Shannon Brunette founded the Office of Cultural Work to empower cultural workers, both in their practices and in partnership with their communities. Throughout her career, Shannon has worked alongside visionary artists to help both established and emerging creators navigate oppressive systems, deepen the meaning and connection in their work, and bring their visions to life. She channels her partners’ goals into transformative collaborations, from managing nationally recognized public artists such as Seitu Ken Jones to connecting public organizations and private developers with relevant local talent.

Shannon has held leadership positions at Penumbra Theatre, the Walker Art Center, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Lambent Foundation, and the Blue Man Group. As part of Blue Man’s touring production, she developed a solid foundation for managing artists and handling just about everything that can happen on the road. Shannon is also a working artist and arts educator, having led programs with diverse institutions and community organizations, including Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Wet Paint Art, and Grand Marais Art Colony.

Shannon holds an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York, was the 2017 recipient of the McKnight MRAC Next Step Fund award, and was a James P. Shannon Leadership Institute Fellow in 2017. She serves as alumni and inaugural Board Chair of artEquity, an equity and inclusion training organization focused on the arts and culture field. She is currently the Vice President of the Board of Directors for Rondo Community Land Trust.