An NYC Female Arts Patron of the Arts to Know: Jaishri Kapoor Shares Her Mission to Empower Emerging Artists
Music and dance motivated me as a child, and they galvanize me as an adult. Today’s woman dreamer, Jaishri Kapoor is an NYC-based female patron of the arts. Jaishri is an active supporter at leading art institutions such as the Metropolitan Opera, Newport Jazz Festival, and she is currently the Vice Chair of the Board at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. In this inspiring interview, Jaishri shares her journey with supporting emerging artists, how her cultural roots inspire her artistic vision, and her next big dream. Enjoy her story!
You are based in NYC and are a female patron of the arts to know, supporting amazing organizations such as the Metropolitan Opera and the Newport Jazz Festival. Tell us your story, what inspires you about the arts?
Music and dance motivated me as a child, and they galvanize me as an adult. As a little girl, I loved staging dance performances with my friends. I was a shy speaker; dance let me connect with people in ways words didn’t. I dreamed of being a professional dancer. A famed Bollywood actress and Bharatnatyam dancer invited me to stay and train with her. I was on my way to my dream!
But this dream remained just that . This just didn’t fit the cultural norms and expectations of a woman. My mother was a professional classical singer, and had seen how difficult it was.
So I retreated, and went on to a life as a banker and homemaker. But I quietly kept my childhood passion. I stayed involved as a spectator. I married someone who introduced me to opera and jazz. I followed my children into electronic music and modern dance.
Each of these experiences connected me in unexpected ways with new people and cultures. They reminded me of what had energized me as a child. They also showed me how many performers face the social pressure that prevented me from staying on stage. So I have committed myself to bringing others the joy I sensed as a child. And helping performers—especially women—do what I never got to do.
Tell us more about your work and support in the art space. You were influential in the Met’s revival of the Philip Glass opera “Satyagraha,” which is based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, and oversaw the staging of “A Bridge Together" in Newport. What were some of the most rewarding experiences you have had? How do you find your inspiration when you take on a new project?
I try to use these arts to build my own little bridge—from my childhood in India to my life in America. I grew up in a traditional South Indian family but lived in different places around the world. I trained in Bharatnatyam and Ballet. I grew up with ragas with my mother, all kinds of music with my husband—from rock & soul to ghazals & qawwalis. And my kids have led me to Latin & African artists.
So most of my projects combine these art forms, and reinterpret them for an American audience. My husband and I helped revive Satyagraha at the Metropolitan Opera. We presented a fusion of Bharatnatyam & Jazz at the Newport Jazz Festival. I’m working on using electronic music to revive the classics. Every one of these brings me closer to America and deepens my bond with India.
You have a passion for social work too, such as your work with emerging artists. Why do you believe it is important to support emerging artists, particularly women of color?
It has taken me many years to see what held me—and indeed my mother—back from the performing arts. It has taken a lot of soul-searching and confidence to face the social pressure that molded me. I think these pressures and expectations still exist for many women and even men who want to be performers—especially for those of color and/or from traditional societies. I try to do my little part to help these artists find a platform to express their art, find their own path to fulfillment, and in the process, share the joy with their audiences.
4. As the platform for women dreamers, what is your next big dream?
I may not have realized my dream of dancing and singing on stage. But in my own quiet way I have made my artistic dreams come to life. I hope to continue helping every girl find the courage and voice to fulfill her artistic dream.
Thank you Jaishri for sharing your inspiring story with us! We are excited to have you in our empowered women’s network!
Bio: Jaishri Kapoor is an avid patron of a wide spectrum of performing arts. She joined the Board of Trustees of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in 2016 and was recently elected Vice Chair. Jaishri and her husband were honorees at the Ailey Spirit Gala at Lincoln Center in 2018. Jaishri is also an active supporter of several other preeminent American institutions that promote traditional art forms — such as the Metropolitan Opera and the Newport Jazz Festival, where her husband serves as a board member. She is passionate about instilling her cultural roots into the works of these institutions. She was influential in the Met’s revival of the Philip Glass opera “Satyagraha,” which is based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi. For Newport, she oversaw the staging of “A Bridge Together,” which featured a combination of jazz and classical Indian art forms. Jaishri is an enthusiastic champion of emerging artists, who aim to synthesize their cultural roots along with western artistic traditions. Her commitment has included sponsoring musicians from India, Pakistan and Portugal. Creative performances by singers, musicians, dancers and poets have filled the Kapoor’s home for years in an effort to share the arts with their community. Each year, Jaishri co-chairs a wine-tasting fundraiser for the Harlem Children’s Zone, a non-profit organization in central Harlem that holds the distinction of a national model in education, youth and community development and the fight against poverty. Mrs. Kapoor started her professional career in Marketing at JP Morgan Chase and held roles in private equity at Merrill Lynch prior. She has a BA in Economics and Sociology from Wellesley College and a MA in International Affairs from Columbia University. She resides with her husband, Vikas Kapoor, in New York with their three children and two very naughty Yorkies.