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Yona Backer

Master of Arts (M.A.) at Columbia University in the City of New York

Yona Backer is a skilled cultural strategist, nonprofit management specialist, and producer dedicated to the convergence of contemporary art and social justice. As the founder of Third Streaming Strategic Services (3S) in NYC, she excels in providing strategic guidance, impact assessments, program development, evaluations, capacity building, and project management during organizational transitions.

With over 25 years of hands-on experience, Backer's success lies in her ability to craft comprehensive plans that propel organizational visions forward and foster collaborative decision-making. Her diverse background includes roles as a curator, program developer for arts and culture spaces, and grantmaker with a strong emphasis on artist-centered institutions.

Before establishing her consultancy, Backer founded Third Streaming, an avant-garde art and exhibition venue in Soho from 2009 to 2014. She also held positions as a Senior Program Officer at the Andy Warhol Foundation (1999-2008) and Director of Visual Arts and Curator of Exhibitions at The Americas Society.

Backer's involvement with The Alvin Baltrop Trust since 2008 highlights her commitment to preserving artistic legacies. Her work on legacy-planning strategies and artist archives culminated in significant donations to The Bronx Museum of the Arts and partnerships with Galerie Buchholz.

Educationally, she holds a BA in Art History and History from Hunter College, City University of New York, and an MA in Art History and Archaeology from Columbia University. Backer's dedication to continuous learning is evident in her completion of The Aspen Institute Artist-Endowed Foundations Initiative in 2018 and membership in Art Table.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Backer is now based in New York City, where her expertise and multidisciplinary approach continue to make a lasting impact on the arts and nonprofit sectors.

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Location

New York, New York, United States