Sixto Wagan

About Sixto Wagan

As the Executive Director of BIPOC Arts Network and Fund (BANF), I lead a diverse and dynamic team of artists, curators, scholars, and partners who support the cultural vibrancy and power of communities of color in Greater Houston. With nearly 30 years of experience in the arts and social sector, I have a proven track record of fundraising, program development, event production, and communication, using collaborative, equitable, and transparent processes. My mission is to create and facilitate spaces and opportunities for dialogue, learning, and action around issues of equity, leadership, transition, and community stewardship. I have a strong network of national and international cultural producers and thought leaders, and I have been a featured speaker and moderator in numerous conferences and convenings. I hold multiple certifications in social-behavioral-educational research, anti-racism facilitation, and adaptive facilitation, which enable me to engage diverse and complex publics in meaningful and impactful ways.

Experience

1. Executive Director

   Houston In Color

   Aug 2021 — Present · Houston, TX, US

   Sixto Wagan is the Executive Director for the BIPOC Arts Network and Fund. He leads BANF along with a Steering Committee and an Accountability and Advisory Council made up of a diverse group of artists, curators, scholars, organizational leaders and foundation partners, who guide goals and priorities.The BIPOC Arts Network & Fund (BANF) is a multi-year initiative that builds a revolutionary arts ecosystem that empowers BIPOC artists, organizations, and communities in the Greater Houston Area with transformative opportunities to dream, connect, collaborate, and create. Established in 2021 as a collaborative community effort, BANF is guided by the very artists, nonprofit organizations, and local leaders it seeks to serve. It revolutionizes the local funding landscape, breaks down silos within the arts ecosystem, and welcomes everyone to support and learn from BIPOC arts communities. BANF was created in a crisis to provide resources and networks that support the vibrant Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and other communities of color of Greater Houston in fully displaying their power, values, and traditions. BANF is part of the Ford Foundation America’s Cultural Treasures regional initiative, with Houston’s philanthropic partners Houston Endowment, Kinder Foundation, The Powell Foundation, and The Brown Foundation, Inc. Wagan builds the infrastructure and facilitates the collective processes that are core to BANF\'s mission and process. He directs the multiple teams to implement the granting, communications, evaluation, and programmatic initiatives, that will invest $12.4M into the Greater Houston BIPOC arts ecosystem over five years.

Education

• Rice University

  MA, Education/Teaching

  1994 — 1996

• Rice University

  Bachelor of Arts, English and Art/Art History

  1990 — 1994

Skills

• Copywriting
• Web Design
• Event Management
• Non-Profit Administration
• Press Releases
• Directing
• Public Relations
• New Media
• Graphic Design
• Music
• Creative Writing
• Community Outreach
• Team Building
• Photography
• Art
• Photoshop
• Teaching
• Strategic Planning
• Online Advertising
• Non-Profits
• Public Speaking
• Leadership
• Grant Writing
• Blogging
• Grants
• Research
• Fundraising
• Marketing Strategy
• Team Leadership
• Entertainment
• Theatre
• Workshop Facilitation
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Advertising
• Art Direction
• Arts Administration
• Newsletters
• Acting
• Visual Arts
• Social Media