Shay Wafer is a veteran performing arts executive and seasoned mentor with a storied career that spans four decades. She has amplified the work of African American arts legends like August Wilson and guided the careers of countless present-day arts professionals. Deeply committed to preserving the legacy of African American artists and serving as a bridge to the future, she is passionate about discovering, developing, and elevating emerging arts talent.
A natural mentor who has helped launch and incubate countless creative careers, Shay has touched an entire generation of arts professionals. As the founding VP of programs for the August Wilson Cultural Center, she arrived in Pittsburgh to a concept and left it three years later with a beautiful new 65,000-square-foot facility and a successful opening season of programming. As executive director at 651 Arts, Shay was able to further develop her artistic voice through a series of successful programs. In recognition of the 50th Anniversary of 1963, Shay produced Movement 63, a groundbreaking multimedia exhibition that explored the impact of the pivotal year in civil rights through dance, theater, and music.
Later, she was part of the team that produced the Wearable Art Gala for WACO Theater before coming on board as executive director. At WACO, she now oversees one of only four spaces in Los Angeles dedicated to regularly producing and presenting the work of Black artists. Shay is passionate about using the performing arts to break barriers and create a sense of community. By shedding light on how seemingly isolated individual life events echo a universal experience, she connects people of diverse backgrounds by illuminating the common threads of their shared humanity.
Throughout her career she has served as a bridge between generations, cultures, and perspectives. Shay has traveled to Kenya, Columbia, Cuba, Brazil, Haiti, and Johannesburg engaging artists of the diaspora and building a global network of artists in the process. This international experience and exposure have contributed to her unique artistic sensibility and shaped her singular perspective. Now, whether she is mentoring young performing arts leaders, teaching her graduate level university students, or exposing new audiences to her favorite performing artists, Shay takes pride in influencing worldviews through her expert knowledge of performing arts and culture. She is excited to continue her legacy of honoring arts visionaries while developing the performing arts talent of the future.
