About Scott

Scott Artley smiling in a jewel tone plaid shirt

Scott Artley, a white masculine-presenting person with a buzzed bald head and short orange beard. Scott wears a colorful plaid flannel shirt, a gold nose hoop, burgundy glasses, and a smile. Photo: Trista Marie Photography

Scott Artley (he/they) has over 15 years of leadership experience in nonprofits and as an independent consultant, often with a focus on unusual community-driven arts and cultural initiatives. Ask him about the summers he coordinated access programs for an outdoor opera, the performance parties he hosted at an underground queer cultural center, or the fundraising event idea he had that featured a baseball bat and a temperamental copy machine. 

"If you feel most driven by community, we’re on the same page. If you think authenticity and humor are key to getting it done, we’ll make some magic together."

A nationally recognized leader in arts and culture accessibility, I collaborate with arts organizations, foundations, and cultural institutions to advance accessibility in ways that are meaningful, sustainable, and (dare I say) fun as heck. My work spans strategic planning, accessibility assessments, tailored trainings, and speaking engagements that center disability justice, intersectionality, and practical action informed by my lived experience as a queer and disabled artist doing community-driven work in multicultural contexts.

I find real joy applying nearly two decades of experience to consulting and training work with clients of all kinds, from major regional museums to rural libraries, to advance technical compliance alongside authentic belonging. I also regularly present conference sessions with a wide array of nonprofit leadership platforms, including the Kennedy Center’s Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability (LEAD) Conference, the Alliance of Artist Communities, the Art-Reach Cultural Accessibility Conference, as well as regional arts service organizations, and more.

I have worked with dozens of organizations as clients, and held significant staff positions with the Walker Art Center, Mixed Blood Theater, and Patrick’s Cabaret. Most recently I served as the Accessibility Program Director at the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In addition to being part of a team that radically redesigned grant programs for individual artists and arts organizations, I advanced innovative engagement strategies and led shifts in policy and procedure that set new standards for disability inclusion in arts funding.

When I’m not at work, I love listening to audiobooks while taking walks in the woods, or cuddling up to write my novel with my roommate—an orange tabby named KittyPants.

Certifications

A peek behind the curtain – past experiences that brought Scott to this work:

Onstage, Scott Artley & Alejandra Tobar Alatriz encourage the audience to cheer for the "Anything But English Cabaret" (Patrick's Cabaret, 2015). As Executive Artistic Director for this long-standing Minneapolis cultural institution, from 2014-2018 S

Onstage, Scott Artley & Alejandra Tobar Alatriz encourage the audience to cheer for the "Anything But English Cabaret" (Patrick's Cabaret, 2015). As Executive Artistic Director for this long-standing Minneapolis cultural institution, from 2014-2018 Scott produced, curated, and/or hosted over 50 unique events a year centering artists on the edge of culture. Photo: Pat & Margie O'Laughlin

Scott energetically facilitates a capacity-building workshop for arts access practitioners at the Kennedy Center's annual Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability (LEAD) conference. Photo: Victoria Hamilton

Scott energetically facilitates a capacity-building workshop for arts access practitioners at the Kennedy Center's annual Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability (LEAD) conference. Photo: Victoria Hamilton

Serving as an event emcee for hundreds of events means Scott has honed skills in welcoming community, reading the room, and adapting to meet objectives (with an eye on the clock!). Plus: Scott is an absolute ham, often seen in outrageous outfits, lik

Serving as an event emcee for hundreds of events means Scott has honed skills in welcoming community, reading the room, and adapting to meet objectives (with an eye on the clock!). Plus: Scott is an absolute ham, often seen in outrageous outfits, like this colorful number for Patrick's Cabaret's "FUNeral" (2018). Photo: Ari Newman

Scott performing "Going Low," a recorded stage performance about chronic illness at the Walker Art Center (2021, curator Alison Bergblom Johnson). On a dark stage, Scott in a colorful outfit writes the words "YOU" and "ME" on a red velvet sheet with

Scott performing "Going Low," a recorded stage performance about chronic illness at the Walker Art Center (2021, curator Alison Bergblom Johnson). On a dark stage, Scott in a colorful outfit writes the words "YOU" and "ME" on a red velvet sheet with Pixy Stix sugar. Film still courtesy: MnArtists and the Walker Art Center

Scott wearing a seafoam green outfit and plastic fern crown as part of the immersive interactive performance dinner party "Mannafest" (2012). Co-produced with Chris Roberts at the underground queer cultural center Madame of the Arts that Scott helped

Scott wearing a seafoam green outfit and plastic fern crown as part of the immersive interactive performance dinner party "Mannafest" (2012). Co-produced with Chris Roberts at the underground queer cultural center Madame of the Arts that Scott helped lead 2010 to 2016. Photo: Stephanie Colgan

Scott in conversation with poet Lucas Scheelk as part of the "Raw Material" works-in-progress series he curated and hosted. Behind them, a canvas stage painting of cloudy blue sky. Just like these intimate performance events that leaned into being ro

Scott in conversation with poet Lucas Scheelk as part of the "Raw Material" works-in-progress series he curated and hosted. Behind them, a canvas stage painting of cloudy blue sky. Just like these intimate performance events that leaned into being rough around the edges, the realities of an underfunded organization trying to live its accessible ideal was a site of tension and creativity. Photo: Ari Newman

“I'm truly grateful for your leadership, your attention to detail and nuance, and in general how you are so compassionately paving the way for greater accessibility throughout this arts community!”

– Rachel Jendrzejewski, Co-Artistic Director, Red Eye Theater

“I've been privileged to work with Scott Artley for many years, and I've long been aware of his commitment to inclusive programs, to community, and to art that arises from personal experience.”

– Alison Bergblom Johnson, artist and disability arts leader