Rodney M. Gilbert
The late founder and CEO of YENDOR (formerly Yendor Arts and Yendor Productions) a Newark-based boutique arts organization that consults, develops, and produces arts education programming and events. Yendor Productions was founded in 2003 to meet the challenges for the underserved artists and communities. As a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Gilbert earned a BFA in 1989 and served the arts community as an arts educator and administrator for various institutions and organizations. Gilbert was a teaching artist for the education department at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Passage Theatre, and Arts Horizon to name a few. He acted as the performing arts coordinator for New Community Corporation, Arts Department and headed all of their arts programming until the founding of Yendor Productions. He was a professional actor and director having worked on stage, film and television. Gilbert was also an Adjunct Professor at Drew University for the theatre department.
In his capacity of professional actor and director, Rodney Gilbert worked on stage, film, and television and directed the premiere of Aaliyah Habeeb’s “Love Ya Like a Sister” in NYC, Chisa Hutchinson’s new work; “New World Disorder” and commissioned Newark’ 350th Anniversary play “Down Neck” by Pia Wilson. Gilbert worked in professional theatre for over thirty years. His love for theatre manifests in his on screen productions like “Driver” wherein he was the lead actor and Executive Producer, “Beyond The Silence” addressing issues of mental illness and his last producing effort Zahra and the Oilman.
He was he Senior Program Manager for the Newark Murals Program, which Yendor is the lead arts organization which manages this program. He co -taught with Dr. Anne Englot at Rutgers University a mural course (Colloquium in Art, Culture and Media) under the Arts Culture and Media Dept. He has developed numerous workshops and curriculums on arts education including symposiums for Steve Adabato’s Stand and Deliver program, co-developing their current curriculum. He has conducted workshops as far as Johannesburg, South Africa.
In continuing his strive for success, Rodney Gilbert was selected to be a participant in The Rutgers Institute for Ethical Leadership and Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation’ " training program designed to increase the diversity of the leadership of arts and culture organizations."
Remarks from Our Founder
