Champions for the Arts: Building Bridges That Last

Season One, Episode 4 of Arts and Democracy welcomes nationally renowned audience development and community engagement leader Donna Walker-Kuhne, author of Champions for the Arts: Lessons and Successful Strategies for Engaging Diverse Audiences. In a wide-ranging conversation with host Olga Levina, Donna traces her journey from professional dancer to arts administrator and shares the “small steps” that build lasting audience loyalty—grounded in sincerity, welcome, and relationship. Together, they explore what it truly means to be a “champion for the arts,” how organizations can confront blind spots around race and belonging, and why arts leaders must courageously shape programming, measure impact beyond numbers, and use their platforms to strengthen democracy in a polarized time.