Artist / Admin 6: Doing Both
General information
Moderated by David Borgonjon and Natalia Nakazawa and Sheetal Prajapati
February 11, 2017, 7-9PM
CUE Art Foundation
Artist/Admin is a monthly meeting of artists and administrators to discuss + create new forms of the cultural institution. Readings and/or viewings will be circulated beforehand.
Meeting Description
During this meeting, we will work towards imagining a double practice as both institution-builders and art practitioners. Activities will span mind-mapping, mantra-writing, and small group discussions.
This session of Artist/Admin is intended primarily for administrators in arts organizations who also are pursuing an independent artistic practice, but is also suited for people who are simply interested in both administrative work as well as artistic creativity. We will discuss the many ways these two practices can be fused or separated, both from a practical and philosophical perspective.
Meeting Structure
Assignment:
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Take ten minutes to observe how you allocate your time, space and resources.
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How much time do you spend on art and how much on administration?
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How much energy do you spend on art and how much on administration?
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How much money do you spend on art and how much on administration?
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Introductions:
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Ground rules and confidentiality
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Show of hands:
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Who is an arts administrator?
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Who is an artist?
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Show of hands:
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Who feels that the relationship between art and adminstration in their life is in balance?
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Who feels that the relationship between art and administration is in synergy?
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Who feels that the relationship between art and administration is destructive?
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Discussion:
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What is the balance between art and administration for each of us?
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Why do we administrate?
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Breakouts
Including some starter questions.
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How do I make art?
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How do I do residencies while an arts administrator?
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How do I find time to make art? Or space? Or materials?
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How do I manage two different organizations.
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How do I administrate?
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Self-actualization as arts administrators?
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How do I maximize every interaction with others to be generous?
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How do I figure out what others need?
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How do I structure my organization?
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How do I eat?
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Time management: how do you organize your time and resources?
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Not just financial sustenance, but also intellectual growth and community.
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Understanding different starting points.
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Wrapup
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Report back
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Draft an artist/administrator manifesto
Meeting Notes
From the participant introduction: Which institutions are people coming from? And what types of positions / programs are they working with?
NYFA
DOE (dept of ed)
Queens Museum
Studio Program
Adult education
The Met
Artist/Curator
Artist assistant
Photo studio
Invisible Dog
Ad agency
Stationary store
BFAMFAPhD
Why don’t we credit people like they do in cinema?
Art Is Org
A Blade of Grass
Wingspan Arts
Theater Arts
Communications / Marketing
Archivist
Dance artist / performer
Parsons Scholar Program
Fashion Arts / Transmedia
NYU Journalism
Copy editor / translator
Cooper
Sculptor
House husband / healer / community person
Scandinavian House
Parsons School of Design, The New School
Slippage moments: When do our practices cross pollinate or interfere with one another?
“Love my job” - but sometimes that makes it a priority over my art practice
Inspired by colleagues
Energy spent
Skills that work across fields
Life administration (laundry / taxes)
Pushback / how can you expand what you’re already doing?
Non compartmentalization - be where you are
Breakout session: How do we make art?
Where are you right now?
In the middle of it
Inside this circle of art practice and admin - making them spin together
“I want to be…”
Managing time / energy shared between full time job and art practice across multiple states
Multiple hats
Need time
Sleeping when i should be doing research
Killing the artist dead
Dialog with the artists
Looking for structure
Trying to push myself out of the comfort zone
Looking for resources
Need a deadline
Its complicated
Giving great advice to others and not taking it myself
Im exhausted
Trying to find a way to separate
I am a creative person, that’s who i am
I’m overwhelmed
Take all of me and put it into something creative
Battling narratives and burn out
Adultive vs. authentic self
Accepting the everyday
Family obligations taking precedence
Frustrated
I want to extract the best parts from obligations
When i was working a job i hated it strangely gave me mental space to work
Clarifying what I care about
Unsure where to go
Is having conversations enough?
Art feels like a luxury
Finding community / dialog / inspiration / conversation
Feeling disoriented
Art is a vanity project - pushing against it
You can do it!
Gateway activities - parallel activities that get you in the “mood”
Doing shit when you don’t want to do it - actualize it
Structuring yoga movement
The way I get seen controls my identity
Being more intentional about the relationship of our jobs to our art practice
Blackout time
Responsibility to impact change
Love / intangible
Satisfying basic human needs
Advocate for yourself rather than accepting it
A Mantra for Arts Administrators
Be kind to yourself.
Rely on your allies.
Find a peer group.
It’s OK to want everything.
Save yourself, save your identity. Your art practice is important.
Remember that you have powerful skills.
Honor your time.
People online are real. Be real.
Be creative in your administration and organized in your art.