In addition to lead faculty member Antonio Cuyler, Learning Lab participants in the Fall 2023 cohort will be joined by guest choral leaders who are, and have been, engaged in intentional, tangible ADEI work with their organizations.
Dr. Antonio C. Cuyler’s (Kyler) (He) journey into access, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) began at Stambaugh Middle School when a teacher invited him to join a program called, Cultural Cousins. The program tasked students with bridging cultural divides across a diverse and multicultural student population. Since that time, he has established an international reputation as a thought leader in the creative sector on ADEI and creative justice issues by presenting research around the globe in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
However, the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd compelled him to found Cuyler Consulting, LLC, a Black-owned arts consultancy that partners with cultural organizations to maximize their performance and community relevance through ADEI. Through his consulting practice, he leads ADEI climate surveys, education, research & evaluation, and strategic planning for cultural organizations. Among his clients includes the American Choral Directors Association, Chorus America, Giving Voice Initiative, Hewlett Foundation, League of American Orchestras, Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA), and Winston-Salem Symphony Orchestra, among others.
In 2021, Routledge published his first book, Access, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Cultural Organizations: Insights from the Careers of Executive Opera Managers of Color in the U. S. Palgrave Macmillan published his first edited volume, Arts Management, Cultural Policy, & the African Diaspora in 2022. He has also authored several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. As a well-regarded educator with a diverse teaching portfolio, he has taught students pursuing minors, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in arts leadership and management at Florida State University (FSU), Colorado State University, SUNY Purchase College, American University, and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Currently, he serves as Professor of Music in Entrepreneurship & Leadership at the University of Michigan.
