Berklee's Taneshia Nash Laird Appointed to Massachusetts Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council

13/02/2025

Berklee's Taneshia Nash Laird Appointed to Massachusetts Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council As a strategic leader, she will examine ways to create economic opportunities in the arts and culture sector.

By

Colette Greenstein

February 12, 2025

Taneshia Nash Laird

Image by Nicole Mondestin Photography

Taneshia Nash Laird, an associate professor in the Africana Studies Department, has been appointed to the Massachusetts Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council, a body of public and private sector stakeholders charged with exploring policies that support artists, cultural workers, and arts organizations while promoting cultural equity in the arts.

My appointment by Governor Maura Healey to the Massachusetts Cultural Policy Development Advisory Council, particularly my work on the Infrastructure for Cultural and Creative Spaces working group, aligns perfectly with my career focus on developing and operating arts centers, said Nash Laird. This role allows me to apply my expertise in arts facility development, creative placemaking, and economic development to create sustainable solutions that support both our creative economy and the spaces where art and culture thrive.

In the fall of 2024, Nash Laird began teaching Entrepreneurship in Black Creative Expression, a class designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge essential for success at the intersection of entrepreneurship and creative Black expression, specifically emphasizing music, dance, and theater. The course offers practical insights and hands-on experience in establishing, managing, and expanding ventures within the for-profit or nonprofit Black performing arts industry.

Nash Laird began her career in the early 1990s as the director of media relations at Planet Rock Music in the Bronx, New York, a label founded by hip-hop legend Afrika Bambaataa. Since that time, she has led an impressive career in bolstering the creative economy in the Greater New York City area and in Newark, Princeton, and Trenton, New Jersey. From 2018 to 2022, she served as the president and CEO of Newark Symphony Hall, where she raised $15 million for the buildings historic preservation. Nash Laird relocated to Boston in 2022 to launch the Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center (GRACC) as the organization's inaugural president and CEO.

Nash Laird now leads the national initiative Project REAP (Real Estate Associate Program) as executive director. In this role, she uses her extensive background to empower professionals of color and ensure their success in the commercial real estate industry. As a proud REAP Academy graduate and the first alumna to serve as its leader, she is dedicated to closing the wealth gap and fostering a diverse and inclusive industry. Nash Laird holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Bernard Baruch College and a Master of Arts in live entertainment management from the University of Miami.

Related Categories

News

Most Popular

Toto in the recording studio from Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary.

Photograph by Jim Hagopian/HBO

The Best Music Documentaries on Every Streaming Platform Explore groundbreaking music documentaries streaming across Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and more. From intimate artist portraits to legendary concert films, discover the stories behind your favorite artists and iconic moments.

Latest

Image courtesy of Alessandro, via Flickr, Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

David Lynch's Music Was as Unsettlingly Brilliant as His Films The late auteur's film legacy was cemented in productions like Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet, but his vast musical catalog and collaborations deserve attention too.

Drummer TK Johnson BM '22 performs with Bartees Strange at NPRs Tiny Desk.

Image courtesy of NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concert

Alum TK Johnson Backs Bartees Strange for a Tiny Desk Instant Classic The drummer has been playing with Bartees since 2022, and also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live supporting the indie artists new album, Horror.

Image courtesy of the artist

Brittany Haas Awarded 2025 Eisenson Family Prize for American Roots Music An internationally renowned fiddler, Haas will engage with Berklee students during a visit to the Boston campus April 14-15.

Read All

Subscribe The latest sounds, stories, and ideas, sent to your inbox weekly.

LINK:	https://www.berklee.edu/berklee-now/news/berklee-s-taneshia-nash-laird...
	See more stories from berklee

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

18/03/2026

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...

18/03/2026

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...

18/03/2026