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Natalia Latchezarova Ivanova (Mount) is a visionary Bulgarian-American cultural leader, social entrepreneur, curator, and writer with over two decades of experience reshaping the role of arts and culture in society.
As the former Executive Director and Chief Curator of Pro Arts Gallery in Oakland, Natalia transformed the organization into a dynamic hub for artistic innovation and social impact. She is the founder of Pro Arts Commons, Oakland’s pioneering art commons, which champions equity, shared governance, and community engagement. An accomplished fundraiser and strategic visionary, Natalia has successfully secured millions in funding to fuel cultural initiatives that bridge art, community, and activism.
A published author, Natalia delves into the intersections of art, economy, and social justice in works like Reframing the Value of Art and Fair Labor in the Context of a Sharing Economy. Her curatorial practice spans impactful exhibitions, collaborative programs, and advocacy for sustainable, inclusive cultural ecosystems that empower artists and amplify underrepresented voices.
Fluent in multiple languages and deeply connected to global perspectives, Natalia is steadfast in her commitment to fostering meaningful cross-cultural dialogue and advancing transformative change in and through the arts.
Natalia Ivanova, Portrait by Menno van der Meulen
Performing THE COMMONS
A central focus of my work is the exploration of intellectual property (IP) and its far-reaching implications for artistic production and distribution. In 2020, I authored and registered with the U.S. Copyright Office the text and script for a transmedia performance piece, Performing Pro Arts COMMONS (PPAC), under the pseudonym Dadais Americanus. This work serves as a shared intellectual space, offering artists and collectives the ability to occupy and collaborate within a common IP framework. By doing so, it disrupts traditional capitalist models and the dominant power structures that often suppress marginalized voices and hinder creative collaboration.
Through alternative licensing frameworks like the PPAC Art License, I strive to challenge conventional ownership models, fostering creativity and solidarity in the process. Initiatives such as the Teaching Institute for Art & Law reflect my commitment to equitable access to IP rights, pushing the boundaries of how we can reimagine the intersection of creativity, law, and community economics.
Looking to the future, I advocate for innovative approaches to IP management, including the
introduction of moral clauses and redistribution mechanisms within commercial agreements. By pooling artistic works under collective ownership structures like the PPAC Art License, I envision a more inclusive and equitable creative landscape—one where artistic labor is celebrated, valued, and shared for the common good.
