Intersection for the Arts proudly announces our new THRIVE: A BIPOC Arts Leadership Program, a 10-week program (May 3 – July 12, 2025). The application deadline is March 15, 2025, by 12 AM (midnight) PST. 

THRIVE provides BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) arts leaders, visionaries, changemakers, and culture bearers resources and skills so they can grow community, belonging, and confidence rooted in power. 

Apply: bit.ly/thriveapplication2025 

PROGRAM FEATURES

• 15 participant cohort
• Instructors: Aimee Espiritu, Anthem Salgado & Yesenia Sanchez
• No required “homework”
• 6 sessions: two in-person retreats (4.5 hrs each) in San Francisco and four sessions on Zoom (2 hours each), plus 1 hour of individual coaching with program instructors
• 20 hours total

IMPORTANT DATES 
Application Deadline: Sat, March 15, 2025, by 12 AM PST 
Spots are limited! We highly encourage submitting before the deadline! 
Applicants notified of participation: Thur, April 3, 2025

APPLICATION PROCESS 
Application (Estimated 30-45 minute application process) 
15-minute interview with Intersection to discuss your application responses in more detail.

TUITION 
$600

We strongly believe in organizations sponsoring employees’ tuition costs for this program. If you are employed, we encourage you to contact your organization’s leadership for sponsorship of this opportunity. If your organization cannot cover the tuition fee, or if you’re applying as an individual artist and need financial assistance, please email Sloane Larsen at sloane@theintersection.org.

Additionally, THRIVE may be eligible for funding from Center for Cultural Innovation’s Quick Grant. CCI’s Quick Grant application deadline is April 15.

We dream of a thriving arts ecosystem where BIPOC leaders shape programs from a place of creativity and wellness, not scarcity. In this visionary world, knowledge flows freely through collaborative networks, creating strong communities that celebrate diverse perspectives. Here, equitable access to resources means that BIPOC arts leaders can focus on innovation and growth while staying true to their values and cultural foundations.

Now more than ever, Intersection recognizes the vital need for equity and diversity in the leadership of Bay Area arts organizations. We also realize that many “traditional” leadership development programs are built on systems that focus on individualistic leadership models and status-based career advancement. Even fewer programs exist that address the unique needs of BIPOC leaders. 

THRIVE: A BIPOC Arts Leadership Program is not your typical leadership program. This program will focus on the importance of empowering participants to hold leadership positions while acknowledging their cultural perspectives, values rooted in community, and authentic collective representation. It is based on a collaborative, community-based learning model and offers tailored strategies to navigate systemic barriers in the workplace and within the arts ecosystem.