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Take Another Look:
"AFTACON - versation"
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Join us for this special deep dive into Americans for the Arts (AFTA) and the AFTACON 2026 arts conference coming to Albuquerque June 2 - 5, 2026!
Host joni palmer is joined by Ayanna Hudson, Chief Programs Officer with AFTA. Tune in to learn about AFTA and get a sneak peek of the plans for AFTACON 2026 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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Ayanna N. Hudson joined Americans for the Arts as Chief Programs Officer on June 2, 2025, where she now plays a pivotal role in leading and advancing programmatic initiatives to effectively serve AFTA’s membership and the broader arts community and champion the arts and their essential role in society. With three decades of visionary leadership, strategic direction, and relationship building, Ayanna has dedicated her career to expanding arts access for all, fostering inclusive participation in local communities across the country, particularly those with limited opportunities to experience the arts, and strengthening the arts ecosystem.
During her 13-year tenure at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Ayanna held several impactful roles, including Chief Strategy, Programs, and Engagement Officer. She oversaw three national grantmaking programs for non-profit organizations and Local Arts Agencies, ensuring alignment with the agency’s priorities and delivering measurable results. Under her leadership, the budget for the Challenge America funding opportunity increased by 20%, extending the reach of the arts into rural and other underserved communities.
Ayanna also served as Acting Deputy Chair for Programs and Partnerships, playing a pivotal role in the implementation of the NEA’s $135 million American Rescue Plan funding initiative, including $20,200,000 to 66 local arts agencies for subgranting to help the arts and cultural sector recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and 567 awards distributed to non-profit organizations, of which 27% were granted to first-time applicants, 51% supported organizations located in high-poverty and non-metro regions, and 78% were small- and medium-sized organizations. Ayanna also co-led the development of the NEA’s inaugural Equity Action Plan and spearheaded the design of ArtsHERE, a transformative $10 million initiative in collaboration with Regional Arts Organizations. This program aimed to strengthen arts participation in underserved communities through capacity-building support, peer learning networks, technical assistance, and evaluation frameworks.
As NEA Arts Education Director, Ayanna set an ambitious vision to ensure every student has access to an excellent arts education, introducing the agency’s first systemic change funding opportunity to address gaps and foster sustainable impact. Prior to joining the NEA, Ayanna served as the inaugural Director of Arts Education at the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, where she developed and implemented, in partnership with a 100+ cross-sector community coalition, a groundbreaking strategy to provide arts education for all students across the nation’s largest educational system. Her efforts earned widespread recognition for their innovation, scale, and enduring influence. Earlier in her career, Ayanna held leadership positions at the Fulton County Arts Council, spearheading the County’s participation in the groundbreaking Youth Arts Development National Demonstration Project which measured the impact of arts programs on at-promise youth, and championing arts engagement at the local level.
Ayanna holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Spelman College and a Masters of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
| | Learn More About the People, Places, and Projects Discussed in Episode 30 | | |
Americans for the Arts (AFTA) leads a national movement to ensure arts and culture are essential to public life. Through advocacy, research, and partnerships, we strengthen the people, organizations, and systems that support the arts so every community has access to a creative life.
AFTA believes arts and culture are essential to a healthy democracy, strong economy, and engaged communities. We envision a nation where arts and culture are woven into the fabric of civic life, fully resourced in every community, and where freedom of expression is upheld as a fundamental human right.
Learn more at www.americansforthearts.org.
| | Local Arts Agencies Wayfinder | | Inside Albuquerque's $1.75 Billion Creative Economy | | Check out AFTA's March 2026 Newsletter that includes an interview with Dr. Shelle Sanchez, Director of the City of Albuquerque's Department of Arts & Culture to learn about Albuquerque's creative economy. | | |
AFTACON 2026 from June 2-5 in Albuquerque, New Mexico is where we gather to shape the future of arts and culture and organize for impact that extends far beyond four days in June.
Your voice becomes part of coordinated national action. Together, we chart the path forward.
AFTACON is for artists, arts administrators, advocates, and people who care about arts and culture across the United States.
For questions about volunteering, attendance support, and more email convention@artusa.org.
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Register for AFTACON 2026 | | |
Secure your spot and join in an engaging experience!
What $100 registration includes:
- All conference sessions across nine content pathways
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ARTventures (behind-the-scenes, hands-on learning, and meaningful encounters with local artists, cultural institutions, and historic sites)
- Special evening events
- Breakfast and lunch
This pricing is designed to make AFTACON as accessible as possible—while delivering deep, meaningful experiences you won’t find anywhere else.
Registration closes May 18, 2026.
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Curate your AFTACON 2026 experience using the pathways. Pathways are thematic focus areas that organize related breakout sessions and incubators around a shared topic. Pathways include:
- Action and Advocacy
- Arts, Humanities, and Community Vitality
- Arts and Economic Sustainability
- Arts Education
- Arts in Civic Life
- Nonprofit Strategy
- Creative Work, Agency, and Technology
- Empowering Rural Arts and Culture
- Readiness, Response and Community Care
AFTACON is designed for choice. You'll select incubators and ARTventures in advance when you register, while breakout sessions will be chosen on site, allowing you to adapt your schedule in real time. You can dive deeply into a single pathway for a more immersive experience - or mix and match breakout sessions across pathways to explore multiple topics throughout the week.
Learn more about the AFTACON:
| | Visual Identity of AFTACON 2026 | | The visual identity of AFTACON 2026 is brought to life through the work of Heidi K. Brandow (Diné, Kanaka Maoli), a multidisciplinary artist based in New Mexico whose art celebrates Indigenous heritage, cultural resilience, and the interconnectedness between land, identity, and storytelling. | | |
Heidi K. Brandow is a Diné (Navajo) and Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) multidisciplinary artist, writer, and communications professional. Originally from Hilo, Hawai’i, and now based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Heidi’s work prioritizes Indigenous perspectives, cultural resilience, and the deep connections between land, identity, and storytelling.
Through bold patterns, colors, and characters, her art celebrates a blend of Indigenous heritage and modernity, the velocity of life, and her iconic sense of humor.
Her work has been featured in exhibitions, public art projects, and editorial publications. She is also deeply invested in mentorship and education, guiding emerging Indigenous artists in understanding the intersections of art, entrepreneurship, and cultural sustainability.
Heidi earned a BFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts, studied industrial design at Istanbul Technical University, and received a Master of Design Studies (MDes) from Harvard University, Graduate School of Design.
Learn more about Heidi's work and AFTACON 2026.
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