Turnout NYC
Equitable cultural infrastructure through trust-based partnerships
Challenge
New York City’s cultural institutions concentrate in Midtown Manhattan, overshadowing outer boroughs where vibrant cultural production exists but artists lack access to venues, funding, and infrastructure.
Approach
Turnout NYC created a distributed cultural production model combining hard and soft infrastructure. Working with five Cultural Community Partners (one per borough), we co-designed a modular “Kit-of-Parts” that adapted to diverse events and site conditions while meeting regulatory requirements.
Beyond physical infrastructure, we provided tailored administrative support for permitting, invoicing, insurance navigation, and marketing. This trust-based model gave local organizations curatorial control while removing activation barriers.
Impact
Freedom Furin raised awareness of erased history—many participants, including Park staff, were unaware of Roosevelt’s anti-Japanese policies and their connection to the site. Rather than memorializing suffering, it activated the site for ongoing freedom work. The soundscape—created by many voices—embodied the collaborative nature of liberation.
The installation demonstrated how participatory art can hold complexity: honoring painful history while refusing to let it define the present.
My Role
Project Manager (Director of Programs, Design Trust)
Team
DTPS, SITU Studio, Julie Ember, Alice Austen House, Brownsville Community Justice Center, Queensboro Dance Festival, Uptown Grand Central, The Point CDC
NYC 2022