Tony Whitfield

Born in Philadelphia, Tony Whitfield is a multimedia artist, designer, and educator who, since 1976, has been an influential member of the public and nonprofit sectors in NYC’s arts community. Whitfield taught at Parsons School of Design and served in several roles including chair of the product design department and associate dean for civic engagement and social justice issues. He has been professor emeritus at The New School University (NYC) since 2020. 

Having relocated to Detroit in 2020,Whitfield has worked with communities and organizations that underpin—and are supported by—his creative practice, which is focused on the health and history of people of color and diverse queer populations in urban environments, including the Ruth Ellis Center and the Alger Theater.

In 2022, Whitfield’s artworks were displayed across five venues in the “Mighty Real Queer Detroit” exhibition. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he was an online curator and facilitator for Village.Berlin’s STRETCH Festivals. He has had solo shows in NYC, Lima, and Paris, as well as group exhibitions in galleries and museums in New York and internationally. In 2023, Whitfield received the Creator of Culture award from CultureSource.