The work,
in rooms.

Plenaries, keynotes, panels, and the long-form conversations that go deeper than a podium.

Topics span diversity in the arts, cultural strategy, organizational design, and modern fatherhood. For booking inquiries, send a short note with the audience, format, and date window.

Andre Dowell speaking portrait
Photo: Kevin Kennedy
Topics

What he speaks on.

Diversity in the Arts

How national arts organizations actually move the needle on representation — from program design to pipeline-building, evaluation, and the hard internal work that pre-dates any public announcement.

Cultural Strategy & Organizational Design

Building national networks, partnerships, and convenings that scale impact without losing the human texture of the work. Drawn from 25+ years inside the field.

Modern Fatherhood & Leadership

What raising kids actually teaches you about leading institutions — and what arts leadership taught a single Black father about presence over perfection.

Speaking History

Selected engagements.

Chorus America

Plenary

Plenary address on diversity, equity, and the future of choral leadership at the national Chorus America conference.

Albany State University

Keynote

“Transforming Lives through the Power of Diversity in the Arts” — keynote address on the work and mission of Sphinx Organization.

SphinxCON

Convening · Speaker

Sphinx Organization’s annual national convening on diversity in the performing arts.

Keeping the Beat with Aaron Dworkin

In Conversation

“Diversity, Entrepreneurship, & Innovation” — long-form discussion with Sphinx Organization founder Aaron Dworkin.

Crafting Relevance

Speaker

Featured talk on building cultural relevance in legacy arts institutions.

Tennessee Arts Academy

Belmont University · Nashville · Faculty

Session leader in the Arts Leadership, Administration, and Assessment core area at the Tennessee Department of Education’s annual summer training institute for K–12 arts educators.

Media & Press

In the conversation.

Musical America

Recognition

Recognized as one of Musical America’s “The Resilient Warriors” for outstanding contributions to the field.

CanvasRebel · Meet Andre Dowell

Profile

In-depth profile on Andre’s path through the arts, leadership philosophy, and the intersection of fatherhood and cultural work.

Read →

Coregami · “Poker, Percussion, and Not-So-Perfect Bow Ties”

Feature

Feature article on Andre’s percussion roots, leadership style, and the signature bowtie aesthetic.

Read →

Between Two Stands

Podcast

Conversation on Sphinx, diversity in classical music, and the work of recognizing Black and Latinx excellence in the field.

American Black Journal

Television · Multiple Appearances

Featured on PBS’s American Black Journal — including SphinxCON coverage and a segment on the work of Sphinx Organization.

Booking inquiry?

A short note with audience, format, and date window gets the fastest reply.

Send an Inquiry