Colleagues & Friends: Megan Skidmore, Lauren Marinaro and Ayesha Williams
Thursday, April 27th, 8:30–10 AM EST
FORMah Gallery • 42 Allen St, New York, NY 10002
Join us in-person for our upcoming Colleagues & Friends at FORMah Gallery! Megan Skidmore, Development Director for Powerhouse Arts, Lauren Marinaro, Owner and Founder of Marinaro, and Ayesha Williams, Executive Director of The Laundromat Project, will discuss their respective professional experiences in business and fundraising, navigating changes, and the nuances of succession and success as art leaders.
Members - Free | Non-members - $5
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Megan Skidmore is the Development Director for Powerhouse Arts, a not-for-profit organization committed to creative expression. Housed in a purpose-built facility in Brooklyn, Powerhouse is home to an extended network of art and fabrication professionals and educators who collaborate through dynamic artistic practices that contribute to the well being of their communities. As Development Director, Megan is developing and overseeing the fundraising strategies in support of Powerhouse’s annual operations, inaugural events as it opens in spring 2023, and ongoing programming. She has over 17 years of experience working in development at leading contemporary art museums and nonprofits. She is passionate about producing impactful art and cultural experiences by facilitating the relationships that empower such projects through her robust network. Megan was most recently Director of RxART for 8 years, where she increased institutional support from major donors and strategic partners. She helped to increase and diversify the organization’s number of annual programs and inspiring projects with commissioned artists such as Derrick Adams, Nina Chanel Abney, Nicolas Party, and Jonas Wood throughout the country and in Canada. She was previously the Director of Individual Giving at the Museum of Arts and Design, Co-Founder of Artelier, an experiential art advisory, and worked in development and visitor services at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. She earned an MA from Christie’s Education New York and a BA in Art History and Business from the University of San Diego. She is a Female Design Council member and mentor and a member of Independent Curators International and Amici di Magazzino. Originally from Southern California, Megan has been an adopted New Yorker for nearly 16 years.
Lauren Marinaro is the owner and director of Marinaro in New York. The gallery opened in February 2017 and is located in NoHo. Marinaro has put on a diverse exhibition program of emerging and mid-career artists with works across all mediums. Marinaro’s exhibitions have been reviewed in many publications including The New York Times, Artforum, Modern Painters, The New Yorker, and The Brooklyn Rail.
Ayesha Williams is the executive director of The Laundromat Project (The LP), a New York City community-based arts organization dedicated to making sustained investments in growing a community of multiracial, multigenerational, and multidisciplinary artists and neighbors committed to societal change. She is an arts professional with almost two decades of experience working with visual artists, presenting programs, and generating funding for commercial galleries and nonprofit institutions. Prior to The LP, she managed Visual Arts at Lincoln Center and served as the Director of Kent Gallery, New York. In addition to her professional experience, Ayesha is on the board of Rivers Institute for Contemporary Art & Thought and a member of Independent Curators International Independents. She also served as a Steering Committee member of the UN Women’s Conference. She received her Master’s degree in Visual Arts Administration from New York University and Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
FORMAH, or the FORM Art House, founded at 2021 by Maryana Kaliner- International Finance professional and art entrepreneur. FORMAH first nomadic gallery, opened it’s doors last November in it’s permanent location in the Lower East Side, NYC and showcases emerging and mid-career artists from across the globe. Through thoughtful programming and innovative exhibitions, FORMAH is committed to providing a platform for female-identifying artists.