“I’m very much aware, as a person of color, that there aren’t a lot of people who look like me in nonprofit arts organizations,” Corey Smith, Patron Services and Memberships Manager at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, says.

Smith is a recent graduate of a career accelerator launched to change those demographics. The Tessitura Early Career Development Program is a free training and mentorship initiative. Its long-term goal is increasing the equality, inclusivity and diversity of the arts and culture sector.

As a nonprofit, member-owned tech company, Tessitura injected learning into its mission early. But in recent years, the company recognized a growing market gap. Staff at organizations using its platform had access to valuable training through membership in the Tessitura community. But individuals in racial or ethnic groups that historically have been excluded from arts and culture professions faced increasingly steep barriers to entry. They might meet all the requirements of an entry or mid-level job description except for experience using ticketing or fundraising technology.

Career accelerator participants spend 10 weeks gaining foundational knowledge, hands-on experience and practical skills using Tessitura. Once they complete the program, they maintain access to an on-demand library of training resources for an entire year. They also earn a full scholarship to attend the next Tessitura Learning & Community Conference.

Five cohorts have completed the program since it began in 2021. Graduates already are benefiting from the experience.

“Many of these students have gone on to get jobs at Tessitura organizations, which is exactly what we hoped would happen,” Andrew Recinos, Tessitura President and CEO, says. “Some who were already working at a Tessitura organization have seen promotions. Some have gone on to work at other arts businesses. We think that’s also a wonderful outcome of this program. These are highly qualified individuals who want to work at arts organizations.”

Smith is one graduate who saw an immediate professional lift. “After finishing the program, I got an instant promotion,” he says. “My title changed. I’ve taken on a lot more responsibility.”

Yet the benefits extend beyond Tessitura-specific training. Participants also network with their peers. Arts professionals serve as mentors, leading discussions, special presentations and small group advising.

“Participants happen to have learned how our CRM and transaction systems work,” Recinos says. “But there are foundational tools that can be used in many other ways.”

Tarsha Whitaker Calloway, Tessitura’s Vice President of Philanthropy, echoed the importance of mentorship. These opportunities help build a pipeline of future arts leaders of color.

“Seeing people who look like you, who have similar lived experiences, and being able to talk candidly and openly about your experiences is invaluable,” she says. “I know having a mentor who looked like me in arts and culture helped catapult my career in ways I never thought it would. So, that mentorship component is vital to the program.”

Carlos García León, another recent program graduate, built lasting relationships with mentors in their cohort. “It was lovely to connect with someone who wants you to succeed, who gives you information and advice about how they moved up in their career,” they say. “It was nice to know that someone has your back, understanding the problems and struggles as a person of color [in this field].”

Like Smith, García León recently took the next step in their professional journey. After three years at Cincinnati Opera, they accepted an offer to join the fundraising team at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. “The program gave me a lot of confidence,” they say. “It gives you validation. And it speaks volumes to the way that Tessitura is trying to make diverse voices valued and heard.”

Smith agrees. “You get to see people doing what you are looking to do,” he says. “They’ve reached a level in their career, and they’re paying it forward by teaching people like me how to get to their level.

“The program has empowered me and others to grow in their careers and know that they have a place in the arts,” Smith says. “It’s made me want to continue learning about Tessitura but also about how to be a better arts administrator and leader so I can inspire those under me.”

Calloway expressed her hopes to broaden the reach of the program. “For the last 20 years, Tessitura has been a force within arts and culture in how we help and support our members,” she says. “So, for the next 20 years, the goal is also to look at how we can enhance the sector. The arts and culture sector has been so good to Tessitura as an organization, and now it is our opportunity — it is our duty — to provide creative and unique ways to give back, to uplift and be a beacon of support to the arts and culture community around the world.”

The Early Career Development Program is open to North American adults 18 years of age and older. Applicants must identify as members of a racial or ethnic group that has been historically excluded from the arts and culture sector.

Applications will be accepted through Jan. 15 for the next program cohort. More information is available online at tessituranetwork.com.

This article was sponsored by Tessitura.