ISSUE Project Room Executive Director & Chief Curator Zev Greenfield is stepping down from his position due to personal reasons and will be taking a role in support of the National Gallery of Australia. Zev will continue working for ISSUE through late June, finalizing the remainder of ISSUE's 2026 non-Gala programming and assisting with the leadership transition.
Zev has served as ISSUE's longest-tenured director, curator and employee. He joined in August 2015, at a time when the organization faced an uncertain path and he successfully shepherded ISSUE through a series of internal and external challenges.
Over the last decade, Zev curated, commissioned, and produced numerous public programs supporting thousands of artists. He established over a hundred organizational partnerships, ensured the ongoing success of ISSUE's Artist-In-Residence program (currently celebrating its 20th anniversary), championed a myriad of pioneering & international artists and initiated ISSUE's Suzanne Fiol Curatorial Fellowship, now in its 10th year.
Zev has been such a breath of fresh air. ISSUE has gone through a lot since my mom passed and Zev brought it back to life. I am very thankful as well as grateful for what he has done for ISSUE and how he has kept my mother’s legacy alive and prosperous. Zev has kept me involved as much as he could and I truly appreciate everything he has done for the organization.
— Sarah Fiol
ISSUE is in the healthiest state it has ever been; the organization's 2025 Financial Statements have been filed and are available on ISSUE's website, along with all disclosures since 2015. The 2025 accounts highlight ISSUE's strong fiscal health, being debt free and remaining so through until this time, operating with consistently balanced budgets and now having a large carried forward surplus to support the next phase of ISSUE's journey. Further to this, ISSUE is also pleased to announce the establishment of a Working Capital/Reserve fund, allocating a portion of this 2025 surplus, in addition to $25,000 support from ISSUE Board member, Steve Buscemi with matching Foundation support expected.
Zev leaves ISSUE with the security of a permanent home and full funding for the upgrade of our 22 Boerum Pl. theater. New York City's Department of Design & Construction recently secured renovation bids, supported by $11 million from the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Brooklyn Borough President and the New York City Council. This project, alongside ISSUE's ownership of our 5,000-square-foot space in Downtown Brooklyn - attained in December 2021 due to the generosity of Two Trees Management - ensures ISSUE will remain a permanent fixture in the New York arts landscape.
The ISSUE Project Room Board, staff, artists and community express enormous gratitude to Zev for his work over the past 11 years and we wish him every success in his future endeavors.