Bio
Jovan Osborne (He/Him/His) is the Program Coordinator for the EXCEL Lab within the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance at the University of Michigan. Jovan is an arts educator and administrator committed to interdisciplinary collaboration and artistic expression. Prior to this role, Jovan was the Education Manager and Interim Executive Director of The Grove Museum in Tallahassee, Florida. Jovan managed the Educational Department and worked with student volunteers and interns on cultural community engagement initiatives.
Jovan has held various roles that focused on promoting arts, culture, and community. In 2022, Jovan created the Black Arts Festival while working at the Florida Division of Arts and Culture. This festival has become an annual cultural program that celebrates Black visual and performing artists in Florida. He was the Project Manager and Legislative Coordinator for the Florida Music Educators Association. He helped organize legislative meetings with collegiate students in Florida to support arts and cultural funding. Additionally, Jovan worked as the Artist Liaison for the Sphinx Connect Conference in Detroit, Michigan. In that role, He had the pleasure of working with artists such as Dennyce Graves Montgomery, Damien Sneed, Michael R. Jackson, and NEA Chair Dr. Maria Rosario Jackson.
In 2023, Jovan was selected to participate in the second cohort of summer interns at the Metropolitan Opera. Jovan worked in the DEI Department where he created educational resources on Building Inclusive Work Environments and Cultural Competency. These resources have been used at the Met Opera to educate over 1,500 artists, administrators, and staff members.
As a performer, Jovan is a classical saxophonist, conductor, and operatic baritone. Jovan holds a B.A. in Music with a minor in Education and Psychology and an M.A. in Arts Administration from Florida State University. While as a student, he was a part of the FSU College of Music Board of Advisors, and the College of Fine Arts Leadership Council. Jovan is currently a member of the Association of Arts Administration Educators and a peer reviewer for the Journal of Museum Education.
