I’m India Spease, Director of Finance at the Arts Council of Greater Greensboro, and my personal mission is simple: to preserve and affirm culture by using my arts administration knowledge and skills to support individual artists and arts organizations. Rooted in faith and love, I strive each day to be a reflection of God’s grace—bringing compassion, integrity, and generosity to every balance sheet, board meeting, and budgeting conversation.
My love affair with the arts began at age six, when my mother took me to see a dance performance at New Orleans’s Mahalia Jackson Center for the Performing Arts. I remember the hush that fell over the crowd the moment the lights dimmed—one collective breath of wonder. I turned to my mom and said, “I want to do that.” She enrolled me in dance that week, and I never looked back. From training through elementary and high school to studying theatre at Dillard University and Southern Utah University, and then stage‑managing over 100 productions—from the Tony Award‑winning Utah Shakespeare Festival to the Essence Music Festival—my goal has always been to recreate that shared moment of awe, joy, and inspiration.
Over twenty years, I’ve worn many hats—dancer, stage manager, producer, researcher, and, most recently, arts administrator. I co‑founded No Dream Deferred in New Orleans, helping build the only Black‑led theatre organization with its own performance space; I’ve been part of NC Black Rep’s production team for the International Black Theatre Festival since 2017 and served as its Managing Director in 2023 and 2024. My research fellowship with the Association for Arts Administration Educators explored the leadership needs of culturally specific arts organizations in the South, culminating in work on developing arts leadership programs at HBCUs.
Today at ACGG, I’m honored to lead our Shared Services Program, which provides accounting, fiscal management, and HR support to arts nonprofits in and around Greater Greensboro—helping them focus on mission‑driven planning, programming, and community engagement. Each day, I witness how financial stability empowers artists to create, audiences to gather, and communities to thrive.
Looking ahead, I’m energized by the possibilities for the arts in North Carolina’s vibrant southern landscape. From new Advisory & Strategic Support services launching next year to ongoing mentorship of emerging arts leaders, I remain committed to that six‑year‑old me’s vision: crafting moments of collective wonder that resonate long after the lights come up.