Fierce, Feisty, Fearless: Ruby Lerner Archive
1966-1976: MD, DC, NC
Ruby heads north to Goucher College in Baltimore to study Religion, heads back south for library school at UNC-Chapel Hill, lasts three weeks, heads to the Theater Department before she is given a barn in Shelby, NC…
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1976-1986: NY, TN, GA
After 6 years back in the South, she gets restless, realizes she needs subtitles more than squirrels, moves to NYC to work at The Manhattan Theatre Club, misses those Southern squirrels(!) and moves to Knoxville in 1981 to…
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1987-1998: GA, NY
In Atlanta now and between organizations, Ruby and doc film producer George King create Bananaland, a documentary theme park about the history of U.S. involvement in Central America; in a leap from performing arts to indie film, Ruby cements her geographic seesawing-by moving back to NY to…
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1999-Present: NY
The Culture Wars culminate in a loss of funding to individual artists and a losing Supreme Court case; Arch Gillies of The Andy Warhol Foundation taps Ruby to “invent” a new type of funding entity for artists. Creative Capital seals Ruby’s reputation as a disruptor and…
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“The importance of preserving the archive of Ruby Lerner goes beyond documentation. It’s a blueprint and map of how supporting the arts and other endeavors can thrive with innovation and risk taking to create long lasting impact.”
–Paul Rucker, Artist, Composer, Musician“Ruby Lerner’s re-envisioning of arts philanthropy, and her tireless advocacy, has been transformative for us and countless others. She is the best friend and champion an artist could hope for, and we feel blessed to have her in our lives.”
–Tia Lessin and Carl Deal, Oscar-nominated Filmmakers“Ruby is deservedly well known for cultivating and spurring creativity from so many for many years. But, as evidenced by her archive of writings, she’s also a fighter and a clear-eyed strategist who understands the importance of radically rethinking many of the systems in our country that are failing us.”
–Michael B. Keegan, Co-chair, Artists for the American Way and former President of People for the American WayFierce, Feisty, Fearless: Ruby Lerner Archive
WELCOME to the archive of Ruby Lerner. Here you will find work from her decades-long career in the arts, including articles, speeches, and unpublished writings. Explore the themes in her work below or visit the Full Archive tab to search her entire archive. You can join her on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
1966-1976: MD, DC, NC
Ruby heads north to Goucher College in Baltimore to study Religion, heads back south for library school at UNC-Chapel Hill, lasts three weeks, heads to the Theater Department before she is given a barn in Shelby, NC…
READ MORE
“The importance of preserving the archive of Ruby Lerner goes beyond documentation. It’s a blueprint and map of how supporting the arts and other endeavors can thrive with innovation and risk taking to create long lasting impact.”
–Paul Rucker, Artist, Composer, Musician1976-1986: NY, TN, GA
After 6 years back in the South, she gets restless, realizes she needs subtitles more than squirrels, moves to NYC to work at The Manhattan Theatre Club, misses those Southern squirrels(!) and moves to Knoxville in 1981 to…
READ MORE
“Ruby Lerner’s re-envisioning of arts philanthropy, and her tireless advocacy, has been transformative for us and countless others. She is the best friend and champion an artist could hope for, and we feel blessed to have her in our lives.”
–Tia Lessin and Carl Deal, Oscar-nominated Filmmakers1987-1998: GA, NY
In Atlanta now and between organizations, Ruby and doc film producer George King create Bananaland, a documentary theme park about the history of U.S. involvement in Central America; in a leap from performing arts to indie film, Ruby cements her geographic seesawing-by moving back to NY to…
READ MORE
1999-Present: NY
The Culture Wars culminate in a loss of funding to individual artists and a losing Supreme Court case; Arch Gillies of The Andy Warhol Foundation taps Ruby to “invent” a new type of funding entity for artists. Creative Capital seals Ruby’s reputation as a disruptor and…
READ MORE
“Ruby is deservedly well known for cultivating and spurring creativity from so many for many years. But, as evidenced by her archive of writings, she’s also a fighter and a clear-eyed strategist who understands the importance of radically rethinking many of the systems in our country that are failing us.”
–Michael B. Keegan, Co-chair, Artists for the American Way and former President of People for the American Way