Ian Damont Martin to lead Enrich Chicago as new Executive Director

September 16, 2026 (CHICAGO) – The Board of Directors of Enrich Chicago, the non-profit organization formed in 2014 to promote racial and cultural equity in the Chicago arts sector, proudly announced today that Ian Damont Martin, a respected leader in the cultural landscape here, will serve as its new Executive Director, effective immediately. He replaces Adria Husband, Interim Executive Director since July 2025 upon the departure of Enrich Chicago’s longtime Director Nina Sánchez.

Martin previously held the role of Enrich Program Manager (2018-20), where his breadth of responsibilities included operations, delivering curriculum for programs and workshops, and communications. In 2020, he was recruited by the Art Institute of Chicago to fill an important new leadership position as Executive Director, Inclusion & Belonging, focusing on staff and internal culture. He returns to Enrich directly from the Art Institute. His CV also includes earlier work at the Goodman Theatre as Community Engagement Coordinator (2017-18) and Artistic Producing Apprentice (2016-17), in addition to serving as a panelist for the Arts Work Fund (2020).

As an active writer/director, Martin served as the Artistic Director of Haven Chicago (2019-2024), where he helmed innovative works including Titus Andronicus, in addition to directing Our Lady of 121st Street at DePaul University, where he has served as adjunct faculty, and The Ridiculous Darkness at Sideshow Theatre, among other productions. He is the founder of Hoodbutch Studios, an interdisciplinary creative house and community rooted in Black & queer imagination that crafts narratives across film, fashion, objects, live events, and more, centering the culture-shapers too often sidelined.

“Leading Enrich has never simply meant helming a ship. It means leading this organization as a verb. A practice, something actionable, something that stands firm in the path of uncertainty… and Ian Damont Martin could not be a better fit for this role. He rejoins Enrich as its new Executive Director, taking the helm from Adria Husband and joining an incredible staff. As co-chairs, we are beyond excited to say: welcome home. We can't wait for what's next, said Norissa Bailey & Hilesh Patel, Enrich Chicago Co-Chairs.

“There is a particular opportunity in choosing to do racial equity organizing within the arts and culture landscape of Chicago, one of the largest arts and culture economies in the country, and still one of its most segregated cities, during a climate that is increasingly hostile to this work. It is an incredible opportunity, and one I don't take lightly,” added Martin. “In returning to Enrich, in this new role, I look forward to collaborating with and working alongside the board, staff, our network of members and partners, and the funders whose sustained investment makes this work possible, to continue advancing this mission for our city, building organizing capacity for our institutions, and expanding the infrastructure for our work ahead. Our mission as an arts-led movement to undo racism is both specific and ambitious, and that is its power. If we can help transform the arts, which shape all of our lives, maybe we start to influence the broader ecosystem.”

About Enrich Chicago

Enrich Chicago aims to advance a collective vision to irrevocably change the racist systems in the arts so that BIPOC arts and BIPOC people can thrive. The work of Enrich Chicago focuses on three areas:

1) Providing anti-racism learning and capacity-building to advance institutional change and significantly improve racial equity in Chicago’s arts sector.

2) Increasing leadership opportunities for BIPOC arts administrators.

3) Increasing equitable access to resources and funding opportunities for BIPOC arts organizations.

For more information on Enrich Chicago, visit enrichchi.org.

Press contact:

The Silverman Group, Inc.

Beth Silverman/Katy O’Malley

312-560-4783

beth@silvermangroupchicago.com