“I had the pleasure of working with Durell Cooper on a small project and truly appreciated his availability, fast-turnaround on deliverables, and high level of professionalism. Durell was a thoughtful in his approach and clearly demonstrated a broad understanding of equity. He was generous with his time, easy to work with, and able to provide valuable guidance based on our specific needs.”
Nikki Estes
Director, Presenting & Touring
South Arts
Nikki Estes
Director, Presenting & Touring
South Arts
“Durell Cooper is an extraordinarily thoughtful leader and connector. I've had the great pleasure of working with Durell when he consulted for the International Contemporary Ensemble, first as a guest speaker at our Virtual Town Hall on equity in the time of COVID-19, and then through his designing and moderating a panel discussion on Leadership and Allyship for our emerging artists program, Ensemble Evolution. His care and passion for the arts is inspiring, and he brings a curiosity to his work that motivates us to think in new ways about imagining our future. He's deeply thoughtful about building connections in the arts field and finding ways to expand and embrace justice at every level of arts organizations.”
Jennifer Kessler
Executive Director
International Contemporary Ensemble
Jennifer Kessler
Executive Director
International Contemporary Ensemble
"Dr. Durell Cooper is a remarkable, thoughtful and empathetic facilitator. He gave an interactive keynote titled: “Moving from Allyship to Accomplice” for Paramount’s 2022 Inclusion Week. This session was viewed globally from our 20,000+ employees and remained one of the most talked about sessions from the 80+ session we produced. Dr. Cooper has his finger on the pulse as it relates to the ever-evolving tools and strategies of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging. His flexibility and proactive communication made this partnership efficient and I look forward to collaborating with him in the future. "
Ky’Lend J. Adams
Manager, DE&I
Paramount Global
Ky’Lend J. Adams
Manager, DE&I
Paramount Global
“I had the privilege of collaborating with Cultural Innovation Group on several occasions. He delivered a very engaging and thought-provoking discussion, which created a welcoming and safe environment for the participants to reveal their true feelings and fears. I am intrigued by Cultural Innovation Group's impact on the community in a short amount of time. The fact that Durell has had the opportunity to interview well-known artists and arts professionals speaks for itself. I look forward to collaborating with Durell again in the future.”
Veronica Loomis
Co-Founder and Executive Director
It's a She Thing, Inc.
Veronica Loomis
Co-Founder and Executive Director
It's a She Thing, Inc.
"Durell Cooper and Cultural Innovation Group LLC led a fantastic training for National Queer Theater and a group of other small arts organizations. With deep patience and skill, Durell helped educate our group on anti-racist theater practices, and guided us towards crafting our own strategic plans to combat racism within our organizations. I can't recommend Durell and his company more highly!"
Adam Odsess-Rubin
Founding Artistic Director
National Queer Theater
Adam Odsess-Rubin
Founding Artistic Director
National Queer Theater
"Dr. Cooper brings equal parts expertise, approachability, and a spiritual delivery to his education sessions and the content he presents, such that the attendees leave with a sense of purpose, meaning and urgency to practice new opportunities to help make the world a better place--more diverse, more equitable and allow for a greater sense of belonging. I feel so grateful to Durell for his inspiration, leadership and the great work he's doing to make a difference in our lives and in the world we live."
Stephanie Redish Hofmann
Managing Director
Google
Stephanie Redish Hofmann
Managing Director