Special Projects Director, Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN)
Stephanie P. Fortunato is on a mission to inspire discovery, delight and understanding by exploring the transformative power of arts and culture with and for communities. She joined the Global Cultural Districts Network (GCDN) team as director of special projects in March 2022 to support and develop the network – and oversee the delivery of projects in partnership with GCDN members. She is the co-host of The Three Bells, GCDN’s podcast which explores challenges and opportunities at the intersection of culture and urbanism. Stephanie’s approach is informed by her experience within city government where served as Providence’s Director of Art, Culture + Tourism, working at the intersection of cultural planning and community development. Throughout her career, Stephanie has collaborated with local communities to co-create arts-based policies, programs and partnerships that aim to strengthen neighborhoods, facilitate connections, and animate public spaces.
Stephanie skillfully brings teams together to co-develop creative processes and partnerships that empower communities to realize possibilities. She is a versatile arts leader with wide expertise including: arts administration, public art, festivals, commemorative works, cultural planning, policymaking, community cultural development, creative economic development, public humanities, cross-sector partnerships, and creative placemaking. In 2018, Stephanie received the Mary Brennan Tourism Award from the RI Hospitality Association. She has presented for the National Endowment for the Arts, ArtPlace America, and LISC, and is regularly invited as a guest lecturer at universities and colleges. Stephanie is on the advisory committee for the New England Foundation for the Arts. She received her M.A. in public humanities from Brown University and a B.A. from Providence College.
Stephanie is a mother, based in Providence, Rhode Island.