Art
Where Art Meets Endurance
Words by Teneshia Carr
Images Courtesy of Matteo Prandoni/BFA.com
Last week at The Rockaway Hotel in Queens, a new kind of Summit took shape: paintbrushes and performance, banners and boldness, goals and gallery walls converged. The Art Arena™ Summit, presented in partnership with Glossier and powered by WOAH (Work of Art Holdings), unfolded across two days of programming, proving that sport and art share space and drive one another forward.
WOAH is a female-founded global art and culture firm based in New York with a mission to elevate the integration of art, business, and social impact. They are dedicated to investing in ventures that focus on art and culture, developing innovative business models, and providing strategic consulting services that prioritize cultural and social impact. Isolde Brielmaier, Chief Strategy Officer at WOAH, elaborates on one of their many goals: “We focus on working hyper-locally, engaging with communities to guide them to experiences they may not have had before. Our aim is to highlight the role of art and creativity across various sectors and aspects of life.”
The Summit marked the first major initiative of Art Arena™, the newly launched media and commerce platform centered on elevating women in creative and athletic disciplines. From Mickalene Thomas’ unveiled Championship Banner, a limited-edition work made from recycled plastic in partnership with Bionic Yarns, to a live recording of the Art Arena™ Podcast with Megan Rapinoe, the energy was vibrant, visionary, and unmistakably urgent.
“The Art Arena™ Summit was such an exciting moment not just for us at WOAH, but for the broader cultural landscape of art and sport,” said Michi Jigarjian, founder and CEO of WOAH. “What made the Art Arena™ Summit so special was the energy in the room his incredible mix of artists, athletes, and thought leaders all exploring how creativity drives change, inspiring the next generation.”