I am Celestina Billington, a visionary artist, arts administrator, activist, feminist, producer, writer and curator (et. cetera.) I am committed to creating cultural and civic spaces where creativity and community fuel one another. For more than a decade, I have developed performances, public art, and inventive programming that elevate living artists and communities.
My work has expanded public access to essential resources, particularly creative expression but also baseline needs ranging from food (CAST), vaccines (GOLES) and public funding (U.S. Census.) My work thrives in the space where experimentation meets equity, and where process carries as much value as product. As a leader and as a collaborator, I value transparency and inclusion. I see my colleagues as whole persons, not just as staff.
...We are living in an age shaped by Artificial Intelligence, extreme wealth inequality and relentless consumption. That reality raises urgent questions about why art is made and who gets to define its meaning. What even is the point of art if all it does is sell you a product or propagandize you?
I want audiences (and the public in general) to think for themselves, feel fully alive, and rediscover their sense of wonder.
Art can be a luxury, but it is more valuable as a public good. To quote Roque Dalton, "poetry, like bread, is for everyone."
I am excited by organizations that place their beneficiaries' expertise about their own lives on par with that of board members or donors.
Art made well shapes imagination, and by extension, identity and justice. Through people-centered projects, strategic partnerships, and collaborative storytelling, I champion social justice oriented projects and creative work that challenge conventions and sparks real change. This portfolio reflects imagination in service of impact.
This portfolio also shows my own creative work, which goes beyond my administrative, activist and producing practices. My own art reflects my personal love for international exchange, magical and feminist themes, experimentation in praxis, and my unique brand of unapologetic boldness.
My training background includes an MA in Arts Administration from Columbia University (Teacher's College 2023) and a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston. I have had further training at the University of Paris' summer writing program, participated in artist residencies nationally and internationally, and I have received grant awards from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts.
View the CV page to see the full list if my work.
Also, connect with me on Instagram @lacelestinaprofecia or on LinkedIn.
Deep in the Heart...
Where I Am From and Who I Am
I live in Lower Manhattan's East Village and have been in New York for roughly six years, though my roots are in the Urban South. I am from Houston's 2nd Ward, el segundo barrio, "EaDo." I was raised along the banks of Brays Bayou by healers. My mother, a Chicana social worker and champion of at-risk youth in Pasadena ISD public schools. My father, a country boy and nurse. They both come from immigrant farming stock --I'm proud to have been held by both an abuela and a nonna.
Why I Create
I believe art is a form of radical healing. It is where ideas become action and courage becomes contagious.
I want to make work that invites people to return to themselves. To feel alive. To think freely. To laugh loudly. To challenge what they inherited. Art that feels like an impassioned kiss, a hateful blow, a shocking win--I want art that transforms us. I want to empower art that reaffirms our status as living, spiritual beings.
The Journey That Shaped Me
I am Tejana (Tex-Mex) by birthright and a citizen of the world by design. Before New York, I spent five years in motion: backpacking Europe and driving across North America in an old, beat up Honda CR-V. I was by myself driving through the white sands of New Mexico and standing atop the cliffs of Moher. A solo pilgrimage across continents, surviving by my wits and my craft. I wrote, performed, directed, threw parties, and stirred the pot wherever I landed. I practiced failing, being angry, afraid, heartbroken, betrayed --forging a unique integrity. Along the way I have advocated for peers, "clients," audiences. Often this advocacy has been an unreciprocated gift, a burden that I have shouldered.
Lately, I value reciprocity more deeply than ever. How I define reciprocity is still under construction, but for starters I believe in: returning favors, credit where credit is due, fair and timely pay, safe working conditions and clearly defined roles. I do not believe in respectability politics, but I do think that A) how we show up in spaces matters and that B) communication is key.
Over time I have grown sharper. Bolder. More skilled, more aligned. I'm still growing.
What I Carry With Me
Celestina means Heaven. I was named after my maternal great grandmother, and it is a reminder that lineage is a living force. My grandparents were salt-of-the-earth farmers whose journeys taught me that creation is labor and love braided together. Still, this is is a simplification of their story. The lives of our ancestors are not for sale or consumption. I give you a glimpse, so that we might understand eachother.
(Non) Conclusions
I am 32 years old. I was born 1994; my mother says I introduced myself to her in a dream before I was born. Therefore I came here on purpose. I chose this moment. I do not plan to waste it. I must make art: collaborating to create futures that are not yet written. If a person would be named Heaven, perhaps the calling is to make Heaven. Who is to say that we can't live in harmony tomorrow? Let me (try) to show the way. My tools are manifold: heart, mind, womb and spirit.
"People say, 'I didn't ask to be born.' I think we did, and that's why we're here. We are here, and we have to do something nurturing that we respect, before we go." -Toni Morrison
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.