S6:E8 The simple formula… Kristina Newman-Scott, VP of Arts, Knight Foundation
Guest
Kristina Newman-Scott
In conversation with
Stephanie Fortunato
Stephanie Fortunato speaks with Kristina Newman-Scott, VP of Arts at Knight Foundation, about engaging artists as civic partners, building durable cultural ecosystems, and what people increasingly seek from the cities they call home.
Date of Recording
26 May 2026
Date of Publication
30 July 2026
[00:00:00]
Kristina Newman-Scott: We're offering an invitation to those who have spent their life thinking about this creative practice, doing the creative practice, to come and be in community. That's the simple formula.
[00:00:14]
THEME MUSIC
[00:00:19]
Stephanie Fortunato: Hello, and welcome to The Three Bells. This podcast is one of a series brought to you by AEA Consulting for the Global Cultural Districts Network, in which we explore the relationship between cultural vitality and urbanism, how the creative sector strengthens a city's vibrancy, and how urbanism influences its cultural and civic life.
I'm Stephanie Fortunato, director of special projects for GCDN. And my guest today is Kristina Newman-Scott, an arts leader whose creative practice and life's work is firmly situated at the crossroads of civic and cultural life. Across a career spanning visual arts, media, government, cultural institutions, and philanthropy, Kristina has worked to help communities imagine what thriving, connected places can look like.
Kristina is currently the VP of arts for the Knight Foundation, and today we'll be talking about how her work can help us understand what people increasingly seek from cities in terms of connection, belonging, and public life.
Welcome to The Three Bells, Kristina.
[00:01:20]
Kristina Newman-Scott: Oh my goodness. It's so wonderful to be here with you, Stephanie.
…
About our Guest
Kristina Newman-Scott, Kristina Newman-Scott is VP of Arts at Knight Foundation, where she leads work at the intersection of arts, civic life, and community development. An artist and cultural leader born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, she previously served as President of BRIC, inaugural Executive Director of The Greene Space at New York Public Radio, and Director of Culture for the State of Connecticut. Her career spans visual arts, media, government, cultural institutions, and philanthropy. +
