Doris Duke Foundation's Ashley Ferro-Murray on Dance Funding Gaps

Ashley Ferro-Murray, program director for the arts at the Doris Duke Foundation, brings her experience as a dancer, choreographer, and curator to address gaps in U.S. dance funding. She emphasizes that artists know their needs best and advocates for unrestricted support. The foundation's Doris Duke Artist Awards provide $525,000 in unrestricted funds, plus retirement savings incentives and financial planning resources. Ferro-Murray also highlights partnerships like Artists Make Technology with the Mozilla Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. Her PhD from UC Berkeley on choreography, media, and technology informs her interest in equitable tech. She critiques the scarcity mentality in dance and points to counternarratives in Afrofuturism, cyberfeminism, and Disability activism. Notable artists mentioned include Maria Hassabi, Kinetic Light, jaamil olawale kosoko, Su Wen-Chi, Sage Whitson, Raja Feather Kelly, Nile Harris, and John Bernd.