ABOUT MARIAN TAYLOR BROWN

Marian is an Assistant Professor of Arts Administration at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, and an Adjunct Lecturer in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Marian adores being in nature and with animals, is a Buddhist practitioner, proud auntie, and goddy to many nibblings. Above all, she is a fierce lover of people. Marian spends much of their free time in the mountains, with family and friends, and at various community (arts) events.

Marian calls both Greensboro, North Carolina, and Boston, Massachusetts home. Her heart belongs to family globally, with tender holding for Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh, India), where her life partner, Avanish, was raised, and the Finger Lakes (Upstate, New York), where Marian was raised.

Marian asserts no work is free from bias, acknowledging that our ways of being and navigating the world are deeply connected to our intersectional identities. With this, they offer their identities as a queer, white, educated, multi-disabled, millennial being. Marian welcomes you to learn more about their education, work experience, teaching, consulting, publications, art, and more below.

Marian's life is dedicated to living with courage, laughter, and love in honor of their beloved Sara Marie Ferrarone, 10.7.86 - 11.25.12.

HIGHER EDUCATION TRAINING

2016 - 2020 | Doctorate of Philosophy, Global Inclusion & Social Development, University of Massachusetts Boston

2011 - 2012 | Master in Education, Arts in Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education

2005 - 2009 | Bachelor of Arts, Studio Art, minor in Education, Colorado College

CERTIFICATES & ACCREDITATIONS

2024 | End of Life Doula Professional Certificate, Lerner College of Medicine, University of Vermont

2015 | Scaling for Impact Completion Certificate, The Harvard Graduate School of Education

2014 | Nonprofit Management and Leadership Core Certificate, Questrom School of Business, Boston University

2012 | Global Health Leadership Training Certificate, Global Health Corps, Yale University

2008 - 2011 | Level II Alpine Skiing, Children’s Level II, and Freestyle Level I accreditations, Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA)

HIGHER EDUCATION

2025 - | University of North Carolina Greensboro, Assistant Professor of Arts Administration

2023 - | Harvard Graduate School of Education, Adjunct Lecturer

2022 - 2025 | UMass Boston, Visiting Researcher & Adjunct Lecturer

2021 - 2022 | Hochschule Heilbronn, Visiting Assistant Professor

2016 - 2019 | UMass Boston, Research Assistant - Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI)

2011 - 2012 | Harvard Graduate School of Education, Research Assistant - Project Zero

ARTS & CULTURE

2020 - | Marian Taylor Brown Consulting, Principal

2014 - 2024 | Arts Connect International, Founder & (co)Director

2013 - 2014 | Art & Global Health Center Africa, Global Health Corps, Research & Development Fellow

2012 - 2013 | ARTZ: Artists for Alzheimer’s, Associate Director & Hearthstone Alzheimer Care, Research Associate

2011 - 2012 | Open Door Arts, Research Assistant

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

2008 - 2012 | Private Ski Instructor and Competitive Mogul Skiing Coach for Vail Resorts, Aspen Skiing Company, and Team Breckenridge

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA GREENSBORO

• Arts Administration & Entrepreneurship

• Internship in Arts Administration & Entrepreneurship

• Micro-enterprise for Creatives

• Collectivizing Creative Innovation

HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

• Transformative Leadership in Arts in Learning: Centering Justice & Collective Action

• The Art of Systems Leadership

HOCHSCHULE HEILBRONN UNIVERSITY

• International Aspects of Culture & Leisure Management

• Case Studies on Current Issues in Culture and Leisure Management

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON

• Healing, Creative & Intersectional Justice

• Systems Leadership for Social Change

SUMMARY

Since 2020, Marian has worked alongside arts and culture and higher education leaders as a consultant, thought partner, and coach. Marian specializes in systems analysis, asset mapping, strategic planning, organizational transformation, transition management, leadership development, research, monitoring and evaluation, community-directed grant processes, systems leadership models, and application and programmatic development.

CLIENTS | COLLABORATORS

• Mass Cultural Council

• Massachusetts College of Art & Design (MassArt)

• New England Museum Association (NEMA)

• The Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)

• Harvard EdPortal

• Now + There

• MASSCreative

• Open Door Arts

• Laughter League

• Magik Theatre

• The Dance Complex

• New Rep Theater

• MassMoca by way of MassAssembly

ARTS & CULTURE INNOVATION

In 2014 Marian founded the Boston-based non-profit Arts Connect International (ACI), where she was a (co)Director from 2014 to 2024. ACI grows equity & creative justice through arts and culture.

TENURE HIGHLIGHTS

• co-created a nationally recognized & awarded organization focused on building equity and justice

• co-built the Transformative Research Collective, a group of artists, academics, and community members who generate research by and for community (initiated in 2022)

• co-founded the Cultural Equity Incubator, a collective action shared workspace for arts and culture leaders committed to racial equity, redistributed over $1.5M (initiated in 2021)

• co-built the Cultural Equity Learning Community – an asynchronous anti-racism course with wrap-around supports for sector leadership, 3K+ arts leaders trained by 2024 (initiated in 2020)

• launched and co-led Consult with ACI, 15+ orgs served, contracts totaling $250K+ (initiated in 2019)

• co-launched Creative Justice Fellows program, an internship for undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience with equity-focused arts organizations (2021 – 2024)

• collectively awarded ripple grants to artists affected by COVID-19, distributed $60K (2020)

• created and co-led the national Arts Equity Summit, convening 2K+ arts leaders (2019 – 2020)

• co-developed the Youth United Artists program for youth-driven artistic research (2018 – 2019)

• co-developed and ran retreats for creatives working towards equity and justice (initiated in 2017)

• built an international artist-in-residence program for social justice artists – supported ten artists across disciplines and geographies, distributed $250K in grants (2014 – 2017)

• raised $3.5M+ (more below under awards & funding)

PUBLICATIONS

2026 | In process, chapter. Elliot-Ortega, K., Brown, M.T., Arts Administration and Cultural Policy: Assemblage Structure and Maturity of the U.S. Field, Routledge, UK, edited by Jennifer Novak-Leonard and Rachel Skaggs

2026 | In process, chapter: Brown, M.T. Doulas of Creative Justice, in Global Perspectives on Creative Justice, Palgrave Macmillan, London, UK, edited by Antonio C. Cuyler and Mark Banks

2025 | In process, short-form book: Gordillo, A., rose, m., Brown, M.T. Creative Justice & Collective Action. Global Creative Economy, Routledge, UK.

2022 | Brown, M.T., Ntigurirwa, H., Gordillo, A., rose, m. From Grassroots to Systems Change: Art for Social Justice, Journal of Arts Management, Law and Society

2021 | Brown, M.T., rose, m., Taing, M. Embodied, Intergenerational Knowledge: Reconceptualizing Leadership Nurturing in Arts and Culture Management Education, American Journal of Arts Management

2020 | Brown, M.T., Examining Cultural Equity: Boston’s Arts & Culture Sector ProQuest, dissertation, School for Global Inclusion & Social Development, University of Massachusetts Boston

2019 | Brown, M.T., Brais, H., Fletcher, A. Moves Toward Equity: Perspectives from Arts Leaders of Color, Arts Connect International, community findings report

2018 | Brown, M.T., Brais, H. Examining Cultural Equity in the Arts published by Arts Connect International, community findings report

PRESENTATIONS

HIGHER ED GUEST LECTURES

• University of Michigan, Ethical Arts Leadership (2023)

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Values of Value (2023)

• Harvard Graduate School of Ed, Arts in Learning (2023)

• UMass Boston, Transdisciplinary Research (2022)

• Harvard Graduate School of Ed, Social Entrepreneurship (2017)

• Southern Adventist University, Equity in the Arts (2017)

• UMass Boston, Social Entrepreneurship (2017)

• Harvard Graduate School of Ed, Social Entrepreneurship (2016)

• UMass Boston, Arts & Human Rights (2016)

• Harvard Graduate School of Ed, Social Entrepreneurship (2015)

• William James College of Psychology, 7 Dresses 4 Health (2015)

• Stonehill College, Arts & Global Health (2014)

• Harvard Graduate School of Ed, Social Entrepreneurship (2014)

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

• Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE) Conference, Workshop, Shaping Creative Justice Ecosystems: Collective Action Case Studies in Arts and Culture (2024)

• Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE) Conference, Workshop, Equitable Pipelines in Arts Administration Leadership (2020)

• ArtistsThrive Summit, Workshop, Building Equitable Boards (2020)

• Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) Conference, Keynote Presentation, Cultural Equity Gap study (2018)

• Alliance on Arts in Research, Northeastern University, Presentation, Cultural Equity Gap (2017)

• Arts for Cultural Inclusion Symposium, UMass Boston, Panel, Art for Social Change (2016)

• Arts & Global Health Conference, Lesley University, Workshop, 7 Dresses 4 Health (2016)

• Harvard University Alumni of Color Conference, Harvard Graduate School of Ed, Workshop, Umunthu – LGBTQ rights in Malawi (2015)

• Building Inclusive Communities, UMass Boston, Keynote, Art for Social Change (2015)

• Humanities in Medicine Conference, Mayo Clinic, Panel, 7 Dresses 4 Health (2015)

• Humanities in Medicine Conference, Mayo Clinic, Workshop, Umunthu (2014)

• Cultivating Humanism Symposium, Harvard Medical School, Workshop, Art & Healing (2013)

• ARTZ & Dementia Conference, Newbridge on the Charles, Museums for Social Change (2012)

• Graduate Student Activism Conference, Harvard University, Workshop, Arts & Justice (2012)

PRACTICE-BASED PRESENTATIONS

• Associated Grant Makers, Panel, Art Service Organizations & Cultural Equity (2023)

• Massachusetts Cultural Council, Presentation, Cultural Equity Learning Community (2022)

• Americans for the Arts Equity Salon, Presentation, Systems Leadership Models (2022)

• Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, Presentation, Systems Leadership Models (2022)

• Massachusetts Cultural Council, Presentation, Decolonizing Arts and Culture (2021)

• Creative Justice Initiative, Panel, Unifying Equity Activations (2020)

• Revolutionary Spaces, Panel, Arts & Racial Healing (2020)

• Boston Cultural Council, Presentation, Cultural Equity Learning Community (2020)

• Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, Presentation, COVID Relief & Racial Equity (2020)

• Arts Equity Summit, Community Session, #CulturalSalvation (2020)

• Worcester Art Museum, Panel, Art & The Brain (2018)

• Humanities in Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Presentation, Cultural Equity Gap study (2017)

• Boston Arts Consortium for Health, Workshop, Arts & Public Health Leadership (2016)

• Berman Museum of Art, Workshop, Accessibility (2013)

RESEARCH SPECIFIC FUNDING

• 2025 | Scholars Travel Fund, UNCG, $1.125K

• 2025 - 2026 | Dean’s Research Funds, School of Art, UNCG, $5K

• 2019 | Dissertation Development Fund, UMB, $3K

• 2017 - 2018 | Social Science Research Center, $5K

PRACTICE-BASED FUNDING

• 2014 - 2024 | $3.5M+ awarded in support of Arts Connect International from: Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture, Barr Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, The Boston Foundation, New England Foundation for the Arts, The Boston Cultural Council, Foley Hoag Foundation, Living Closer Foundation, MassHumanities, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, Cambridge Community Foundation, Cambridge Arts Council, Shinnyo-en Foundation

• 2013 - 2014 | $38K+ awarded in support of ArtGlo from: the US Embassy and the Segal Family Foundation.

• 2012 - 2013 | $160K+ awarded in support of ARTZ: Artists for Alzheimer’s from: The Cummings Foundation and the Skal Club.

AWARDS

• 2019 | Model Equity Organization - Arts Connect International, Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture, City of Boston

• 2019 | Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, UMass Boston

• 2017 - 2018 | Social Science Research Center - Transdisciplinary Dissertation Development Fellowship, UMass Boston

• 2013 - 2014 | Global Health Corps Fellowship

• 2010 | Outstanding customer service and work ethic, Vail Resorts

• 2009 | Distinction in studio art, Colorado College

FORMAL MENTORSHIP

• Art & Global Health Center (ArtGlo) Africa, Advisory Board Member (2015 – )

• MIT Arts Startup Incubator, Mentor (2023 – 2024)

• Brain Arts Organization, Advisory Board Member (2020 – 2021)

• Student Alumni Mentor, Harvard University (2014 – 2020)

• Global Health Corps, Mentor (2014 – 2019)

PEER REVIEW EDITOR

• Journal of Arts Management, Law and Society (2021 – )

GRANT SELECTION PANELS

• Live Arts Boston selection panelist, The Boston Foundation (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)

• Kahn Award selection panelist, Boston University (2020, 2021)

• C19 Relief Ripple Grants selection, Arts Connect Int (2020, 2021)

• Boston Artist in Residence selection panelist, Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture (2019)

• International Artist in Residence selection, Arts Connect International (2014, 2015, 2016)

SUMMARY

Marian investigates artistic creation for community building, healing, regeneration, and joy. Trained in color theory, photography, paper making, drawing, and sculpture, Marian’s work is multi-modal and interdisciplinary. They also embody writing as an essential artistic practice. Marian centers her artistic work within community, honoring process over product, and healing over economy.

SHOWS

2023 | CHRONIC, collaborating artists: Allegra Fletcher, Ellice Patterson & Andrew Choe, Cultural Equity Incubator, Boston, MA

2013 | Our Malawi, Our Vision, collaborating artist: Mwizalero Nyirenda, Art & Global Health Center Africa, Zomba, Malawi

2012 | Coming Home, collaborating artist: Ernest Bud Brown, Genesee Center for Arts and Education, Rochester, NY

2012 | Fabrics of Meaning, Open Door Gallery, Boston, MA

2012 | Family Tree, Harvard Graduate School of Ed, Cambridge, MA

2009 | Recycled Intuition, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO

2008 | One Left-Handed Footprint, Colorado College, CO Springs, CO

2008 | Prints, group show, Valland School for the Arts, Gothenburg, Sweden

CURATION

2024 | Introspection, featured artist: Lisa Murphy, Cultural Equity Incubator, Boston, MA, co-curator T’Ajmal Hogue

2021 | Somewhere… Away, featured artist: Alyssa Liles-Amponsah, Cultural Equity Incubator, Boston, MA

2020 | Language and Literacy, featured artist: Maung Nyeu, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA

2015 | Shades of Inclusion, collaborative show, featured artists: Basil Kincaid, Alia Ali, Andre Mestre, Miho Tsujii, Stephen Hamilton, Bes Young, Alva Mooses, Open Door Gallery, Boston, MA

2015 | Love Art, featuring Basil Kincaid, Los Angeles, CA

PERFORMANCE

2020 | Breaking Open, arts and healing community activation

2015 | 7 Dresses 4 Health, year-long arts and health advocacy campaign

RESIDENCIES

2010 | Colorado Center for Handmade Paper, Colorado Springs, CO

2010 | Genesee Center for Arts and Education, Rochester, NY