MA Top 30 Professional: Cheyenne King-Bails

Director of Community Experience
Sphinx Organization

Cheyenne King-Bails manages three of Detroit-based Sphinx’s most successful programs: Sphinx Connect, MPower Artist Grants, and Sphinx LEAD, which together have helped untold numbers of Black and Latino artists establish and expand their careers as performers, leaders, and administrators.

To each of these initiatives, King-Bails brings her experience as a violinist. “So much of my upbringing and training as a musician guides what I do today,” King-Bails says. “At the heart of my work are listening, supporting others, and staying responsive, all qualities I believe are essential to the success of the arts.”

King-Bails holds a BA in violin from Mercer University in Georgia and served as concertmaster of the Philadelphia Sinfonia and All-City Orchestra for talented youth. She also has performed at several major festivals and served at Carnegie Hall as coordinator of artist training programs. She still plays with Elan Artists, a cooperative of musicians.

“I know how intense and isolating the performance side of things can be,” King-Bails said. “Being able to help people find a support system…is really important to me.”

On her watch, the annual SphinxConnect convention in Detroit has become indispensable for arts professionals nationwide. and uniquely accessible. Similarly, Sphinx LEAD has emerged as the premiere training program for aspiring Black and Latino administrators. Many of its alumni now hold prominent positions at arts organizations throughout the country.

MPower Artist Grants program, which last year distributed a total of $100,000 to ten artists, is currently on pause, but its impact remains undeniable. Like King-Bails herself, it has been a bridge between Sphinx and the real world for any number of young musicians.

“I love people, new perspectives, and learning,” King- Bails said, noting that her goal is to be “always on the pulse of what is happening in our field and helping define what comes next.”