September 2019 Meet Our Artists: Rachel DeGuzman

Our Members, Fiscally Sponsored Artists, and other program participants represent a wide range of career stages and disciplines. We love them - and, as fellow artists, we're always inspired by them. With this monthly feature, we hope you'll feel the same way!

Name & Pronouns:  Rachel DeGuzman, she/her/hers

What do you do?  Arts administrator, producer, curator, convener and artivist

What inspires you?  I am driven by the belief that art and creativity – the most authentic and soulful expression of humanity – can provide the most effective platform to center the marginalized and bring us together. I want to foster more opportunity and equity for women of color (WOC). I seek to center the histories, voices and narratives of women of color. Together, with other women of color, I hope to harness our collective power to effect change in and through the arts.

Rochester City Newspaper "Power Peers"
cover story featuring WOC Art Collaborative

What are you proud of?  I am very proud of establishing At the Crossroads: Activating the Intersection of Art and Justice a year ago, and the 20 events it has produced because they were collaborative, inclusive, relevant, and centered the lives and perspectives of women of color. The At the Crossroads Long Table Conversations/ Installations are very meaningful to attendees, some of whom have attended at least half of them. Arts editor of City Newspaper Rebecca Rafferty has attended most of them – acting, in some ways, as a witness (à la James Baldwin) as well as providing critical feedback – and has deemed them (more than once) as some of the most important arts programming in Rochester, New York. 

More recently, I did found and launch WOC Art Collaborative with 10 other WOC creatives. We do have a headquarters and access to a 2,700-capacity rehearsal, performance, exhibition and event space 240 days per year. See more here and here.

What are your goals?  To continue presenting the Long Table Conversations, to deepen the connection to the 20+ collaborators that I worked with in 2017/18, and to establish new collaborative relationships with artists, higher education, presenting organizations, and the Rochester City School District. To establish a collaborative center for real equity in and through art – comprised of a diverse cohort of WOC artists/creatives. All of the aforementioned are in the planning phases or underway.

Do you have any advice for your fellow artists?  Follow your vision. When you encounter a roadblock, regroup, and then reroute. Trust your instincts and don't waste precious time on dead ends or regret.

How does The Field help you?  The Field provides my work with critical fiscal sponsorship and some exposure through its website and programs.

© Rachel DeGuzman
21st Century Arts & WOC Arts Collaborative

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January 2019 Meet Our Artists: Melanie Greene

Our Members, Fiscally Sponsored Artists, and other program participants represent a wide range of career stages and disciplines. We love them - and, as fellow artists, we're always inspired by them. With this monthly feature, we hope you'll feel the same way!

Name: Melanie Greene

What do you do?
Choreographer & Performer (Methods of Perception), Writer, Podcast Host

What inspires you?
I'm inspired by strength, power, love, and vulnerability. I create dance works to tell non-fiction fantasies and superwoman truths.

Photo by Larry Rosalez

What are you proud of?
I'm proud of my perseverance. I receive a lot of no(s), but the yes(es) continue to shift my perspectives and career exponentially. Receiving one yes in a sea of no gives me strength.

Recently, I've moved forward on two major projects that feel very risky. I'm in a very vulnerable space. Nonetheless, being overcome with fear and not pushing these projects forward never felt like an option. So, we will see!

I have 6 grant/residency applications, a book proposal, and a desire for funding for an upcoming project out in the world. A couple of no(s) have trickled in, yet I remain hopeful that a yes is on the way.

What are your goals?
My primary goal is to build a sustainable platform for my art-making through commissions, residencies, performances, panels, and writing. It's also my goal to advocate for artists to recognize their power and push against racist and inequitable practices that continue to prop up non-profit arts institutions.

Do you have any advice for your fellow artists?
Drink plenty of water, there is work to do.

How does The Field help you?
The Field offers a centralized platform to support visibility, community, and fiscal sponsorship.

Photo by Ian Douglas

Photo by Bogliasco Foundation

Photo by Bogliasco Foundation

Photo by Scott Shaw

All content © Melanie Greene / Methods of Perception

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I Hate Your Work: An Open Discussion at the Alliance of Resident Communities Conference

by Shawn René Graham, Deputy Director, Programs and Services

In early October I moderated a panel discussion at the Alliance of Artists Communities in Portland, Oregon.  The discussion centered around the unconscious and conscious biases we all bring to judging artists' work. Helen Daltoso (Grants Officer, Regional Arts + Culture Council), Daniel Jaquez (Freelance Stage Director, Theatre-maker and Translator), Eleanor Savage (Senior Program Officer, Jerome Foundation) and James Scruggs (Artist + Facilitator, The Field) shared their experiences in addressing bias whether they are adjudicating work, trying to get work produced or educating others about how bias may permeate other aspects of our work in the arts sector. 

Rather than reflect on our talk and recount it all to you, I wanted to share a partial video of the discussion in hopes that what you hear will encourage you to think about unconscious and conscious bias wherever you are in the arts sector.  While the video covers the first forty minutes during which our panelists responded to and reflected on their own encounters with bias, those in attendance also discussed their experiences and some possible solutions they can employ.  As you watch, think about how bias has affected you or how you may have perpetuated bias in your own work.  The honesty of Eleanor’s own definition of bias, Helen’s transparency about funding artists and persistent community participation and James’ stark reminder of how assumptions are made based on what we think we see is important to hear. What are some of your solutions?

I invite you to share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below. 

 I Hate Your Work in Portland was just the beginning of The Field’s work on the topic of bias and we will continue our exploration vigorously.  Look for us at The Fire This Time Festival in January 2017.  The program will consist of a panel discussion and the next phase, I Hate Your Work in Action.

From left, Daniel Jaquez, Eleanor Savage, 
Shawn René Graham and James Scruggs

This follow-up workshop puts the topics and strategies discussed during the panel into action. Participants will be invited to observe a condensed session of Fieldwork, The Field’s core program that offers artists a unique forum to share works in development and exchange critical, non-directorial, peer-to-peer feedback. Incisive and stimulating critiques are guided by experienced facilitators while you – our guests – are invited to watch and deeply reflect on how this model disrupts biased thinking or assumptions that are made during the course of critiquing artistic work and its potential for showcase or further development. Stay Tuned!

What Have We Discovered? Who Are We Moving Forward?

In our last blog about Field Leadership Fund, we shared what has been working with the FLF Fellowship thus far. This time around, the focus is on one Fellow’s deeper exploration of her vision for herself and how The Field’s resources have supported her journey thus far.  Another Fellow reveals how we all can perpetuate oppressive systems even when it may not be our intent.   As the hosting organization, The Field is also learning more about the role that it plays in these systems. Hopefully, all of the Fellows have learned more about themselves, their journeys, and the role they play as well. All involved must continue to find ways to take accountability for ourselves in this work. Since multiple perspectives can offer valuable insight, we feel it’s important to hear from others involved in the process. See below for a look at the Fellowship experience from the perspective of Artist Fellow, Goussy Célestin and Manager Fellow, Aya Lane. 

Feel free to join the conversation by sharing your thoughts.

Goussy Célestin:

9 Months. A full gestation period for human birth. 9 months of FLF; The Field Leadership Fund. I have been an FLF Artist Fellow gestating towards the birth of my vision- Ayiti Brass. These past 9 months have been filled with growth pains, beautiful discoveries, connections, with the discomfort of “labor” stumbling into possibility. The birth metaphor applies smoothly (like a baby’s skin- Hey, I couldn’t resist!). In all seriousness though, the metaphor joke holds relevance to this process I have undergone for the last 9 months.

I am a working artist, performer, teaching artist, mother, juggler of multiple things at the same time, wife, and visionary. At the point when I applied to FLF, I had turned a corner in my art-making. Though I collaborated with a few arts ensembles, and had recently garnered a new music teaching position with a prestigious arts organization, I had not yet furthered my own vision and personal artistic mission- Ayiti Brass. I felt like I did not have the time, especially being a mother to two young children, and particularly taking into account that any income I made from my art went to my children and daily living expenses. There was no money left over for me to feed my vision. But the vision didn’t die. In fact, the vision burned - like fuel. Its fire continued to blaze inside me and feed possibility.  Applying to FLF, was a moment where I made a decision to look into organizing more time for this vision. It looked like the program that would give me the support to birth this possibility into reality. In a sense, FLF has been my doula of sorts, easing me through the discomfort of not fully knowing, yet knowing. This process has both informed my creative and professional growth. I am carving out time for myself on the calendar for composing rather than trying to squeeze it in while tasking and being with kids.  I find myself advocating for my time to make art more vocally these days. Through Fieldwork, I have shared more of myself and my creative process in the company of fellow artists, moderated by Pele Bauch. Additionally, I’ve started my own blog on my website, “Musings and Meanderings”, where I am open about my process. The 24 hours of rehearsal space I received with my participation in Fieldwork has been extremely valuable - as access to affordable rehearsal space in NYC is like trying to find adequate parking in NYC. Professionally, I have developed a strong relationship with my manager, Bryan E. Glover- FLF Arts Manager Fellow. Working consistency with a manger is immensely helpful. Bryan is someone whom I can bounce ideas with, build with, and is organized and enthusiastic about my vision. We are learning and growing together, as we combine our talents within our partnership. I have FLF to thank for meeting Bryan and for pairing us up. Having a manager is huge for someone like me who has self-produced and self-financed myself into levels of burnout previously. Right now, Bryan and I are gearing up for some upcoming grant applications, and I have recently signed up with The Field to be my fiscal sponsor. I am also taking more chances and opportunities for more growth, having recently been chosen to participate in Creative Capital’s Summer Intensive for artists. Beyond this, I’ve recently been named a Gardarev Resident Fellow, where I’ll be traveling to Maine in November for a week long residency of writing/composing/arranging/choreographing. In the woods, just me and the work.  There is more to go, and more to grow, more to build. So far, this is Ayiti Brass:

Neha Gautam Photography

Aya Lane:

Since beginning the Field Leadership Fund program my understanding of the inequities and challenges within the arts sector, especially in New York, has shifted more micro to macro. Professionally, I have been given tools to expand and deepen my understanding of systematic oppression and my position within these systems, especially in regards to art sector.

The knowledge that I acquired during the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond Undoing Racism training, as well as through workshops and conversations amongst the fellows, in a facilitated way through the Field or through our own schedule meetings, has continuously encouraged me to question my own privileges. This new knowledge directly impacts and shifts the way that I engage with the artist that I manage, Eric Lockley. I have begun thinking more critically about the ways I’ve been indoctrinated with Eurocentric ways of dealing with power, communication, and how it’s impacted the way I work and am trying to dream up new ways of co-working, that are more balanced and equitable.

I’ve also had the opportunity to realize new things about my working style and how I work best. A major realization that I’ve had is that I have “collaboration brain,” a brain that seeks out other people to work with, brainstorm and get feedback at the beginning of starting new projects. I’ve also realized that I enjoy having a balance of tasks in order to feel productive. I enjoy doing large projects to work towards with clear goals/ checkpoints (an event, building a website, things that offer clear metrics), balanced with other projects that may be continuous such as maintaining social media or ongoing research.

Creatively, I am excited to have found myself in an open and loving community of artists who can relate to some of many of the obstacles that I face within in my work, and who are able to direct me to opportunities that align with my vision.



Learn more at thefield.org and http://thefield.org/content/field-leadership-fund

Field Leadership Fund: The Pairs

We’ve reached the halfway mark of The Field Leadership Fund (FLF) Fellowship and the cohort is well on it's way with it’s work. There are 12 Fellows who make up the FLF cohort. 6 Manager Fellows are each paired with an Artist/Arts Organization Fellow for the final 12 months of the 16-month long experience. Here at The Field, we find ourselves reflecting on what is working, what needs work and what should be taken into consideration going forward. While some things are clear, much of the points of discussion fall into a grey area that we will continue to explore in future blog posts. For now, what’s working? The FLF Manager Fellows and Artist / Arts Organization Fellows have achieved a number of clearly established goals together. From press kits to acceptances into film festivals, there have been some noteworthy accomplishments. For more details, check out updates on the FLF pairs below.

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Artist Eric Lockley and Arts Manager Aya Clarke: Since the start of their pairing, Aya and Eric have submitted and been accepted into two (as of now) major film festivals. In August, The Jump will be shown in the Philly BlackStar Film Festival and in the Martha's Vineyard African American Film Festival. In addition, Aya co-produced the first screening of The Jump here in New York City at http://www.dctvny.org/. The event was well attended and raised money to help further Eric’s work. Going forward, Aya will continue to support Eric in raising funds and creating a more interactive and authentic social media presence.

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Arts Organization Cumbé Center - Kendra Ross and Arts Manager Jehan Young: Beginning in April 2016 Jehan has been working with the Cumbé Center to further develop Cumbe's latest venture, the Outside Engagement (OE) program. OE aims to further the Cumbé Center's mission, of transmitting the performance traditions of the African Diaspora to contemporary generations and creating a durable legacy, by dispatching Cumbé's roster of Master Artists to various teaching and performance opportunities. Presently, Jehan and Kendra's practical work is comprised of policy and contract development, and continually exploring best practices that will serve the interests and needs of Cumbé's communities while fairly representing Cumbé as a viable art organization. http://www.cumbedance.com/

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Arts Organization Kyoung's Pacific Beat - Kyoung Park and Arts Manager Rachel DeGuzman: Kyoung and Rachel are working together to further the mission and vision of Kyoung's Pacific Beat (KPB) and are pursuing new strategies to premiere KPB productions. Since their pairing, there have been a number of firsts. Kyoung’s Pacific Beat held its first company reading of The India Plays in June 2016 at the Ma-Yi rehearsal space. The pair attended their first Theatre Communication Group pre-conference where Kyoung served on a panel and attended his first industry-wide artistic director meetings and where Rachel advocated on Capitol Hill for the field in meetings with the New York State delegation. The two FLF Fellows are also working on a year-long, public art, community engagement project called Creating Peace that will bring together multiple artistic and community partners.

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Arts Organization B3W Performance Group / Emily Berry and Arts Manager Alexis Convento: Since their pairing Emily and Alexis have been working on The FORGIVENESS Project, a three-part, devised intermedia performance. Most recently, B3W premiered FORGIVENESS - Part I: Forgiving the Personal, presented by TriBeCa Performing Arts Center. FORGIVENESS - Part II: How Can Forgiveness Play a Role in Dismantling Systems of Oppression will premiere in the fall of 2017 and FORGIVENESS - Part III: Self-Forgiveness will premiere in the spring of 2019.  Meeting weekly, the pair seeks deeper clarity in voice, activeness in community, and sustainability as a social impact arts organization.

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Artist  Goussy Célestin and Arts Manager Bryan E. Glover: Goussy and Bryan have been working hard to create Ayiti Brass - a music and dance performance ensemble which blends Goussy's artistic experience, interests and cultural heritage. This past June, they successfully held their first public performance as a part of Make Music New York. The pair continues to set up administrative structures to sustain this project including researching funding opportunities and the creation of a new website: www.goussycelestin.com.

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Learn more about the Fellows here.

Learn more about the work the paired Fellows are doing here.

GOBSMACKED

I love words.   They are powerful and personal.  They can create connections and community; and they can disrupt, disturb and deface.

Here are some words: equity, diversity, access, inclusion, social justice.*

In the arts and culture sector these words are trending hard these days.  A quick twitter search for #equity, #artsequity, etc. is humongous.

That’s great.  People are really talking about big, tough issues.  People want the world to be better.  People will do the necessary and hard work to activate these words.  I hope.

The more we use these words though, the more they lose their power.

I was at a community forum recently and a brave/stupid soul asked the large group, “What do you mean by ‘equity’?”The entire room was gobsmacked (gob-smakt; adjective, Chiefly British Informal; utterly astounded; astonished)

For many of us, it’s hard to talk about these words and what they mean.  We are afraid of getting it wrong, of feeling stupid, of offending someone.  And on top of these fears, for many of us, the word equity has become a buzzword. It’s everywhere.

In part because we all have so much work to do.

In part because there’s a lot of money on the table right now for equity and diversity work.  And we all need some money to do the work we want to do.

To be transparent, The Field is right there too.  Doing the work, launching some programs, trying to get some money for the work we are doing.  Our very own Field Leadership Fund is building the skills, resources and power of a group of 12 amazingly ambitious next generation arts leaders.
(Watch out world.  They are in it to win it.)

In my gut though, The Field knows that these words, equity, diversity, access, inclusion and social justice have deep meaning and that the work to achieve them is long-term, it’s intentional and thorough and conscious.

The words are real and the work is real and hard. It is changing us.  And it will change you.
Join us in activating the words.  This July The Field is thrilled to co-sponsor the Undoing Racism workshop for artists and cultural workers.  This is a powerful workshop that focuses on what racism is, its history and how we can un-do it.  This knowledge builds our language muscles, builds our vocabulary, and builds our activism muscles. We believe that it is a vital opportunity to learn how to activate ourselves for the vital work of justice in the arts. (Join us at Undoing Racism here in July).

-- By Jennifer Wright Cook, Executive Director of The Field

* from Merriam Webster merriam-webster.com/dictionary

• equity: noun, eq·ui·ty \ˈe-kwə-tē\ fairness or justice in the way people are treated 
• diversity: noun, di·ver·si·ty \də-ˈvər-sə-tē, dī-\ : the quality or state of having many different forms, types, ideas, etc.; the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization 
• access: noun ac·cess \ˈak-ˌses also ik-ˈses\ a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone; way of being able to use or get something ; permission or the right to enter, get near, or make use of something or to have contact with someone.
• inclusion: noun in·clu·sion \in-ˈklü-zhən\  the act of including; the state of being included; a relation between two classes that exists when all members of the first are also members of the second; the act or practice of including students with disabilities in regular school classes
• social justice.*a definition of this was not available in the free version of Merriam Webster online.  

Wikipedia had this to say.  Social justice is the fair and just relation between the individual and society. This is measured by the explicit and tacit terms for the distribution of wealth, opportunities for personal activity and social privileges… In the current global grassroots movements for social justice, the emphasis has been on the breaking of barriers for social mobility, the creation of safety nets and economic justice.”  [excerpt]

Make artWORK: How to Survive in NYC as an Artist

By Liza Green and Claire Baum

This November we were invited to do a life and career guidance seminar for Barnard College dance students as part of the Dancer Empowerment Project. Our task was to take the (slightly daunting) topic of “How to Survive in NYC as an Artist” and make it manageable for these soon-to-be college graduates to have a career in the arts. The ninety-minute workshop aimed  to provide these young artists with useful tools, skills, and resources to help them jumpstart their careers. Hosted by Gibney Dance, we opened the workshop to the public and ended up with a fierce group of early to mid-career dance and theatre makers.

We broke down this large question of “How to Survive in NYC as an Artist,” into four main categories:

1. Finance;
2. Relationships;
3. Marketing and;
4. Enrichment/Training.

Because of the impending Thanksgiving holiday, we naturally asked them to draw a hand turkey, like the ones we made in grade school, on a piece of construction paper. The “feathers” on the turkey provided space for the four points of our lives as art makers We asked them to dress up their turkeys however they liked, beaks, tap shoes, etc. and to put their name and their artistic discipline/role in the center. For example, the center of Claire’s turkey read “Claire Baum, Dancer, Choreographer.”

Below is a condensed version of the topics we covered on our turkeys, complete with helpful tips and links to even more resources.

FEATHER 1: FINANCE

Finance can simply be broken down into earning and spending. Artists typically earn their income in three different ways: earning money from their art, having a flexible day/night job (i.e. babysitting, bartending, temping, etc), or by having what we’ve coined a “co-career,” meaning a job that is not exactly your art, but feeds your artistic practice (i.e. teaching artist, arts management, graphic design, etc.). When assessing how you are going to earn your living, here are a few key points to think about:

• Weigh your values with your needs. How much will you need to earn to not only meet your basic living expenses (rent, food, transportation, etc.), but to also address expenses linked to your values (eating out with friends, taking classes, seeing shows, etc).
• Earning money from your art is possible. Samples of this income might include: artist stipends, rehearsal pay and/or performer stipends. In addition, you may want to find a fiscal sponsor (like The Field) so that you can apply for grants, create crowdfunding campaigns, and write appeal letters asking others to help fund your creative work.

The flipside of earning is spending. Spending is easy for many people, but managing the spending is harder. Here are a some helpful tips:

• Create a spending diary to help manage your spending. Over the course of the month write down every item you spend money on. Label expenses “personal” or “professional.”  
• Use your spending diary to assess your spending habits so that you can adjust accordingly to meet your goals.
• Continue tracking your spending with a budgeting app like Mint or Budgt.
• If you have expenses that are falling in the “professional” column and you are producing your own work, open a new account to keep your art and personal expenses separate. Budgeting for your projects is similar to budgeting for your life.
• Click here for tips on project budgeting and a sample budget form.

FEATHER 2: RELATIONSHIPS

Building solid relationships is crucial for artists. Not only do relationships help you create balance and personal fulfillment, but your friends, family, and colleagues often become your first audience members and donors. Here are some tips on how to cultivate relationships:

• Make a list of who you want to work with/what organizations you want to work for or get involved with (i.e. volunteering at a benefit, ushering for a show, or doing workstudy in exchange for classes, etc.)

• If there is a person you want to get to know, or a position you want to know more about, we recommend asking that person for either an informational interview or just for cup of coffee. Be attentive, ready to listen, and able to about talk yourself in a clear succinct way (click here for more resources on how to talk about your work).
• Thank yous, updates,and reminders can also be a great way to stay on peoples’ radar. Sending a reminder the day before your meeting tells the person you are on top of your game and sending a simple thank you note or email after a meeting keeps you in that person's thoughts longer. And be sure to add personal notes to your follow-up correspondence (a handwritten note can go a long way these days).
• It is also really great to able to talk about something other than your field. It could be that you and the person you are having coffee with have more in common than just your art, and those connections go a long way both professionally and personally.
• Click here for some more tips on networking.

FEATHER 3: MARKETING

Being an artist means putting yourself in the public sphere and marketing yourself as well as the work you create. Creating a brand this way can be tricky. In the age of social media, we recommend being careful with what you broadcast on Facebook and other media. Here are some key ways to make your marketing materials work for you:

• Start by creating a website. A few very easy to use website builders are Wix, Wordpress, and Squarespace. Be sure to buy your domain name. We also recommend buying your own name as a domain name as well, even if you are not going to use it.
• Create a strong social media presence. If you don’t want your personal facebook and professional facebook getting mixed up, you can create a page for your art, or even create a whole separate account. If you start Twitter and Instagram accounts, be sure to stay active. Using a platform like Hootsuite can help you schedule all of your social media posts.
• Thinking of starting a blog? The key to keeping a blog is keeping it up. Create a schedule and stick to it (i.e. post once a month, once a week, etc.)
• Use a cost effective service like Vistaprint or find a local printer for business cards and postcards.
• Work samples are also incredibly important for grant or showcase applications and your web presence. Photo and video work can quickly and succinctly tell your viewer what your work is about. We recognize that producing this type of media can get expensive so we recommend using skill trading sites to help produce high quality work samples while keeping costs down (try Our Goods or The Artsy Yenta).
• Click here for even more marketing guidance.

FEATHER 4: ENRICHMENT and TRAINING

Building a balanced life between your artist self and personal self is what enrichment and training is about. What it really comes down to is an assessment of your values, and how these play out in each aspect of your personal and professional life. Some ways that you work towards balance may include:

• Continuing to take classes attend festivals, and workshops for your field. See shows, performances, and visit museums and galleries. Consider seeing work that is outside your field for inspiration.
• Take care of your body. It is your instrument. This care could include cross training, cycling, running, yoga, pilates or massage. And don’t forget about health insurance. We suggest looking at Healthcare.gov, Oscar insurance, and The Freelancers Union to get a plan or shop for a better one.
• If community engagement or spirituality is important to you, allow for time in your schedule to participate.

GOAL SETTING

Once our turkey feathers were filled in, we asked these brave artists to set a three-year goal and a one-to-three month goal for the feather they felt was most challenging. The participants collaborated in pairs to come up with 3 realistic action steps for each one of their goals. You can do this for each of the 4 points we have covered in this blog. If keeping your turkey with your action steps on your fridge is a good reminder for you, then do it! If you’re more technically minded, make a spreadsheet that you can look at and update to check in on your goals and action steps. Ask a friend or collaborator to help you create action steps for your goals. They may have ideas you never would have thought of and bringing them into your goal-setting process will keep you on task. And finally, remember to make this kind of dreaming and planning fun!

Thanks to all of the artists who participated in the workshop. And best of luck with those action steps.