Brooklyn Roots Network

The BRC is represented by a multicultural group of traditional artists and leaders All members are ambassadors of particular traditional expressions within a particular neighborhood or cultural community in New York City. Christopher Mulé is the former folk arts director of the Brooklyn Arts Council and serves as the facilitator and “network engineer.”

Together we build the capacity of communities-of-color-led nonprofits and individual artists with ties to tradition while simultaneously developing leaders of color.

We Curate Collaborative Public Gatherings that put traditions back in the hands of communities from which they came.

As a group we Develop Meaningful Strategic Partnerships with aligned institutions. BRN is currently developing a partnership with the Brooklyn Public Library that would create borough wide infrastructure and capacity building for traditional artists.

We compliment each other and develop professional and respectful working relationships with other heritage ambassadors artists.

The BRN is a new model for cultural services whose fate is not in the hands of one particular non-profit. By resetting the network with different partnerships and aligned with multiple institutions, we can mutually support each other’s goals equitably. We consider this collective a “social Impact network”—a set of people who voluntarily organize themselves for collective action to solve large, complex social and cultural problems. It is currently seeking capacity building support to design the organizational structure. Click here for the organizational chart and list of members.

The network was formed in 2020 following the Brooklyn Arts Council's decision to eliminate it’s 33 year-old folk arts program. The divestment of services for BiPOC communities in Brooklyn led to formal protests from Brooklyn’s diverse cultural leaders and stakeholders. During the process, community leaders recognized working together amplified their strength, and highlighted the danger of having a single non-profit as their center for support. ext goes here

Brooklyn