Two people wearing face masks and engaged in a discussion around a large paper with colorful sticky notes and handwritten text, in a room with brick walls and purple curtains.

Studio Loba offers three types of consulting for Arts and Social Justice organizations, cities, and foundations:

  • Cultural Power in Community | Stakeholder Engagement: We design and facilitate stakeholder engagement processes that involve communities as decision-makers in projects and initiatives related to art, culture, and community development. This includes cultural plans and urban planning projects.

  • Operationalizing the Future | Strategic Advising: We advise on strategic initiatives, with a focus on: Community-Centered Programming and Artist Cohort Development. If you have a Strategic Plan in place, we support you in realizing it.

  • Together in Leadership | Leadership Advising: We provide what we have found to be much needed support and counsel for arts leaders to reflect on and strengthen their leadership practice in alignment with justice and equity. We guide leaders through growth, co-directorship relationships, board and staff relations, change processes, and organizational shifts. We hold space to resource leaders with guidance and support on their journey.

Our Lead Artist and Consultant is our founder, Shey Rivera Ríos

Rivera Ríos counts on 15 years of experience in the arts and culture sector. Their work spans across geographies and includes 5 years of executive leadership experience, holding collaborations across sectors and bridging grassroots efforts with the work of municipalities and institutions. Rivera is committed to creating the conditions that allow artists and art communities to thrive.

A woman with long curly hair wearing a green and white striped dress stands outdoors near a tree, speaking into a microphone attached to a stand in front of her. She is holding a few sheets of paper and smiling. There is a black speaker on a stand next to her.
Shey Rivera Ríos with long dark hair holding a machete, surrounded by colorful flowers, wearing a red shirt.

An engaging and inspiring speaker who shares deep knowledge and experience from the arts sector grounded in community.

Shey Ri Acu Rivera Ríos is available for speaking engagements.

Reach out with information on your event so we may share rates and availability.

most recent talks

  • Grantmakers for the Arts Conference 2025, Panelist. “Resourcing Cultural Sovereignty” and “World Café: Arts and Policy”.

  • Resourcing Indigenous-led Futures Symposium at RI Foundation. 2025. Presenter and Facilitator.

  • Springfield Creative City Annual Meeting 2024, Keynote Speaker. Arts and Economic Development.

  • Community Build Association Annual Conference 2024, Keynote Speaker. Arts and Community Development.

  • Art in the Social Sphere Symposium at Brown University 2024, Artist Presenter. Social Practice Art and Community Collaboration.

  • Playing Counter-Colonialism Symposium with MIT Game Lab at RISD 2023. Co-coordinator & Guest Speaker.

  • Connecticut Office of the Arts’ Talking Artists Series 2022. Guest Artist Speaker.

  • IGBK Berlin. OnAIRism 2021 virtual panel for global artist residencies. Facilitator.

  • New England Foundation for the Arts’ Intersections Summit, 2021. Facilitator for “The States of Dance” panel.