Kemi Ilesanmi Selected for the Jandon Business of the Arts Distinguished Lecture

The Arts Management Department of Purchase College, SUNY, is hosting the 2026 Annual Jandon Business of the Arts Distinguished Lecture featuring Kemi Ilesanmi.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Purchase College, SUNY is hosting the 2026 Annual Jandon Business of the Arts Distinguished Lecture featuring Kemi Ilesanmi, an innovative and internationally recognized arts leader who has been at the forefront of global initiatives to decolonize art spaces and cultivate arts ecosystems. The free, in-person event takes place on March 18 and the public is invited to attend an evening of discussion on art, community, and diasporas with a reception to follow.

Why it matters

The Jandon Business of the Arts Distinguished Lecture Series was established in 2012 through a generous gift from the Jandon Foundation to bring notable leaders in the arts to speak at Purchase College and help students in the Arts Management program and arts conservatories develop relationships with accomplished professionals in their fields of study.

The details

Kemi Ilesanmi is the founder and principal of KGI Projects, where she cultivates and supports stronger Black and Brown arts ecosystems in the United States and African diaspora. She served as the founding executive director of The Laundromat Project, a nationally-recognized and community-based arts organization in New York City, from 2012-2022. Under her leadership, The LP grew its staff, budget, and impact tenfold, including a significant award from Mackenzie Scott and attaining a long-term community home in Central Brooklyn.

  • The 2026 Annual Jandon Business of the Arts Distinguished Lecture featuring Kemi Ilesanmi will take place on Wednesday, March 18 at 6:30 p.m.

The players

Kemi Ilesanmi

An arts strategist, institution builder, and diaspora weaver who is the founder and principal of KGI Projects, cultivating and supporting stronger Black and Brown arts ecosystems in the United States and African diaspora.

Purchase College, SUNY

A top 10 public school, according to U.S. News & World Report, that was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller with the aspiration to create a dynamic campus combining conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences.

Jandon Foundation

The foundation that provided a generous gift in 2012 to establish the Jandon Business of the Arts Distinguished Lecture Series at Purchase College, SUNY.

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What they’re saying

“We are excited to welcome this year's annual Jandon Business of the Arts lecturer, Kemi Ilesanmi, to campus for a wide-ranging conversation about art and its impact on communities, both locally and globally. Thanks to the Jandon Foundation, our students have the unique opportunity to hear from today's arts leaders right here on campus. I am sure our students will be inspired by Ilesanmi's incredible career and fascinated by her insights about what it means to create, curate, and advocate as a global leader across arts and cultural sectors.”

— Michael E. Steiper, Ph.D., President of Purchase College (Purchase College)

What’s next

Individuals requiring accommodations for equal access should contact Stella Kristensen a minimum of five business days prior to the event: Stella.Kristensen@purchase.edu.

The takeaway

The Jandon Business of the Arts Distinguished Lecture Series provides Purchase College students with the unique opportunity to engage with and learn from renowned arts leaders like Kemi Ilesanmi, who are shaping the future of the arts and cultural sectors both locally and globally.