-led orchestras around the world. She also shares how one bold pitch to Mattel grew into Barbie the Movie in Concert, and reveals the creative decisions that made the project a global phenomenon.
For arts and culture leaders, Macy's insights show what's possible when you shift from guarding traditions to designing moments that stay with people long after the final note.
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Few leaders expect their first months on the job to coincide with a fight for the future of the arts in America. For Erin Harkey, that became the reality when she stepped in as CEO of Americans for the Arts earlier this year—just as the federal government proposed eliminating national arts funding.
In this episode, Erin reflects on her career journey, from shaping cultural policy in Chicago to stepping into one of the most prominent arts leadership roles in the country. She shares why public funding is uniquely powerful, how communities can mobilize in times of uncertainty, and why joy itself can be a form of resistance. Along the way, she offers practical advice for arts administrators, artists, and advocates alike: from making your voice heard with elected officials to finding ways to sustain yourself in the work.
LINKS:
National Endowment for the Arts | The Big Picture
Americans for the Arts | Americans Speak Out About the Arts
Americans for the Arts | Arts Impact Explorer
Americans for the Arts | Advocacy Toolkit For Individuals and Organizations
What turns a live event into a cultural moment people never forget? David Jammy has some answers. As Executive Producer at Done+Dusted, he's helped shape global broadcasts from the Emmys and Kennedy Center Honors to the Global Citizen Festival and the Mark Twain Prize.
In this conversation, David traces his path from student activist in apartheid-era South Africa to producing events that capture history as it happens. He shares his storytelling philosophy, the challenge of turning fleeting moments into lasting television, and the behind-the-scenes story of the 2025 Mark Twain Prize honoring Conan O'Brien—a night that doubled as both a tribute and an act of resistance.
It's a reminder that live events aren't just entertainment. They can be culture's way of recording history in real time.
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LINKS:
Kelly Clarkson's Cautionary Christmas Music Tale (2013) PBS | Jon Stewart Mark Twain Prize Acceptance Speech Netflix | Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Variety | How Done+Dusted Found the Right Tone for Conan O'Brien's Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize, as Both a Celebration and a Wake: 'It Was So Cathartic'
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