Introducing our Communications and Media Fellow, Anushya Badrinath

Anushya is one of the four new team members joining EmcArts this year. Read more about our team on our website.


Anushya is a lens-based artist, whose work is largely informed by an interest in the nuances of culture and identity. Being a strong believer in the cross-pollination of ideas from different disciplines, she has a BA in Psychology and most recently an MFA in Photography, Video and Related Media from the School of Visual Arts. Having moved from India to NYC for her Masters, the trajectory her work has taken is largely informed by cross-cultural experiences. Using the medium of video and extensive interviews, her thesis project explored how the cultural influences of recent South Asian women immigrants shape their mobility and experiences of new spaces.

In addition to the visual arts, Anushya also has a background in writing. Being passionate about music, she contributed to a Mumbai-based music magazine, writing about the independent music scene in India. More recently she was also an editorial associate at a NYC-based experimental film journal. Drawing from her experience in the arts and writing, as the Communications and Media Fellow at EmcArts, Anushya will be assisting in communications and editorial strategy and the production of content on ArtsFwd.

Who and what inspires you to work towards innovation and adaptive change in the arts?

As an art student and enthusiast in India, I remember being frustrated with how arts organisations and institutions often become redundant and stagnant, and struggle to initiate and embrace change. After moving to New York City, I experienced first-hand the transformative power of arts organizations that find creative ways of engaging with their constantly evolving communities. This helped me realize the social impact that forward thinking and innovative cultural organizations can have. Having lived abroad also forced me to unlearn various behaviours and assumptions, which led to radical shifts in perspective. Although such transformations were rocky, these shifts have been some of the most powerful and empowering experiences I have had. Seeing similar transformations on a macro level is something that is very inspiring for me.

What do you wish you could see more of in the arts and social sectors?

Apart from wanting to see cultural organizations engaging more authentically with their communities, I also want them to be more inclusive. Though many might say that it protects artistic integrity, I dislike the exclusivity that has been in attendance of the arts. I also want to see more initiatives that are artist run, mainly so that they have more say in administrative and funding decisions.

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