The foundation was created in 2024 but officially launches with several pillars
Grammy Award-winning musician, producer, and activist Alicia Keys announces the official launch of a new nonprofit organization inspired by her Tony Award-winning musical Hell’s Kitchen, Kaleidoscope Dreams Foundation. Following successful pilot programming, the foundation recently appointed its inaugural Executive Director, Asad Ali Jafri, and is expanding its reach with a fellowship program in partnership with the upcoming Hell’s Kitchen North American tour and new education and community initiatives in New York and cities across the country.
“With Kaleidoscope Dreams, we’re creating something that makes people feel seen, heard, and inspired to believe in their own stories. We want people to know: you belong here, your dreams matter, and your voice has power,” Keys shares.
“Kaleidoscope Dreams Foundation is rooted in the belief that creativity is a powerful force for connection, healing, and transformation. We’re proud to build programs that expand access to the arts and support communities that have long been left out of these opportunities. We’re creating spaces where dreams can take root and thrive,” adds Executive Director Asad Ali Jafri.
Born from the energy and impact of Keys’ hit Broadway musical Hell’s Kitchen, Kaleidoscope Dreams Foundation was founded in 2024 to open doors, spark dreams, and create space for joy — both on and off the stage. The Foundation collaborates with local communities to build and share multi-disciplinary arts programming designed to spark creative potential. By leveraging the transformative power of the arts, Kaleidoscope Dreams partners with community-based organizations to foster belonging, educational enrichment, and professional pathways for historically underrepresented communities.
Kaleidoscope Dreams Foundation’s core work is focused on four pillars of engagement, including cultural access that offers free and curated access to Broadway shows, museums, and other cultural events; educational enrichment that provides in-school arts education and classroom resources; professional pathways with fellowships, mentorship, internships, and creative training; and community engagement that includes fostering belonging, joy, and connection through neighborhood programs.
Since its founding in 2024, the foundation has successfully piloted programs and initiatives to achieve its mission that it will continue to build upon under Jafri’s leadership, including Hell’s Kitchen 2024 Fellowship with ten fellows trained in directing, choreography, music, design, and other production fields with the Hell’s Kitchen creative team; Cultural Access Program with 3,077 students received free tickets to see Hell’s Kitchen on Broadway; and Educational Enrichment Pilot where 183 students participated in immersive arts education programs.
To support this important work and remain responsive, bold, and future-focused, Kaleidoscope Dreams is an Innovation Fund with resources to pilot new ideas, test promising strategies, and address emerging needs within its current programs or in entirely new areas of opportunity.
