PICA Internship

Designed for the 2015 Arts & Administration Internship Poster Session.

I interned at PICA (Portland Institute for Contemporary Art) in Portland, Oregon during the summer of 2015. I met Roya Amirsoleymani, PICA’s Community Engagement Manager, early on in my graduate studies and worked with her on public programs, specifically for the Time-Based Art (TBA) Festival in September.

I have followed PICA closely throughout my graduate studies, and I am interested in experimental contemporary art, process, and multi-disciplinary work, all of which are major focuses of the organization. I am also intrigued by the way they build out abandoned or under-utilized spaces in Portland. While my current research concentrates on contemporary rural arts, my experience with PICA reinforced themes that intersect with this research, including alternative art spaces, experimental and experiential art, place-based art, and multi-disciplinary practice while introducing me to contemporary performance. I am also interested in building a career around supporting contemporary artists and artist-led projects. I have created this digital space as a place to record my internship experience through reflection, images and video.

Internship Learning Goals   |   Data Collection Strategies   |   First Impressions

 

 

 

Portland Institute for Contemporary Art acknowledges and advances new developments in contemporary art while fostering the creative explorations of artists and audiences. 

PICA’s programming supports the experiments of the most vital and provocative artists of our time. Our vision is international, intergenerational, interdisciplinary, and decidedly forward thinking (even when those explorations look back in history). PICA is unique among institutions for working right alongside artists at the increasingly blurry boundaries between forms and at the edge of new ideas. Throughout the year, audiences have myriad opportunities to interact with artists, curators, critics, and cultural visionaries in a direct, in-depth way. From performances to exhibitions to lectures to the annual Time-Based Art Festival, our programs catalyze conversations about contemporary culture. (Retrieved from http://pica.org/about/mission-and-values/)  http://pica.org/

JULY 7 | FIRST DAY

Today was day one of my internship at PICA. Fortunately for me, the other intern whom I work with in public programs, Laura, also lives in Eugene so I was able to ride up to Portland with her. She is a very pleasant person who knows a lot about contemporary art, even for only just turning 22. I am grateful to have someone who I can share my experience with and work alongside. Roya is very busy, so it will be extremely helpful to have a teammate. The conversation on the way to Portland was great. I enjoy talking with Laura, and it definitely made the ride go a little faster. It was nice to know that my anxieties that first day were shared. I was definitely a little nervous because I didn’t really know what to expect, and I think that when you work within the contemporary art world there is often a sort of judgmental intensity present, especially among those who have been in the field for awhile. So I wondered if PICA would be like this. I wondered how I would feel as an intern and I wondered what my role would actually look like. Roya is someone I have gotten to know decently enough at this point that I am very happy to be working with her but there was still an entire staff of people who I had never met. When starting any position, it is always a bit nerve-wracking that first day to think about how you will fit in. Synergy is important.

Image retrieved from: http://youngarchitect.com/2014/02/07/january-2014-photos/

We arrived a bit early, grabbed coffee at Powell’s (City of Books), an essential institution of Portland, and rang up to the office. I enjoy the rows of colored panels that rise up the front of the building. I had been to PICA a few times before but Roya gave us a quick tour. The facilities are stark, but extremely flexible, allowing for impromptu performances, lectures, meetings and whatever else might need to take place. The energy in the room isn’t found as much in the physical interior as much as is it found in the conceptual potential of the space. There is so much that could HAPPEN here. The first thing that you notice when you walk in is the contrast between the bare plywood desk and shelving structures that make up the actual office space against the bare concrete and white walls. It is refreshing in that none of the materials in the space try to hide. They are just out there for all to see, much like PICA’s artists and the organization itself. They don’t try to hide behind any facade of expectations.

The second most notable aspect of the space was how open it was. The open floor plan allows for flexibility, but it also generates a sort of openness in conversation throughout the room. The staff of PICA, while situated in a somewhat hierarchical order just in terms of organization, operate horizontally. Everyone is in conversation with one another and there seem to be few hard boundaries distinguishing lines of communication. There are informal expectations of course (such as the fact that I should talk to Roya about issues or questions first before ever going to Victoria, PICA Director) but those are commonsense. The horizontal organizational structure and this communicative openness is one of the things that really drew me to PICA after talking with Roya initially. I greatly appreciate work environments where you are given the space and time to operate how you do best, rather than forcing rules and boundaries that can be draining and counterproductive. Everyone works differently, and I strongly believe that embracing that (while also creating a supportive work environment) leads to greater productivity, creativity and work happiness. Within just a few days I felt comfortable talking directly to almost anyone. Victoria brought us popsicles (dessert seems to be a common thing here) and chatted with us a for a minute. It was refreshing to actually feel welcomed by upper management….I have found that this is not always the case. The office is also very casual, permitting you to dress however you would like. Hours are flexible given that everyone is doing different things every day and may be working early or late depending on what is going on that day. Impromptu conversations bubble up here and there and meetings happen both formally and casually whenever needed. Work isn’t always the topic of every discussion. Everyone uses different parts of the space at different times, depending on what feels best for what they need.

The Image retrieved from: http://pica.org/about/visit-pica

Photo by Jeff Jahn. Image retrieved from: http://www.portlandart.net/archives/2012/04/picas_new_headq.html

The space also includes a specialized resource room that is open to the public. The resource room is learning hub for contemporary arts, performance and PICA artists. There are stacks of artist publications and periodicals and a comprehensive audio/video collection of performances and lectures from the organization’s history. It is a great place to work quietly, sit down for a meeting or spend time reading and researching. The resource room actually has a blog so that the archives aren’t just stuck inside PICA but are actually introduced outside their walls. http://picaresourceroom.tumblr.com/ 

Learning to Love You More, Harrell Fletcher & Miranda July, New York: Prestel Publishing, 2007. This was one of the first books I stumbled upon that I really enjoyed. I especially loved the cremation statement. When I die, make me art. Retrieved from: http://picaresourceroom.tumblr.com/page/2

There is also a dynamic gallery and performance space that constantly is transitioning, and beyond that, a large outdoor roof patio for receptions, performances and whatever else. The only thing that I struggled with in the space was the persistent quiet. No music and when no one was speaking, just silence. I have difficulty working in complete silence so I often had headphones in, but you could only have them in one ear for fear of someone wanting to bring you into a discussion.

After being introduced to the space, Laura and I spent a few hours researching the artists for TBA, watched videos, read articles and bios and looked at outside resources. We also started working on calendars tracking all of the institute events for the festival, including workshops, conversations and field guides.

I have to say that contemporary performance is very new to me. Some of it I still don’t understand, but it is similar to contemporary visual art in that it helps immensely to actually understand the medium. In this case, that means understanding the body, understanding movement. Reading and watching performance videos has helped to inform me of the medium, and I am starting to feel much more comfortable and more engaged. I am excited to see how my perspective will change and what I will learn about this medium. I feel that by the end of my internship, I will have a completely different idea of what multidisciplinary really is. While I will continue to learning about contemporary performance, I’m not sure I see myself making it a part of my own practice anytime soon, especially dance. I am far too uncoordinated.

JULY 17 | BUSES & NO BOUNDARIES

This week I stayed in Portland with recent AAD graduate, Carrie Morton, and worked at PICA Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Goals this week:

• Master the Portland bus system
• Figure out where the hell I am in the city
• Get to know PICA staff
• Learn the back end of the PICA website, and start adding content to Institute
• Continue learning about TBA artists

Web work was the highest priority this week. We learned how to access the administrative end of the website and how to add content. PICA’s website is built from WordPress, and I have had a considerable amount of experience doing web work, so this was pretty easy. We were responsible for creating pages for TBA Institute events and all new artists participating in TBA Institute programs. The most difficult part was linking everything together, understanding what artists need to be connected to each other and to specific events. There is so much collaboration and cross-over (due to the multidisciplinary nature of PICA and its artists) that this aspect was a bit challenging.

On Wednesday it was just me, Laura is only there Tuesday and Thursday, so I spent more time on the web, ate Thai, cake and ice cream with everyone to celebrate an office birthday (I appreciated that they actually do this), and then walked with Roya over to the No Boundaries exhibition for a tour with students from a native high school. This was the highlight of my week. PICA’s visual art team had constructed an exhibition within a nearby vacant warehouse. This is a common occurrence for the organization. Part of their existence is temporarily taking over spaces and buildings in Portland to host contemporary art exhibitions and performances. They literally bring the art to the public. I LOVE this about PICA. They break outside of traditional expectations of the commercial gallery and museum, making a statement that art lives among all of us. It has no boundaries. All while introducing new audiences to really contemporary art by national and international artists working today. And they don’t want to show the work that everyone else is showing; the work that already exists. They want to present the work that the artist is thinking about doing NEXT. They are always thinking ahead; always thinking about possibilities. THAT is progressive. That is experimentation. That is really, really exciting.

No Boundaries, Photo by Sean Schumacher. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pica/sets/72157654831803520

Facing the street, the title of the exhibition had been painted in large lettering across the garage doors, very effectively announcing itself to the public. It was impossible to miss. The warehouse had been transformed. I learned that all of the walls had been constructed, the floors painted, the lighting installed in just under four weeks. I can’t imagine the stress that Kristan Kennedy, the Visual Art Curator, and her team (I think just four people) endured coordinating and installing everything in that time. The space not only looked very professional but the warehouse was still very apparent, and part of the work, creating a sort of urban, industrial, pop-up aesthetic. The exhibition was no cost to the public, who could walk in for free. And the space, now transformed into something that could be adapted to a creative space or offices, gave the building purpose. In exchange for temporary donation of the space for the exhibition, PICA transformed the warehouse into something that could easily be sold and re-used. Through taking over these spaces, they are, in essence, helping to revitalize vacant buildings in the downtown area.

Unfortunately, the flip side of this picture is that as PICA rejuvenates these spaces  and brings greater attention to the area, more businesses (especially creative businesses) move in, driving up real-estate prices and displacing artists and nonprofits (such as PICA) who can’t necessarily afford to accommodate these changes. It is an unfortunate cycle with which Portland’s Pearl District is quite familiar.

No Boundaries, Photo by Sean Schumacher. Retrieved from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pica/sets/72157654831803520

The exhibition No Boundaries presents abstract paintings by contemporary Aboriginal Australian artists. Out of the nine artists whose work is in this national tour, only one is still living. It is highly unusual for PICA to showcase work by artists no longer living, but the exhibition is uniquely suited to the organization’s interests.

“No Boundaries presents the work of nine trailblazing artist who were inspired by their ancient cultural traditions to forge one of the most dynamic painting movements of recent times. Created at the frontier where Indigenous and Western cultures meet, these paintings speak across cultures, a reminder that contemporary art comes from all corners of the globe.” (PICA, Retrieved from: http://pica.org/event/no-boundaries/) 

This is the first time audiences in the United States have had the opportunity to be intimately exposed to these artists (PICA, http://pica.org/event/no-boundaries/). When we think about contemporary art, a westernized culture comes to mind.  We don’t often consider contemporary art that lies outside of this perception, disconnected from our art “movements”. Work such as this lies outside of the established stylistic perimeters that have been defined throughout western history. It originates in a culture and from distinct traditions, land and stories that are separated from what we know in our “version” of the world.

It was easy to be entranced by these works, composed of meticulously yet intuitively placed dots and other organic marks that together created vibrant patterns all over the room and even the floor. Visually it was enchanting. But after hearing Kristan talk about it, and hearing the connections to the people, traditions, stories, and places, it transitioned from purely enchanting to moving. It was so much more than abstraction. These timeless works are grounded in traditional aboriginal knowledge and lore held by elders who, only through their time, have accumulated a sense of culture, and therefore power, that no one else is entitled. The works are deposits for local knowledge about land and place. As western people, we cannot know it and we cannot understand it, but you certainly can feel it there in the work. You can feel its honesty and integrity, traveled from the remote regions of Australia to inner-city Portland, an extension of honest aboriginal culture into the Western urban sphere.

It was nice to meet Kristan who has been working from the warehouse. She usually has someone else who staffs the gallery but that person has been out so she has been fulfilling that duty. Roya and Kristan work closely to reach out to schools and groups in the Portland for tour scheduling. This tour was conducted on a day that the gallery was not actually open, so it was just us. The kids were not terribly interested at first, not yet knowing the context behind the work, but after Kristan’s introduction they were much more engaged. Many asked questions individually and talked about the work among each other, sharing which paintings they liked best and why. There were, of course, a few who maintained little interest throughout the course of their stay, reluctant to dig any deeper. Not everyone has a liking for the energy required to converse with abstraction. 

I learned a lot about giving tours to youth. 1) They have to be comfortable and welcome. It was very hot in the space so when Kristan was speaking in front of them it was easy to tell that they started to lose their attention. Keep it brief. 2) They have to be engaged. Kristan did a good job of asking them questions and provoking their feedback. It is important to develop skills to balance the participation of students, toning down those who may speak up too much and encouraging those who may want to stay quiet. While the students walked around, both Roya and Kristan (and myself) asked them their thoughts. It was much more effective to let the students lead the conversation in this way. 3) They don’t necessarily understand the rules. It is important to take a little extra effort to let them know what they can and cannot do. Pictures yes. Touching the art, no. Don’t stand on the couch. If you don’t say anything, chances are good that they will probably try it. It is always a challenge to engage kids with art, but if you lead from the right angle, and maybe even change your perspective to theirs, you can be successful at generating their interest.

The tour was an opportunity for me to see what a school tour is really like from the administrative side (I have usually been on the recipient end), as well as a great introduction to the exhibition. I look forward to going back to dig deeper, and hopefully being able to actually help lead a tour in the near future.
The rest of my time this week has consisted of continued web work and adding images to artist and event pages. The TBA catalog drafts were printed, so we all had the chance to go through and proof those. I liked how they laid them out for everyone to come up and proof on their own time. Roya and Angela worked over the Institute section to prioritize some of the information better. The PICA staff are very good at accommodating everyone’s opinions and perspectives. Decisions seem to always  be a discussion rather than derived from one person, which is highly valuable to achieve the best overall result that takes into account multiple perspectives and outcomes, especially those that you might not think of on your own.

I also designed a very simple flyer for another upcoming school tour:  No Boundaries Tour

My time in Portland was filled with bus rides, lots of walking, getting lost and a little fun here and there. It felt great to get over my fear of the bus. Growing up in the country, the idea of riding a city bus has always terrified me, but now I have mastered this new skill. I even took the Bolt Bus to get back home.

It was great to spend time with my friend Carrie, whom I appreciate for her in-the-moment attitude, love of nature and overall positive personality. We took in our very first backyard concert series during which we listed to about six different musicians. I would love to host a few of these once back in Bozeman. There were probably twenty people there for the music. A perfect way to meet new folks and take in bit of local vernacular culture, without cover charges, crowded rooms or smelly bar flies. I also discovered a cute little bar, Conquistador, that serves cheap and awesome Mexican food and is probably a little too close to Carrie’s house. These three days were a much needed introduction to Portland and PICA…here’s to a full week next time.

 

AUG 5 | NO BOUNDARIES FIELD GUIDE

PICA normally does not plan such extensive exhibitions outside of TBA, so No Boundaries was really an exceptional event. In addition to building out the warehouse and hosting the show throughout the summer, PICA also organized several programs with community organizations around this uniquely complex exhibition. Outside of several group tours, PICA planned two No Boundaries Field Guide sessions with SMYRC (Sexual & Gender Minority Youth Resource Center) and the Native Youth & Family Center.

My role was fairly minimal, mostly just setup, helping as needed, and engaging with participants, but it really gave me an opportunity to experience the field guide format in the context of the exhibition and observe how students were engaging with each other, the facilitators and the content throughout the course of the afternoon. Each field guide touched on the artwork differently, exploring different contexts in relationship to the work depending on each audience and their identity and interests. It really demonstrated the versatility of the exhibition, the thematic depth and complexity of this unique body of work and the way the paintings are really reflections of humanity, not just Australian aboriginal culture. The field guide began with a welcome from Roya, a quiet observational viewing of the work, and then moved into something almost similar to VTS, asking participants what they saw and experienced. After hearing this initial response to the work, Visual Art Curator Kristan Kennedy gave an introduction to the exhibition, explaining the brevity of having an expansive collection of works by nine different artists from a 500,000 year old painting tradition.

Once the participants were introduced to the work, the session moved into the hands of the facilitator, which for SMYRC, was Nike fashion designer Ryan and his  fellow colleagues who were all part of the LGBTQ work group at Nike. Ryan had brought along several books from the Nike library that explored fashion, statement, identity, symbology and design, as well as work that had similar sort of aesthetics to what we saw in No Boundaries. The discussion led us to talking deeply about conveying or communicating identity and meaning, and even reinventing or re-contextualizing something already steeped in meaning and symbology. Redefining. Reclaiming.

After the discussion, we all moved over to PICA where we picked up with a t-shirt printing workshop led by the Nike crew. By the time we ended the discussion, the group had become very involved and invested in the content and context, so it was an easy transition to activity. It was also nice to move from a discussion based format to something more active. From the time they stepped into the exhibition they moved from silently observing, to listening, to discussing, to discussing with each other, to actually doing, hitting all levels of engagement by the end of the field guide. Everyone was doing their own project, working on their own thing, but they were doing it together. Talking together and looking at each others creativity and drawing inspiration from one another. It was a great way to tie together no just the visual aesthetics that we saw in the work, but the concepts around identity, statement and recreating visual language to convey certain meaning. Ryan and the other facilitators from Nike really acted a mentors on many levels. Not only were they successful designers, could speak intelligently of the work and concepts, but they were part of the LGBTQ community. This made for deeper connections and a richer experience. The facilitators later sent a note that they had a great time and were very interested in doing something like that again, so the positive experience was clearly reciprocal.

The second field guide, “Journeys in Creativity,” was with a group of native youth ages 15-17 from all over the country gathered in Portland for a camp for native kids with an art focus. The exhibition was a perfect fit for their interests and the focus of the camp. The gallery was very hot and humid so it didn’t take too long before the attention of the group faded off, but snacks water and popsicles helped.  The format was very similar to the first, with observation and discussion happening in the exhibition space, but with the addition of sketchbooks that where they explored whatever they felt inspired to draw from. At PICA we had an informal lunch (and clusters of casual discussion) and Kaila Farrell-Smith of One Flaming Arrow gave a presentation on her work and the work of a wide spectrum of diverse contemporary indigenous artists. The conversations on this day took a much different route, revolving much more around concepts of story-telling, narrative, tradition, preservation and conservation and the ownership of cultural heritage. The discussion brought up many questions. Who has the right to these stories? Where do they come from and how are they passed on? How do they change over time? Who has the right to practice specific cultural traditions? How do we learn and pass on these cultural traditions in contemporary society? Who has the right to specific cultural or traditional knowledge? How are these things kept safe? Should they be preserved? When does something become a tradition? What IS tradition? What responsibility do we have to understand and know this heritage? Why is it important to look back while also looking forward?

Be honest about what you do and do not know; what you can and cannot talk about.

Stemming from the longest living aboriginal culture in the world, the works in No Boundaries are individualized interpretations of “the dreaming,” a process by which elders who through time have accumulated special knowledge and understanding of life, nature and tradition, and are able to communicate this sort of life understanding. “The dreaming” is communicated through painting, dance and song. The works hold stories, memories, maps and territories, everyday information and knowledge held only by those who have lived and experienced long enough to have been bestowed worthy enough to tell. They tell how to live. How to survive. A collective visual communication that is individualized as well, with some information only accessible by the dreamer. Some of the information is purposefully hidden from us by pattern. We will never fully understand them. We were never supposed to. It is not for us. We can experience them, but we may not understand. Part of the experience of the exhibition is knowing that you don’t have to understand. That it is ok not to. That sometimes understanding is not the end goal, but rather the mystery and ambiguity is part of the experience.

And that is so much of what PICA is all about. The process is muddy and unclear sometimes. The end doesn’t always justify the means. Sometimes there is failure. Sometimes expectations are not met. But if we waited for clarity to move forward, we would always stand still.

AUGUST | OUTREACH & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

August was outreach month. We focused on building a list of organizations and scholars in and near Portland whose focus and interests aligned well with the themes of TBA:15. This required a bit of research to find new contacts and update old ones. So many of the TBA themes overlapped across the different organizations and academic departments. We put together brief descriptions for each performance that could be pulled into outreach emails, directing a contact to a specific relevant performance pertaining to their interests, and sent out emails to each organization referring them to these related performances, highlighting relevant themes and offering discounts to encourage participation, specifically within a group. These emails were perfect for directing specific organizations and individuals to specific themes and performances. We also wanted to create a more general thematic campaign that would be more visually stimulating and easier to distribute, so we set to work creating thematic emails in Emma (PICA’s email platform) around specific themes that have come up in the work of TBA artists, a new approach this year. It was important throughout all of this work to make the communication personal, digestible and engaging. Relevance and a personal approach were key. We stimulated a lot of interest and built up a strong outreach list for future use. During this time I also worked on scheduling and more web work as we finalized details for field guides and other Institute events and artists.

One of the biggest challenges that PICA faces is in communicating and marketing contemporary, multidisciplinary art that is sometimes very challenging and not easy to engage with. This type of work takes a certain degree of commitment by the person on the other side who must make the effort to have a sort of conversation with the work, consenting to start the conversation and then giving permission to be influenced. There is a process that must happen in order to really engage with such challenging artwork. Ideally, the participant has the opportunity to learn about the work or the artist before the experience, and then during the experience must put forth the effort to be open and to understand. The process that occurs after the experience requires perhaps the most effort, as the participant must reconcile their experience with their knowledge and understanding. The fact that the work is multi-disciplinary does not make it any less challenging as it forces the viewer to think outside of the bounds set by traditional disciplines, removing associations and assumptions. But the beauty of this is that if you can bring a person into this scenario, they can potentially have a transformative experience that can be influential in unexpected ways. The participant stands to gain more if they are willing to put forth more effort.

In terms of marketing this means that the organization cannot market to a broad general audience. They would likely need to refine their marketing to target only the audiences that would be most willing to engage with the work. There is also a challenge in making the marketing content thematic, digestible and communicative (in essence, marketable so some degree) without simplifying it. We were faced with this dilemma as we crafted thematic visual outreach emails to send to groups, organizations and academic departments. We needed to attempt to group and simplify complex content to some degree for communication purposes while also not distilling too much the depth and universality of the program. It is a real challenge to consider how to craft language and design in such marketing in order to achieve this balance between marketability and excellence in content while staying true to the artwork and artistic themes.

One of my smaller tasks was to create specific social media posts packaging certain relevant TBA performances and programs to a literary audience which would be then be shared by another organization. I saw how important it is to take the extra steps to make this a user friendly trade-off, personalizing it as much as possible for the specific organization and making it as easy to distribute as possible. The less work that they have to do on their end, the better. As the general public becomes more and more versed (and immersed) in social media, we have to be better at refining content to specific audiences and organizations, making it more interesting, more specific and more engaging.

Outreach was most definitely hard work, so the main road block that we ran up against was simply time. Outreach efforts have to start very, very early. Before we knew it, TBA was almost upon us.

AUG 15 | ALTERNATIVE SPACE | BUILDING OUT TBA

In August PICA began building out the visual art space for TBA. I had some extra time available while I was staying in Portland so I was able to drop by the warehouse on Sandy Boulevard to help with the build, although at this time it was more about cleaning than building. The space was an expansive empty warehouse in a more commercial/industrial part of the city. A passerby building, barren, low and open, with stained carpets, piles of dirt and debris, marked walls and gaping holes in one of the large rooms, allowing light and rain to seep down onto the concrete floor. But it had potential…something exceedingly valuable to PICA. The visual art department had setup a make-shift office in the space and there was a crew of guys, led by PICA’s art prepator, working on building drywall for the one refined exhibition space that would become the site for Commonplace, the collaborative visual project by Karl Larsson, Morgan Ritter, Pascal Prosek and Container Corps. They had the drywall up that day and were just about to begin the mudding process to smooth it out. The next time I saw the space was opening night and I really enjoyed the contrast between the finished white walls and the rough, unfinished surfaces of the warehouse, especially with their own work which really used many of those same textures, so it really became part of the environment. I set to work doing a bit of sweeping but my main task this day was painting over the giant blue and yellow flag that was smothering one of the walls inside the largest room. It was the perfect excuse to get out of the PICA office and do something that was more physical. It is important not to forget to activate our bodies, not just our minds. It was also helpful to see how the space looked before being touched, with all of its flaws, dark and dirty. I wanted to really be able to understand the transition to what would become the TBA:15 visual art exhibition.

 

While helping out with visual I was able to learn more about how PICA works with artists, specifically on new experimental projects. PICA really takes the initiative in supporting artist-led projects and they are not afraid to advocate for experimentation and exploration as this is part of their overall objective. I realized that helping artists realize their ideas is a very big job that requires an immense amount of management, diligence and sometimes patience. It doesn’t always go smoothly, but that is the nature of the creative process. The projects sometimes went in new directions or required PICA to be very resourceful when it came to materials for commissioned projects (in many cases they gathered materials for the artists). For one of the visual artists, they actually worked with a local construction company who donated the time and materials to build several large wooden structures. Some of the projects were transplanted from elsewhere but many were new, coming to fruition through the collaboration of the artist and PICA’s curatorial staff.

During my time at PICA I learned a lot about what it takes to utilize alternative art spaces. There are certainly a unique set of challenges that accompany this type of work, which requires creative thinking, problem solving, people, time, money, tools and resources. Firstly is the task of actually finding a space for art, which is not easy if you are seeking space in a populated area where space is limited and rent or lease prices may be very high. Once found, the space might be donated or reduced rent, in exchange for the effort required improve the interior. I got a much better sense of the realities of trying to work in alternative space. It definitely is not easy and there are a lot of hoops to jump through and complexities that pop up.

One of the more important lessons that I learned was in regards to maintaining good relationships within and across the city. This ends up finding its way into expectations of staff at every level but really falls into the hands of the Executive and Artistic Directors who maintain more of the public appearance of PICA. Vic is incredibly well connected within the city of Portland and has done an amazing job of maintaining good relationships with the right people. PICA is well connected to civic workers, government, contractors, architects, construction companies, and real-estate developers, which helps them immensely when it comes to finding, acquiring and manipulating space for projects, performances and exhibitions. Nurturing a good reputation, communicating, listening, following the rules, and demonstrating kindness and respect goes a long way towards fostering these positive relationships, in the end helping make PICA a better partner and also helping them get what they need. I appreciated how when things go awry, Vic is not afraid to jump in, taking the time to go down to whatever civic office to personally help solve the problem. It is so much better to show up in person sometimes than to make a call or send an email. Sometimes the personal touch is all it takes. As well as the honest acknowledgement that “yes, we made a mistake” or “yes, this was overlooked,” but “we will fix this and ensure that we do better next time.” Always acknowledge what you do and do not know. Honesty and good intent can go a long way towards making things right, and in an organization that is constantly taking risks, this is crucial.

SOCIAL PRACTICE

It was also during this time that I got to know the assistant visual art curator / TBA visual art gallery director. We met over coffee and talked a lot about social practice (something entirely new to me when I came to Oregon but now a central part of the things I’m thinking about) as well as alternative space and our purpose/role as artists, creatives, organizers and thinkers. In art school we don’t talk near enough about WHY it is we make work and what the end goal might be. At first it is all wrapped up in process….trying to figure out HOW to make. I think the discovery of WHY comes along through time but there is no reason why this conversation shouldn’t at least be massaged more during those early academic years so that it isn’t lost and in need of rediscovery later on. The WHY is the most important part of art making. SO WHY IS IT NOT CENTRAL TO ART PRACTICE IN THE ACADEMIC WORLD? Why did it take all this time for me to even hear the words social + practice + community + art + activism all together? There is something seriously wrong with that because so many artists and art organizations are out there actually doing it. Activating people. Activating art. Activating space. Action. Action. Action. Yes. Think. Make. Do. Go. Change.

GETTING TO KNOW PORTLAND

I spent a lot of time in Portland this month. I house sat for a friend as well as one of my professors so I spent a few solid weeks in the city but it was really a great way to get to know Portland a little better. When I wasn’t at PICA I was spending a lot of time on the bus getting to where I needed to be, which was mostly up to the hill for eye appointments, coffee shops, grocery stores and places to eat (thank god for Portland’s foodie reputation).

I have spent quite a bit of time this summer sketching, writing, networking and building up my knowledge and network around arts admin, as well as refining my artist portfolio and online presence so I spent a lot of time at the computer and in my journal. But it was a valuable period of reflection, contemplation and learning that really has helped me transition to what will be my last year of grad school. It is important to me to be able to slow down and digest what I am experiencing as I go along. We learn much more if we take the time to reflect.

Some of the things that I really have come to love about Portland (and really Oregon):

• Artistic / aesthetic sensibility
• Community
• Emphasis on personal well-being
• Appreciation for and value of nature and the environment
• Interest in living a simpler life; simplified values; appreciation for the little things
• Gardens, chickens, local food, sustainable living
• Good coffee / good beer / good food
• Permission to be yourself. Go ahead, embrace the weird.
• Artistic expression and life experience through art, music and culture

I really enjoyed spending time in some of the coffee shops, walking around the Portland neighborhoods, checking out everyone’s beautiful gardens and all of the old houses, eating good food, shopping at some of the vintage / thrift stores….and people watching. And Portland has changed me too…I’m more conscientious about my diet, more open-minded, more grateful and appreciative of the people in my life and the communities that I am a part of, more aware of how I feel and what I am observing and experiencing at each moment of each day, and I am never going to buy anything brand new ever again. I have even been reading about world religions…trying to find some way to connect this physical and mental/emotional well-being to some sort of spiritual well-being to round it all out. I have really noticed that making a few small life changes has really made me a happier and healthier person. It honestly surprised the hell out of me. I didn’t think this internship experience would really infiltrate that much of my existence, but it is amazing how much we can be influenced by place and community.

AUG & SEPT | THE FESTIVAL APPROACH

As we neared the festival dates, the office grew busier and busier. More meetings were popping up throughout the space and more new faces were seen each day that we marched toward the festival.

VOLUNTEERS

The Community Engagement Manager supervises the Volunteer Coordinator (another instance of job-variety in the non-profit work environment), who hosted a few volunteer trainings at the middle and end of the month in preparation for the massive amount of additional work required for the festival. I attended one of the trainings, during which each department that required volunteers gave a brief presentation on their needs, encouraging attendees to get involved depending on their interests. It was very clear that volunteers are an invaluable asset to the TBA Festival, a giant machine with many intricate, moving parts and pieces, each with their own function but intimately connected to one another in order to operate the whole. Without volunteers, the TBA machine would only be able to feasibly produce a fraction of its capacity. And with the need for such high numbers of additional help, comes the need for volunteer management. PICA utilizes a digital system for volunteer signup. Everything including volunteer descriptions and shifts, waivers and applications are included online, making it easy for volunteers to manage their schedules and answer questions on their own. The Volunteer Coordinator was diligent about ensuring her availability and communicative openness, offering to be the central point for contact and inquiry.

Along with managing the volunteers, the Community Engagement Manager and the Volunteer Manager worked together to also ensure that the volunteers were appreciated and compensated for their work, equally as important. The tough part is ensuring that this attitude gets carried through PICA at every level. Volunteers were given performance and Works passes for each shift, hours had to be tracked, shirts given out, and special volunteer appreciation parties were planned. PICA also planned work parties at the visual space to encourage greater help when they needed it but to also create a fun work environment for those who were donating their time. I thought that they really did a great job of ensuring that volunteers knew how much they were appreciated and valued, although I think that it is important to make sure that everyone in the office knows that they need to have this attitude and that they need to make it a priority. There has to be consistency and those who are engaged with PICA should feel that consistency throughout the organization. But this is also extremely difficult when an organization is bringing on so much additional, temporary help during a short period of time. Communication and consistency almost is not possible unless there are regular established meetings and communication that clearly and repeatedly sends out the message. And then there are issues of time and resources. Not everything that SHOULD be communicated, CAN be communicated for simple lack of time and energy. Sometimes it seems that those issues related to morale and experience get lost next to issues of logistics, crisis aversion, and just trying to get everything to work correctly.

One big issue that seemed more pronounced this year than in the past was volunteers missing their shifts. While relying on volunteers is clearly beneficial for an organization with limited resources (lower cost, greater outreach, diverse involvement, building reputation, increasing awareness, cultivating a hiring pool) there will always be issues of reliability because it is not contracted, paid work. The organization cannot ensure timeliness, skill, knowledge, experience, and commitment. So how can an organization work to ensure their volunteers are reliable? Again, I think PICA did the best that they can do in this matter. Volunteer trainings, a web-based platform for paperwork, information and contact, creating a Volunteer Management position to overlook the whole process and serve as a central communicative point, easy methods of contact if the volunteer can’t make their shift, clear rewards system, and opportunities to come together as a volunteer community, making new contacts and building relationships with each other. It is also important that those who are supervising volunteers clearly understand and can communicate what that volunteer will be responsible for. They need to have clear direction and understand what their role will be and why they are valued. During TBA I did have to delegate to many different volunteers. I feel that I did this well because I knew what needed to be accomplished, made sure to acknowledge the volunteers, save them specific tasks (as a way to clear up my time for other work but also to ensure that they would stay busy) and brief them right away on the flow of the event and what their role would be. I also made sure to thank them and give them their passes. It was difficult for me to remember names, but I think going out of your way to try to remember names and say thank you can be a simple gesture that can mean a lot but also encourage that volunteer (or intern) to come back, which means less energy on the part of the organization to orient newcomers.

INTERNAL CHANGES

Laura and I had been two of the very first interns in the office back in July but throughout August the office went through some dramatic changes, and a lot more people were brought on board, both interns and contracted, temporary staff. Entire departments took on new life. The Box Office sprung into existence at the middle of the month, transforming the Resource Room into TBA central. The space began to take on a much more public appearance, and staff began paying greater attention to how the public perceived and interacted with the space. New marketing materials and signage sprung up out of nowhere on a daily basis, helping to orient visitors to TBA and get people in the door and to the ticket office. The physical space was refined and rearranged to be more welcoming with flowers, occasional food, collateral materials and information on the festival.

 

ARTIST SERVICES

Artist Services was another area that sprung into action during this time, with people coordinating arrangements with artists for travel and hospitality, transportation and ensuring every aspect of their Portland stay was in order, even down to coconut water donations for the performance venues. PICA is very serious about supporting artists, so these details are essential to what they do. Making the artists feel well taken care of is a top priority that is on everyone’s to-list, from the Executive Director to the interns. Since PICA Institute has its own lineup of visiting artists and scholars, we had to work closely with Artist Services in order to arrange airport pickups, hotel accommodations and also develop detailed contracts outlining travel, payment and engagement specifics. Detailed agendas were sent to each artist or scholar with their schedules during TBA with everything from pickup to program engagement to recommended performances that they might be interested in attending. It was clear that PICA was doing everything it could to make each artist’s stay in Portland as simple and well thought out as possible. An important aspect of PICA’s mission is building strong relationships with artists, so these small details become highly important.

Part of my work was creating contracts for those artists and scholars doing work within TBA Institute, the community engagement arm of the festival. It was important to work with the artists to find an agreeable arrangement that ensured they were fairly compensated but that was also mindful of the limited resources of the organization. This really becomes a push / pull that eventually leads to whatever arrangement works best for both the artist and organization. PICA was able to offer access to the festival as part of the exchange, which was a good way to show gratitude but also keep costs down. We did have to accommodate for many last minute changes, so it was important to maintain diligence with details and to stay on your feet, being prepared to come up with back up plans if necessary.

MEETINGS

More and more planned and impromptu meetings were happening. I observed meetings with artists, meetings between artists, interdepartmental and departmental meetings, intern meetings, meetings with sponsors, donors, members, and just patrons who wanted to build out their TBA schedule. Constant ebb and flow of conversation. People were in and out of the office, working and meeting when and where they needed. There were a few constants, but for the most part these meetings and conversations happened as needed, both formally and casually. The departmental and interdepartmental meetings happened regularly either weekly or bi-monthly and then each Monday there was a all-staff meeting in the office. During TBA, meetings were supposed to happen daily at The Works but this proved not to the greatest space. Vic then took on the role of making sure that meetings were being arranged with departments and people at specific times that were most appropriate in relation to when things were happening in those areas, to ensure communication and synchronization across the organization. There were some required all-staff meetings throughout the festival.

A main component of general staff meetings were departmental updates, and then anything specific to what might be prioritized at that time. Earlier on, one staff person would give a more formal in-depth presentation from their area explaining their role and upcoming plans for the TBA festival. This kept everyone in the know and stimulated interest and thinking from the whole team. As we neared the festival, meetings focused more and more on very specific operations and logistics.

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

One interesting thing about PICA is the way in which regular office administration is handled. This felt very unlike many of the businesses and organizations in which I have been involved. Because of its more horizontal organizational structure there was a less rigid hierarchy of leadership than in a more traditional vertically structured organization. This also meant that there were a lot of “chefs” in the kitchen. With so many leaders working independently, some tasks seemed to go unassigned and much of the general office administration and operations was handled collectively. This meant that everyone had to be sure to take initiative in cleaning and organizing the space, replenishing supplies, taking out recycling, greeting and introducing visitors, and generally helping with office management. In a perfect world everyone would have an equal hand in this, but unfortunately it doesn’t seem like this is an easy reality, especially with constant interchanging staff. It seems that some of the staff have taken on additional roles to manage or delegate within these areas that fall outside of the duties of each position.

OFFICE CULTURE

By this time I had developed a better sense of office culture. Overall, I really enjoyed the flexibility and casual, open atmosphere. The one thing that continually bothered me was the quiet, especially earlier on when there were fewer people in the office. I found it interesting that PICA was trying to create a sort of flexible creative space open to the public for exploration into contemporary art and a generator for ideas and conversations yet the eerie silence and stark interior seemed to work against this. It almost felt too forced; too sterile. At times people seemed hesitant to speak and move freely, to talk, be, laugh at ease, almost afraid to break the silence. I had wished that there was more symbiosis between this mission of open creativity and the actual, physical space.

There was definitely a lot of crossover between departments, with people working outside of their areas and sometimes helping others with projects. There were definitely instances where the phrase “that is outside of my job description” came into play, but it seemed more to create work boundaries rather than to avoid a task. With so much going on within such a small organization, the staff have to be very mindful of their time and responsibilities, being careful not to take on too much.

The staff within PICA are mostly female, and I would say that this office is full of very strong, independent people, in this case mostly women. As an aspiring female arts leader I found this to be inspiring but also sort of strange. I felt this sort of 21^st century “work-a-holic” pressure that seems to manifest itself in young female professionals; an almost “prove-it-to-you” career driven attitude. I will admit that I have felt that way very often myself. A sort of need to prove my capabilities as a young female professional. And I find myself often wondering about the changing identity of young women in the 21^st century, often feeling conflicted about the pressure to become a successful female professional working in the city and my deep desire to live the simple life, raise a family, and move to the country. And I find myself feeling guilty about that second choice, that it is somehow wrong or a waste of education and opportunity, but why should that be the case? We should be ok with releasing ourselves from the metropolis routine of work, gym, dinner + cocktails, work, bed, do it again. And maybe this is very well my own imagined stereotype, but it is something that I continually think about in the working world. Women are headed in to uncharted territory and it will be interesting to look back and see how times have changed, how gender roles will have shifted, and how priorities around lifestyle, work and family will be adjusted.

This internship was also a very valuable experience for me to gain a better understanding the nature of a nonprofit. While at times I tried to reconcile this sort of hard-working attitude with being a female professional, I think that most often it was simply the result of working within a nonprofit organization, specifically one that is in constant flux. In an organization like PICA, there is always more work to be done that can feasibly be managed with limited staff and resources. Some positions seemed to be more overworked than others at different times, but the team seemed to try to be cognizant of others’ workloads, making sure to recognize this and discuss ways to help alleviate additional stress on these individuals. One example was within the marketing and communications department this year which only had one graphic designer (usually there was an assistant brought on for TBA) and also the transition of a new Marketing and Communications Manager just before the festival. The designer had a considerable amount of projects coming from all directions so it was discussed that all projects be filtered through the M&C Manager in order to be prioritized. During the weeks preceding the festival that team was advised to be extra cautious of asking for anything from other or doing anything last minute because everyone had so much on their plates. It was a good reminder to take the time to think ahead and avoid any last minute requests, therefore avoiding any added strain on an already busy team.

As neared the festival, it was clear that managing workloads became more difficult for everyone. There was so much to be done, and it seemed that everyone was saying they were behind. It was important to be cognizant about time spent on tasks but also taking breaks. Unlike the for-profit companies for which I have worked, there was an intrinsic acceptance that if something couldn’t get done that you just had to let it be, and you had to be ok with that. There were certain things that had to be held off simply because it couldn’t all be done. Sometimes that was hard for me to grasp, but I realized that one of the most important and most difficult things to do in a nonprofit is to prioritize your work, because you simply cannot do it all. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, or you can’t get to everything that you had wanted to, or maybe you aren’t able to obtain the resources you thought you could. It is sort of a betting game. But I loved this. I loved the flexibility, creativity, resourcefulness and passion that were all a part of the organizational culture.

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES & SYSTEMS

During a meeting with Roya in August we had a valuable discussion about communication, which had been on my mind recently as I was transitioning into my duties at ELAN Chair and my new GTF. I was learning that I needed to be more cognizant of how and when I was communicating with others, as well as more mindful of time spent emailing. I had never given much thought to what it was like to receive communications from the other side, and realized that it was important to consider ways in which I could make my communication with others more efficient and streamlined, making it less work to read through many emails. I learned that it is not a good idea to send out email after email as things pop up. Rather it is better to wait and consolidate, keeping communications professional, straightforward and succinct, especially when scheduling. It is also very important to make sure to be accurate the first time, avoiding changes if possible which can be frustrating and difficult to track through email…a good way to muddy relationships. For ELAN we decided to utilize our project management platform in order to cut down on email communication. PICA used to use Basecamp but had difficulty encouraging everyone to utilize it, and now they rely primarily on email as well as extensive sharing through Google Drive. They send emails as they need to, but are wary of other people’s communication preferences. That awareness is extremely important. Showing respect and awareness for the recipient through all communications, even a simple email, demonstrates their value and importance, maintains good standing and shows that you care. It seems so simple but I have seen so many instances where these simple rules are not followed and they can later manifest into larger issues. Outlining consistent communication guidelines from the get-go can really help create a strong operational foundation for the organization.

The two other systems that PICA utilizes are Sales Force / Patron Manager and their accounting system. Sales Force is used for account management, relationships, ticketing and budgets. Each manager has their own account and is able to operate their own departmental budget from within Sales Force as well as add any contacts or accounts. This is then all linked back to the accounting system. Budgets go through both the Executive and Artistic Directors, who have final say on budgets and any financial matters. Each department is responsible for presenting their budget for the upcoming year based on needs and changes, to be approved by the co-directors. This is all managed in Sales Force where line items are listed (estimated expenses) and actual expenses are then entered once purchases are made. Expenses must be tracked through both Sales Force (budgeting) and accounting.

DEVELOPMENT

While I did not work within development directly, part of my objectives for my internship were to learn more about development and funding. Through informational interviews with the Executive Director, Development Manager, and Membership and Special Events Coordinator I gained insight into PICA’s development strategies. Development and community engagement are really tied closely together and they spread throughout the organization across all departments with the goal of trying to cultivate a broader and deeper community presence, increase conversation and discussion around PICA, the work and the artists, and foster greater opportunities for sponsorship, membership and support. Almost everything and anything is a possibility within this realm, but building meaningful relationships is at the heart of it all.

EVALUATION

I really appreciated how much PICA worked to constantly improve its operations and programming. This was especially appropriate since I had just completed a bit of research around sustainable evaluation and how organizations should make evaluation deeply rooted in order to continually improve. While at PICA it was great to feel like nothing was safe. Nothing was safe from a critical eye, and no one was afraid to question. I have never felt that before and it was highly refreshing, especially as an intern to feel like even my own opinion mattered. There was a constant flexibility for change, recommendations, suggestions and growth from all sides. PICA intrinsically reflects an acceptance for new ideas, both externally through its programs and internally in its operations. I feel that many organizations try to advocate for this mentality in the office but never quite achieve it. I think that it all stems from this general attitude of openness and never holding anything to be sacred. Accepting that change will and must happen, but also being strategic about change, and always understanding why the change is being made to assure that it is necessary, especially when resources are involved.

SEPT 10-20 | TIME-BASED ART FESTIVAL | TBA:15

One of the most exciting and rewarding parts of my internship experience was actually becoming immersed with interdisciplinary artwork and artists, and actually experiencing the festival, as well as really getting to see the realities of what “community engagement” means when implemented.

The opening performance of the festival was “Requiem Mass: LGBT Working Title” organized and orchestrated by local Portland artist Holcombe Waller. This piece was an amazing testament to the multidisciplinary and connective ability of the arts to bring together people and communities traditionally at odds together under a common good. This project had been in the works for almost two years prior to its debut at TBA, with Roya as the lead from PICA, and Holcombe had organized an all-ages, all-abilities community choir through regular drop-in choral workshops held throughout the year. I participated in one of the workshops during my internship. It was interesting to see how Holcombe had facilitated the sessions so that anyone could feel comfortable joining at any time. There was definitely an attitude of inclusiveness and care. There were individuals who had been practicing and attending since the beginning and others who were also there for the first time. The actual performance was held at the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and was devised of a variety of related parts that together created a mass-like performance that used music, aesthetics, sound, scripture and spoken word to create a powerful experience. Staging such a complex performance commemorating those persecuted for their gender identity and sexuality within the walls of a Catholic Church was a statement of its own.

Overall the festival experience was certainly transformative for me. I had entered into it with little experience with multidisciplinary art a, specifically contemporary performance and/or contemporary dance. I had never actually been part of an arts festival. I wasn’t really sure what to expect in many ways, and I was eager to see how the engagement programs that we had been planning would fit into the larger scheme of the festival….how it would all come together. I was also really excited to actually experience the work. Even though I read about the work and the artists, and in some cases even watched performance videos, it didn’t prepare me for the actual experience. The fortunate thing about being a community engagement intern was that most of my responsibilities were during the day, which left my schedule free for the evening performances. I was able to attend a wide variety of performances, exposing myself to contemporary dance, theatre, conceptual performance, literary-based performance, sound, music and visual arts installation.

There were not really any hard lines between these disciplines and many of them were drawn upon to create a unique vocabulary that was created to best communicate the artist’s intentions and ideas. What I discovered was the strength in multi-disciplinary work to really draw a strong reaction because of this flexibility inherent in combining different mediums. Rather than experiencing art in one dimension or at one level, the participant may be more fully immersed through some combination of disciplines and use of all of the senses. By activating more than one human sense, the participant is encouraged to commit more energy and personal presence to the experience, and are encouraged to communicate with the work in a more holistic and complex way.

Many of the performances pushed the limits of the audience, some through length and involvement (requiring a certain amount of mental exertion from the audience to go along) and others through emotional intensity, and complex interconnected narratives. I was sometimes surprised at how often my expectations didn’t match with the outcomes of my experience, which I found was a good thing, as it made me realize the value in that only the experience of the work can bring. I appreciated some works that I hadn’t expected that I would be as interested in, and found that I wasn’t as responsive to others that I thought I would be. While many of the performances left me feeling thoughtful, invigorated, and more critically aware, others were draining. But there was no hard definition of bad and good. I could only define the quality of the experience based on the emotions and thoughts that I was left with after the experience, because there was just as much value in feeling negative emotions as there was in feeling positive emotions, and we can’t let that dictate whether a work is bad or good. Sometimes art should be difficult and challenging. The important thing is that it leaves us with something we didn’t have before, and I left TBA with a lot.

PICTURES OF THE MOON WITH TEETH – TBA VISUAL ART

Even the visual art exhibition, “Pictures of the Moon with Teeth,” was immersive and experience-based, with an emphasis on time and temporality, in keeping with the theme of TBA. The nature of the temporary space (knowing that it would only be up for viewing for approximately a month), and combined with the changing nature of the installations, made the exhibition feel more like a momentary experience rather than a more traditionally permanent art exhibit. I really like this idea of “visual” art (if we want to keep the discipline identity) taking on a more active role, drawing upon more diverse mediums, incorporating technology, allowing for human participation, manipulation, change and even a more active role of the artist and audience as part of the work. Not only that, but the installations had a relationship with each other and with the space. More so than in a traditional museum or gallery, the entire setting was part of the artwork. Viewers walked into the transformed warehouse space first to the video installation of Jibade Kahlil-Huffman that encompassed several adjoining rooms with a combination of projections, screens, constructed geometric visuals, and “peep-holes” set into the walls, forming his “Vanishing Point / A Drive in at the End of the world”.

Artist Dawn Kasper had taken over the next room, filled with many seemingly random objects which she then “activated” through her presence. It was very interesting to see an artist physically become part of the work in a more “visual arts” sense, truly combining visual art installation with performance, but in a way that was reminiscent of the way an artist might experiment in their studio. I was really enamored with this idea of making the practice and process the artwork, insinuating that there is no “finished” product but rather only process, creator, and some sort of manipulation or transformation that is happening. We too often separate art from process and therefore from the artist, especially in the formal art world, so this literal interpretation focused on artist, process and the studio environment was refreshing. I love that Dawn recently was commissioned to basically live at the Whitney Museum. This “residency” was her work. Her presence there and the interaction and experience of the audience all became part of the artwork, exposing the informality and messiness that is the reality of creative process.

The main, larger room had work by Tannaz Farsi (art instructor at UO), Peter Simensky, and a sound installation by renowned Japanese sound artist, Akio Suzuki. Simensky’s video installation, suspended from the ceiling and projected on both sides of a large screen, showed the process of him releasing gold dust in the space prior to the exhibition’s opening. Combined with the gold space blankets piled and hung throughout the space, this work provided commentary on temporality and fragility of our value and monetary systems. Farsi’s ephemeral work used LED lights to form fading words, disrupting the language and questioning methods of reading and understanding, especially in regards to what is visual to us and what may be obscured. Also, a unique experience-based work that utilized change and audience participation was “Nami” (meaning waves), a sound installation comprised of several radios all tuned to different AM frequencies and situated on a low, rotating table, together simulating a wave-like sound, constantly ebbing, flowing and changing. The following low-lit room contained the expansive architectural and spatial experimentations of Bill Jenkins, who utilized common construction materials to manipulate the nature light coming in from gaping holes in the ceiling. The most “gallery-like” portion of the exhibition, which required the PICA team to build out walls to confine the space, housed “Commonplace,” a collaborative exhibition by Karl Larsson with Morgan Ritter, Pascal Prosek and Container Corps. The installation used fragments from H.P. Lovecrafts “Commonplace” book as a starting point for a body of work exploring the unknown, the unfinished, the formless, and all that can never be fully understood.

Together the exhibition was a lot to take in, but together certainly instilled thoughts related to temporality, time, constructions of meaning and value, process, imagination, mystery and obscurity. It demonstrated the value and importance of art in being able to communicate such intrinsic and intangible themes…things not well understood or easily discussed.

TBA INSTITUTE AND FIELD GUIDE

My main role during the festival was to help with all of the TBA Institute programs. This included daily conversations with artists and scholars, lectures and artist workshops. The other part of PICA’s public programs and community engagement arm is their Field Guide program. I helped ready the space in preparation for each days public program activities, delegating and supervising volunteers, welcoming artists, assisting with any other operations tasks as needed and resetting everything for the next day. Workshops required a bit more involvement since they were located at a dance studio off-site. Mainly prep work in the space, ensuring that the artist had everything that they needed, and registering participants. It was important to have a detailed agenda written out for each day’s events, with information on arrivals, concurrent happenings, schedules, tasks and anything else that we might need to be aware of. Due to the fast-paced nature of the festival, it was helpful to have as much lined-out beforehand as possible so that we could just show up and follow the game plan, readying ourselves for any challenges or changes that might come up throughout the day. I enjoyed the combination of both the administrative and active work through the TBA festival.

The Institute programs were really a great way to engage the public with some of the concepts and ideas present in the work throughout the festival. As already discussed, this sort of multidisciplinary, experimental contemporary art can be challenging and difficult to wade through, especially if you are new to it, so these public programs played an important role in diminishing the distance the audience had to go to better understand and appreciate the work. The conversations certainly made my experience of the performances richer and more rewarding because I had not only more background information, but a deeper understanding of the artist’s intentions, the creative process and the inspiration and meaning behind the work. The few lectures during TBA were given by renowned scholars in fields related to festival themes, broadening the impact of TBA and creating connections between larger social concepts and the festival, while also drawing in a more diverse audience. Lastly, the workshops provided opportunities for the public to engage more intimately with the work and process of a particular artist.

Similar to the youth field guides implemented in relation to the “No Boundaries” exhibition during the summer, the TBA field guide program created a participatory framework to deepen the audience experience around a particular performance. Participants paid just a few extra dollars to participate in pre-show workshop, attend the performance as a group, and then take part in a post-show discussion. I participated in two field guides during TBA, which allowed me to really dig in deeper to a few of the performances, enriching my experience and giving me a broader perspective (informed by other field guide participants) of the whole performance experience. These intimate sessions, led by an “expert” outsider, were really a great way to expose and build on the concepts within the work. They also help to increase understanding and appreciation of contemporary performance, particularly contemporary dance, which can often be the most unfamiliar medium.

I really appreciated the different methods that PICA put into action to engage broader audiences with contemporary art, as well as the emphasis on adult learning, which is not as common as arts education for youth. I found it very valuable that PICA offered so many different ways to engage with the content outside of experiencing the actual artwork. There were opportunities to learn through listening, doing, conceptualizing and experiencing, and I found myself involved as a participant, contributor and creator.

REFLECTION ON LEARNING GOALS

Learning Goal #1: Gain experience in program and project design, planning, implementation and evaluation (might also include event planning, but preference is more programmatic). Expand my knowledge and understanding of public programming and arts engagement.

While I did not gain much insight into program design (due to timing), I was involved with planning and implementation for all TBA Festival public programs, and learned much about preparation, management, implementation and evaluation. I better understand how such public programs complement curated works and engage audiences in unique ways and what must be considered when planning and organizing such programs. I worked on specific projects around outreach, scheduling, communications, contracts, volunteer management and day-of activities. I also helped create an evaluative survey and within the public programs team helped to critically evaluate programming strategies.

Learning Goal #2: Strengthen my understanding of how contemporary arts organizations impact communities, what community outreach and public engagement might look like, and how the organization can cultivate audiences and participation for challenging content. How might contemporary art organizations such as PICA bring together contemporary art, artists and the community?

I have a much better understanding of what strategies might be employed to connect audiences with contemporary art and its thematic concepts, advocating for life-long learning and enriching experience and understanding of the world through art. Through experiencing the artwork as well as witnessing others engage with various work, I have developed new concepts around the value of contemporary art to society, and how it can contribute to thoughtful, critical and open attitudes. I also better understand the important balance necessary to communicate and advocate for such work in a way that is relatable but yet doesn’t simplify the subject. Lastly, I learned much about building relationships within local communities to support contemporary art and artists, engage relevant and interested people, and build a broader support base.

Learning Goal #3: Improve my knowledge and skills in exhibition design and installation, specifically focusing on contemporary art practice. I want to have a better understanding of industry standards as well as innovative approaches to exhibition design in a contemporary art setting.

I did not have the opportunity to work with the visual art department on exhibition design but did help out somewhat in the space in preparation for installation. This provided me with insight into the transformation of a vacant, unkempt warehouse to an activated art space. I also have a better understanding of the complexities inherent in working with alternative spaces, which may include: acquisition of resources and materials, staff and volunteer time, donation of space, relationships with certain stakeholders, compliance with city and building ordinances, communication and coordination with artists about projects and expectations, public safety, generating awareness and marketing to a temporary off-site location, risk management, and planning for staffing and operations while the exhibition is open to the public.

Learning Goal #4: Increase my knowledge and skills in grant writing and fundraising, including better understanding of fundraising strategies.

I did not do any work directly with development, but I did conduct informational interviews with the Executive Director, Development Manager, and Membership and Special Events Coordinator who all provided valuable insight into donor and board relations, donations and sponsorships, membership, special events and fundraising. I learned the importance of building meaningful relationships with a variety of stakeholders, maintaining a positive presence locally and beyond, staying abreast of funding opportunities, keeping your organization adaptable and responsive to increase sustainability, cultivating membership and continual donor support, building relationships with community partners for shared resources, marketing and sponsorship, creating opportunities to generate internal revenue (TBA Festival provides a good format to generate income to support programs), and building a strong board that works in the best interest of the organization’s mission while also helping to support the organization through resources, connections, guidance and expertise.

CONCLUSION

I can’t possibly explain all that I learned from the experience in this paragraph (and I think all the above does that pretty well), but I can say that in the three months of the internship with PICA, I grew as a professional, as an artist and creative thinker, and as a person. I adopted new life ways, new skills, and gained a lot of knowledge around administration and operations within a contemporary arts organization and multidisciplinary arts festival. I also greatly expanded my understanding of multidisciplinary arts, exposing myself to new art forms and new ways of engaging audiences with contemporary art.

The internship truly affirmed my desire to work within a mission-driven organization. 1) I prefer mission over money; I need to feel like I am contributing to positive change 2) I like working with a passionate group of people 3) I appreciate flexibility and change 4) I work well independently and am a hard worker 5) I am resourceful and creative; am able to do a lot with very little. Knowing this about myself but also seeing these things manifest at PICA really proved that I would fit in well with such an organization.

The experience stimulated my excitement around the potential of experimental art, and reminded me why I love doing work that directly supports artists and their projects, while also finding ways to kindle that excitement in others. I am confident in the direction that I want to take in my career working in a capacity to support contemporary artists and their projects, encouraging artistic experimentation, risk-taking, exploring art in alternative spaces, and helping to create environments that support artists and artist-led projects that push limits, create challenges, and encourage critical thinking. The fact that PICA is doing this in such a big way without a dedicated space, and with limited staff and resources was inspiring and encouraging. Although not without much dedication and hard work.

Express what I learned in two words?

BE FEARLESS.