Rachael Jacobs (Associate Professor in Creative Arts Education at Western Sydney University)
Rachael Jacobs is an Associate Professor of arts education at Western Sydney University in Australia. Working in teacher education programs, she has a research program dedicated teacher-artistry, and anti-racism education through the arts. Rachael is a dancer, choreographer, and theatremaker. She facilitates art projects in community settings all over Australia, mostly working in migrant and refugee communities. She is also a community activist, aerial artist, South Asian choreographer and runs her own intercultural dance company. Rachael has been heavily involved in ITAC (International Teaching Artists Collaborative) as a teaching artist for the IDGs (Inner Development Goals) and a facilitator of climate justice projects in South West Sydney. She completed the Lincoln Centre’s Leadership Forum in 2019.

Yonglun Liu (Teaching Artist from Singapore, International Teaching Artist Collaborative [ITAC] Chair)
Yonglun Liu is a Singapore-based artist, arts administrator, and educator committed to building inclusive and transformative spaces through the arts. He currently serves as the Chair of the International Teaching Artist Collaborative (ITAC), a global network supporting socially engaged artists and arts educators, and is also the General Manager of the Singapore Drama Educators Association (SDEA).Yonglun has led and supported numerous initiatives that bring drama and theatre into schools and communities. Since 2017, he has collaborated with fellow artists to form arts-based interest groups for adults and children with disabilities, ranging from Playback Theatre ensembles to string groups. He is the co-founder and current leader of Harmony Community Choir and MoOnbeams Theatre, which provide inclusive platforms for creative expression.He believes strongly that everyone, regardless of ability, deserves equal opportunities to explore and engage in the arts. Outside of his professional work, Yonglun also pursues the art of jazz guitar.

Richard Mannoia (Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Vice President of Education)
Mannoia brings nearly 30 years of experience at the intersection of arts education, curriculum design, and large-scale program development. A former teaching artist, Richard has built his career on the conviction that the arts are not peripheral to student development, but central to it. As Senior Managing Director of K–12 Programs at Juilliard, he designed and scaled initiatives reaching 50,000+ students and 1,000+ educators across 28 countries, and launched a digital platform expanding access to arts education globally. His collaborative work spans Carnegie Hall, the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Harvard Project Zero. Richard's approach integrates rigorous curriculum design, practitioner-centered professional development, and ongoing research, always oriented toward the artistic and personal capabilities young people need to navigate and shape their lives.

Madeleine McGirk Rutherford (ITAC, Director)
Bringing expertise in education, theatre and filmmaking, Madeleine (she/her) is the Founding Managing Director of the International Teaching Artists Collaborative (ITAC), where she has led the building of over 5,000 members in the world's first global network of participatory artists who work in schools and communities. She specialises in arts for social transformation projects in different settings, with an emphasis on creating new and unlikely partnerships. Madeleine’s background is in designing creative engagement programming both inside and outside of traditional learning spaces, using arts as a tool for cross-sector-topic exploration. Madeleine serves as Artistic Director for the Inner Development Goals Summit, Co-Chair of Healing Arts Scotland, and has been invited to speak about the role of Teaching Artistry and creative engagement in multiple high profile spaces including UNESCO, the World Health Organisation, the Scottish Parliament, and beyond.

Jean E. Taylor (Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Senior Director of the Teaching Artistry Program)
Taylor works extensively with LCE’s Teaching Artist faculty, designing and hosting Summer Forum, co-facilitating the Teaching Artist Development Labs and collaborating on international consultancies. Jean represented LCE at the International Teaching Artist Conferences (ITAC) in Oslo, Brisbane, Edinburgh, New York, Seoul, and Auckland, NZ. Recently Jean piloted an Intergenerational Co-Mentoring project, with co-mentor Zoey Peacock Jones, together they launched The Office of Kindness, an interactive clown-inspired installation offering whimsy as a remedy for life’s daily dilemmas. Jean teaches Theatrical Clown for The New School College of Performing Arts. Her approach to theatrical clown has been published in Movement for Actors, Allworth Press. She is a board member for The Maxine Greene Institute for Aesthetic Education and AHAS (Archive for Health, Art & Spirit) and serves on the Leadership Committee for ITAC.

Who should register to Summer Forum?: Lincoln Center's Summer Forum is designed for teaching artists, educators, and arts administrators. 

How do I register?: Registration is now open. Click here!

Where is Summer Forum held?: In several indoor and outdoor spaces across Lincoln Center. Our address is: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 165 W. 65th St., New York, NY 10023.

When is Summer Forum?: July 7-11, 2026

• July 7 (8:00 am–4:30 pm)

• July 8–10 (9:00 am–4:30 pm each day)

• July 11 (8:30 am–12:30 pm)

*Note: All participants are expected to attend the entirety of the program. Lunch breaks and session breaks will be scheduled throughout the day.

What is the cost?: Summer Forum has a $50 fee to participate.

How and when do I pay?: Once your registration form is complete, a summary will appear with credit card payment options. After payment is made, you will receive a confirmation email, securing your spot at Summer Forum.

Are there discounts?: Discount codes are available for active NYC DOE Educators and Lincoln Center Campus Teaching Artists. Prior to completing the registration, please reach out to [email protected] if this applies to you and check the box in the form.