KODA laboratory for creative concepts | New York nonprofit arts org

About

We work with mid-career conceptual artists who explore social justice related topics. They surface the world’s economic and social challenges through their insightful research and concepts.

Our contribution:

Residencies and survey exhibitions: we invite the artists to think, research or create.
Community and education programs: we make art accessible and we inspire younger generations.
Partnerships with socially engaged businesses: we develop unique opportunities for making impact.

We were established in 2019 and launched in 2020 with KODA Community program. Our work is designed around the needs of individual artists, with the main aim to provide them with due exposure and scholarship. Our strategy and our projects are aligned with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Email us to speak about potential collaborations.

Team

Executive Director

Klaudia Ofwona Draber is a curator and the founder of KODA—a social practice residency for mid-career artists. She has lived and led arts, technology and strategy projects in Europe, Africa, and the United States. She is also a faculty at Sotheby's Institute of Art New York. Her professional experience includes working as the Head of Public Relations at the Polish Cultural Institute New York, and as a consultant to the British Council Arts. She also worked at UBS, managing global change and local arts CSR projects. Klaudia was the 2021-2022 Helena Rubinstein Fellow at the Whitney Museum ISP Curatorial Studies Program. She mentors at ArtTable, and New Museum's NEW INC. Klaudia holds an MA in Art Business from Sotheby‘s Institute of Art New York. She also holds an MA in Economics from the Warsaw School of Economics. Klaudia is a PhD candidate in Practice in Curating at the University of Reading.

Kenseth Armstead

Tim Goossens

Elana Herzog

Tahir Carl Karmali

Constantine Sidamon-Eristoff

Klaudia Ofwona Draber, ex officio

Elif Usuloglu

Program Manager

Elif Usuloglu is the Program Manager at KODA. Elif gained her professional experience working in non-profit organizations and galleries. She is currently enrolled in the MA in Visual Arts Administration program at NYU where she's learning Strategic Governance and Planning amongst other things. She holds a BA in Fine Arts from Marist College. Besides being a stellar artist-oriented arts administrator, Elif is also a visual artist herself. She explores the human figure through her practice. She has showcased her work in Italy, US, and Turkey. Her current project involves experimenting with using every part of the used tea bags; from sewing and drawing on the tea bags to using the loose tea leaves to print photos. She values exploration and community.