Clint Ramos
Founder • Clint Ramos Design
Clint Ramos is a Tony Award-winning designer of sets and costumes, as well as the Encores! Producing Creative Director at NYCC.
SUMMER-LONG CELEBRATION
The Oasis on Josie Robertson Plaza at Lincoln Center in New York City.
The Oasis will be open daily to the public from June 1–August 14, 2022, between 8:00 am and midnight.
Sprouting from the center of the concrete jungle like a fantastical mirage is The Oasis—New York City’s largest outdoor dance floor with a 10-foot disco ball and the central gathering place of Summer for the City. The creative vision of Tony Award-winning costume and set designer Clint Ramos with lighting design by Andrew Grant, the blue, mirrored stage muraled art installation transforms Josie Robertson Plaza and invites New Yorkers to come back together among a sea of mirrors, that reflect the myriad participants.
Offering a soul-quenching respite, The Oasis invites visitors to dance, gather, and reconnect during daily operating hours and for free curated events for all ages.
Photo and text courtesy of Clint Ramos Design
One of my missions in life is to debunk the myth that design is not a viable career path.
Clint is a Filipino-American stage and film designer, educator, equity and social justice advocate, and creative producer. Although his childhood years were spent in an incredibly tumultuous period in Philippine history with increased violence and economic slowdown, he also was surrounded by art and design.
His mother’s deep appreciation for design and aesthetics influenced him. For example, she would transform their house with holiday decorations. Growing up, Clint would watch in awe as his mother got dressed and styled herself, a process that greatly impacted Clint and his appreciation for beauty and design. In addition, his uncles and great uncles were experienced painters and composers who played significant roles in Clint’s creative journey. As a young recluse with an artistic family, it was only a matter of time before Clint discovered his path as an artist and activist. Still, it also allowed him to stumble upon a direction that he had no intention of taking: the opportunity to design sets, costumes, and props for theaters, operas, and dance productions.
A scene from another musical Clint Ramos did costume design for, “Here Lies Love”
Photo courtesy of Clint Ramos Design
Clint found his calling when he encountered political street theater as a high school student. He witnessed actors and performers engaging in protest theater on the streets and running off when the cops came. Catching a glimpse of this unique form of theater affirmed his decision to study theater arts at the University of the Philippines. After receiving his BA, Clint moved to New York City to attend graduate school. A Gary Kalkin Memorial Scholarship recipient, Clint earned his MFA in design for stage and film from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
Clint Ramos on the red carpet at the 2019 Tony Awards
Photo by Sean Zanni
Clint’s dedication to the arts, supportive mentors and hard work made him the first person of color to earn the Tony Award for Best Costume Design for a Play in 2016 for his work on the Broadway production of Eclipsed. Since then, he has been nominated for 4 more Tony Awards. As an advocate for the LGBTQ and BIPOC communities, he hopes to inspire young people to explore a career in design, regardless of race. Clint’s passion and love for shaping young minds motivated him to take on teaching positions at several universities such as the ART Institute at Harvard University, SUNY Purchase, and Fordham University where he recently held the position of Head of Design and Production. Aside from his numerous Broadway projects, he recently designed Respect for MGM films and Lingua Franca for Netflix. He is also the Producing Creative Director at New York City Center Encores! Ultimately, Clint feels that design, theater, film, and the arts provide a deeper understanding of the world and allow young people to find their voices.
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