Attempting to create safer spaces in art institutions
This professional development workshop is for visual arts workers who identify as Black, Indigenous or person of colour. It is open to participants at any stage of their career working in curating, arts administration, studio practice, programming, community work, etc. Participants are invited to come together and share their experiences and strategies for navigating and working within art institutions that are rooted in, and uphold, colonial systems and structures. It will be an opportunity for participants to connect with others in the field to build stronger networks of support within the Atlantic region, share skills and ideas, and develop strategies to address professional situations that occur to BIPOC cultural workers within these spaces.
About the Facilitator
Carrie Allison Payiw (she/her) is a Nêhiýaw/Cree, Métis, and European descent visual artist based in K’jipuktuk (Halifax, Nova Scotia) since 2010. She grew up on the unceded and unsurrendered lands of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. Carrie’s maternal roots are based in maskotewisipiy (High Prairie, Alberta), Treaty 8. Carrie holds a Master in Fine Art, a Bachelor in Art History, and a Bachelor in Fine Art from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University. Carrie works part-time for the Aboriginal Curatorial Collective as the Communications Coordinator and loves sharing her experience working in the arts with those around her. She has led many workshops, has taught at NSCAD University, and NSCAD Extended Studies. Carrie is co-chair at Eyelevel Artist Run Centre and has served on the board of the Art Bank of Arts Nova Scotia. Carrie maintains an artistic practice and continues to hustle with contract positions to make ends meet.
How to Participate
This online workshop is free and open to participants who identify as BIPOC or racialized. Space is limited and advanced registration is required. Discussion will be based on who attends and what experiences each individual brings to the workshop. If you are interested in participating, please email liuba.gonzalezdearmas@msvu.ca by October 18 and include the following:
- Name
- Phone number
- Whether you require ASL interpretation or have any access needs or concerns
- A short description of about why you are interested in participating, what you would like to see discussed in this workshop, and what stage you’re at in your career
- Which of the following statements apply to you:
I am mainly here to network
I would like to learn what I can do prior to accepting a job to ensure the institution is a good place for me to work
I would like to know what to look for in a job application so I can discern if the organization is attuned to structural inequity in the workplace
I am just starting my career in the arts as a BIPOC person and want as much information as possible
More information will be shared with registered participants via email in advance of the workshop.
