Who:

Founded by Tony Award–winning orchestrator and producer Doug Besterman and writer-performer Alida Michal, Arrival Arts Initiative was created to support artists at the earliest, most vulnerable stages of creation—particularly those working at the intersection of music and narrative. Besterman brings decades of experience in shaping the sound of modern musical theater, while Michal draws on a multifaceted background as a performer and creator, with credits including Wicked, Chicago, and An American in Paris. Together, they envision Arrival as a space where artistic rigor meets creative freedom, and where music and storytelling are grounded in craft, emotional depth, and collaborative invention.