SHAGARA
/shah-gah-rah/
Shagara is a cultural platform connecting artists, organizations, and communities to build inclusive arts programming in New York City.
Who We Are
Shagara works at the intersection of the professional arts world and the disability artist community — building the programs, partnerships, and infrastructure for truly inclusive arts to thrive in New York City.
We produce events, develop fundable programs with nonprofit partners, and maintain a growing roster of vetted NYC artists who are ready to teach, perform, collaborate, and give back to the community.
What We Do
Events & Programming Community art nights, showcases, networking events, and workshops — designed to be inclusive, accessible, and worth showing up for.
Nonprofit Partnerships We partner with organizations to develop and produce programs that are fundable, executable, and built around real artist relationships.
Artist Connections We maintain a vetted roster of NYC artists across disciplines who are committed to inclusive, collaborative work with the I/DD community.
Community Resources We maintain a free NYC Open Mic Calendar — a curated directory of open mics across all five boroughs, updated monthly.
“Shagara” comes from the Egyptian Arabic word for “tree”, reflecting a focus on building work that is rooted, intentional, and designed to grow over time.
Our Roots
Prior to founding Shagara, Carrie Ann produced inclusive arts events — including an open mic series and a fashion show — drawing hundreds of attendees and earning regional and international press coverage.
Shagara works with venues, cultural organizations, artists, and brands that are serious about inclusive programming — not as optics, but as practice.
Contact Us
Ready to build something? Tell us what you're working on and we'll be in touch.
For Artists
Fill out the Artist Intake Form to get paired with an upcoming opportunity.