About the Incubator

The Cultural Equity Incubator (CEI) is a creative home for Boston’s small and mid-sized organizations and collectives led by, and for, Queer, Trans, 2-Spirit, Disabled, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (QT2SDBIPOC) arts communities. At the CEI, we work toward equitably sharing space, governance, networks, and resources to support one another in actualizing our creative efforts. We increase our collective impact by reducing programmatic competition/duplication and catalyzing collaboration. In a sector and city that is known for its segregation, the CEI represents a union of many communities, art forms, and dreams. We envision a future where artists and arts and culture organizations led by QT2SDBIPOC folx are at the forefront of shaping the cultural landscape, all while centering justice and joy.

The CEI was born out of #culturalsalvation (#cs), a grassroots movement centering BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) -led and -serving arts organizations in Massachusetts. #cs started organizing in March 2020, prioritizing intersectional racial equity through funding, media and policy in the arts and culture sector. The organizations of #cs and CEI are moving their respective communities towards collective action and equity, using a shared commons approach inspired by organizations like: Culture Works Philadelphia, Social Impact Commons & Boston Ujima Project.

The CEI collective aims to decenter the white supremacist work ethic embedded in the US non-profit business model, instead centering community care and joy while pursuing intersectional racial equity.