conference guide and schedule

march 62010

made possible by:

major media sponsor:

Welcome to NYC: State Of The Art, an unprecedented conference taking an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach to addressing the challenges facing visual artists in New York City. Your participation will help ensure the future of New York City as a global art capital where artists can live, work, show, and sell. Ask questions. Propose solutions. pARTicipate! Together, we can enhance New York city’s visual arts culture. Enjoy the conference! James & Jennifer Wallace, co-founders, NYC: State Of The Art

welcome

Keynote Speaker

scheduleOpening Remarks / KeynoteMorning Featured Panel

Solution Session A: What more can be done to enable artists to live & work in NYC?

9:00 am10:00 am

Background, Issues, & Challenges

Solutions & the Future of NY Art

Solution Session B: How can resources for artists be more clearly & easily accessible?

Solution Session C: What art industry in-centives can be offered to NYC artists?

Solution Session D: What more can be done to facilitate NYC artists selling art?

Lunch Break

Afternoon Featured Panel

Next Steps

2:30 pm

3:30 pm

4:30 pm

5:30 pm

6:30 pm

1:30 pm

12:30 pm

11:30 am

Concluding Cocktail MixerThe Gates, 290 Eighth Avenue at 25th Street

Jimmy Van BramerNew York City Council Member, District 26Chair, Cultural Committee

A life-long resident of western Queens, Jimmy Van Bramer was elected to the New York City Council on November 3, 2009, representing District 26. Council Member Van Bramer chairs the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries & International In-

tergroup Relations. From 1999 to 2009, he served as the Chief External Affairs Officer of the Queens Public Library. Jimmy currently lives in Sunnyside Gardens with Dan Hendrick, his partner of eleven years.

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Major media sponsor: Made possible in part by:

New York’s finest emerging artistsn a s c e n t a r t n y . c o m

Featured Panel: Background, Issues, & ChallengesJeremy AdamsExecutive Director, CUE Art Foundation

Theodore S. BergerTrustee, Joan Mitchell Foundation

Norma MunnChair, New York Arts Coalition

Adams started with CUE in January 2003, prior to its public opening. Previously, he was the VP & Director of Operations of Art4love, a company that leased the work of emerging artists to companies. At Pamela Auchincloss Arts Management Services, he organized traveling exhibitions throughout

Berger “retired” in December 2005, after over 30 years as the executive director of the New York Foundation for the Arts, one of America’s largest arts-oriented grant makers and service providers.

He serves on numerous boards, and now works as the project director for the Urban Artist Initiative/NYC, a new initia-tive committed to grants for the city’s artists of color; and as the executive director for New York Creates, an initiative to create more opportunities for New York’s craft artists and artisans. A former assistant dean for the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University, he writes and speaks extensively on the arts, artists, and cultural policy.

the US. He also managed the Pamela Auchincloss Gallery, a New York City contemporary art exhibition space. Adams received a BA with honors from Winchester School of Art and a MFA in painting from the Pratt Institute.

An award-winning arts leader, Munn has advocated for artists and the cultural community for over three decades, and is the chair of the New York City Arts Coalition, a citywide arts advocacy group she co-founded 24 years ago. She also founded, and serves on the board of, the Artists Community

Federal Credit Union, which merged with the Education Affiliates FCU and continues to serve artists and arts groups. Munn studied engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and philosophy at the University of Florida.

Gavin SewellArtist

Born in Waterville, Maine in 1980, Sewell has made his living as an artist for over six years. After starting to sell work in Chicago (at first door-to-door out of a shopping cart), he moved back to New York in 2001, studying at the Art Students League for two years, on and off. Losses in vision due to

a lifelong battle with glaucoma compelled him into the mixed media work he does today. Sewell lives and works in Bushwick.

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James Wallace, moderatorCo-founder, NYC State Of The Art See profile, back cover.

Manon Slome, PhDFounder & CuratorNo Longer Empty

Zannah MassCultural Affairs Director Two Trees

At Two Trees, the real estate devel-opment firm widely credited with

facilitating the rise of Dumbo’s visual arts scene, Mass manages Two Trees’ philanthropy, liaises with grantees, and leads numerous cultural initiatives. Her efforts have produced a monthly gallery walk, pub-lic art and festivals, marketing of Dumbo’s cultural events, new fine art galleries in Dumbo, and a formal photo district. Mass has 15 years of experience with non-profits, focusing on benefactor activity for the last several years. Mass also led The PlayGround The-atre in Miami as its executive director. She received her public administration master’s degree from NYU.

An independent New York City curator, Slome served as the chief curator of the Chelsea Art Museum, where she over-saw a program of some forty exhibitions, symposia, and publications. Slome has closely followed and researched the Israeli art scene since her involvement in a 2005 CAM exhibition, Such Stuff as Dreams are Made on. Prior to CAM, Slome worked as a curator at the Guggenheim Museum and a fellow at the Whitney. She has published widely on art and recently completed her book, The Aesthetics of Terror.

Savona Bailey-McClainExecutive DirectorWest Harlem Art Fund

Bailey-McClain is a New York-based curator and arts advocate. McClain founded the non-profit West Harlem Art Fund eleven years ago as a public art organi-zation serving neighborhoods throughout the city. As its executive director, she has bolstered Harlem’s infrastruc-ture to enhance tourism as well as improve its open, public spaces, highlighting the arts’ financial and social benefits to local communities. An innovator, she developed the Hal-lelujah Public Art Fest and Harlem’s first cell phone art tour, and will next present live, public installations and tours.

David Businelli, R.A., AIAPresident-electAmerican Institute ofArchitects (NY State)

Businelli is founder of Studio 16 Architecture located in Staten Island. He has been in private practice since 1996. His work has been published internationally, and he has received numerous awards, including rec-ognition from the AIA and the Chamber of Commerce of the Province of Pordenone, Italy. Businelli is a past president of AIA Staten Island and the co-founder of the AIA Staten Island Design Awards.

Solution Session A: What more can be done to enable artists to live & work in NYC?

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Jason BowmanDirector, Fountain Gallery

Moderator

As director of the Fountain Gallery since 2003, Bowman has advanced its mission of providing a sup-portive environment for artists living and working with mental illness. With Bowman, the Fountain Gallery has expanded to represent over 40 artists, becoming the city’s premier venue of its kind. He has produced over 30 exhibitions, working with the MoMA, the Whitney Museum of American Art, American Folk Art Museum, Citigroup, and Estée Lauder. Bowman is completing a master’s program in public policy at Columbia University.

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Heng-Gil HanChief CuratorJamaica Center for Arts & Learning

Han has overseen and curated numerous exhibitions ex-ploring issues of identity, gender, and cultural politics. He has delivered numerous scholarly arts papers, both locally and internationally. He is also the project founder and director of “Jamaica Flux: Workspaces and Windows,” a large-scale, perennial, site-specific public art exhibi-tion examining various paradigms of contemporary art practices. (Photo: Courtesy of Jose Ruiz)

Janet HicksDirector of PermissionsArtists Rights Society

Liz DimmittCuratorGawker Arts

A culture enthusiast and finance geek, Dimmitt advocates for mutually beneficial relationships between the arts and business. Curator of Gawker Art-ists since 2006, she has worked with many city groups from 3rd Ward and Clementine Gallery, to the JP Morgan Chase Bank Art Program. She is also a cofounder of Gum-shoe, a company that produces events catering to art enthusiasts and emerging collectors. A native Floridian, she holds a finance BA from Georgetown and a visual arts administration master’s degree from NYU.

Peter DrakeDeanNew York Academy of Art

Solution Session B:How can resources for artists be more clearly & easily accessible?

Located in Tribeca, the NYAA is a fully accredited, graduate fine arts program focusing on pro-gressive figurative art. Before becoming NYAA Dean this year, Drake taught at Parsons The New School for Design for 20 years, where he started the Professional Practices program with support from the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation. A working artist who has shown consis-tently for 30 years, his works are held in many private and public collections. He was also an artist/curator at the Drawing Center, and wrote for FlashArt.

Hicks joined Artists Rights Society in 1998, and became the general manager

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Colleen AsperCo-founder, Ad Hoc Vox Moderator

Asper is the co-founder of Ad Hoc Vox, a roving series of art-related events. Non-profits and museums across NY and LA have hosted Ad Hoc Vox with panelists like critic Robert Storr and poet and cultural

critic Wayne Koestenbaum. Also an artist and writer, Asper shows work globally and has been reviewed by The New York Times and The New Yorker. Asper regularly contributes to publications like Art in America, The Brooklyn Rail, and Artcriti-cal. She has exhibitions upcoming in India and APF Lab here in the city.

and director of permissions in 2002. A private company, ARS represents the intellectual property rights and es-tates of over 50,000 visual artists around the world and actively lobbies for stronger and more effective artists’ rights laws. Hicks has spoken on copyright at numer-ous events, including panels at AIGA (the professional association for design) and the International Sculpture Center Conference. She received her master’s degree in art history from the University of Oregon.

Solution Session C:What art industry incentives can be offered to help NYC artists?

Marisa SagePresidentWilliamsburg Gallery Association

Keats MyerExecutive DirectorChildren’s Museum of the Arts

Sharon LoudenArtist

Liz KochArts & Cultural SpecialistOffice of the Brooklyn Borough President

Louden, a professional New York City artist, has taught at numerous universities and professional ven-ues for 20 years. Having taught numerous studio classes, she currently teaches the Theory, Practice, and Career course at Parsons. Active on three boards, she mentors artists nationwide. Louden graduated with a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a MFA from Yale. The Whitney Museum of American Art, the National Gallery of Art, and others hold Louden’s work, which has also been featured in The New York Times and Art in America.

Keats joined the CMA in 2004, and Sage is a gallery owner, curator, educa-

Department of Cultural Affairs Office of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer

Today’s honorary guests:

has worked for a broad range of non-profit institu-tions. Keats joined the Armory Foundation where she raised funds and oversaw the design and construction of The National Track & Field Hall of Fame Museum. Keats received her master’s degree in public admin-istration from NYU, and her BS in economics from the University of New Hampshire. Keats is the proud mother of three.

tor, and general arts advocate. As president of the WGA, she leads initiatives for member galleries in the vibrant arts community of Williamsburg. As founding owner and director of Like the Spice Gallery in Williamsburg, she of-fers artwork that carries both meaning and beauty. She re-ceived her master’s degree in digital arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. A professor and artist, Sage has taught at Goucher College, Corcoran College of Art+Design, and The Art Institute of Washington.

Koch, the arts and culture specialist to Brooklyn Bor-ough President Marty Markowitz, helps guide arts policy decisions for Brooklyn. She also represents the borough president on numerous boards including the Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Weeksville Society, and the recently established Brooklyn Ballet. She provides guidance to arts organizations, connects groups with shared concerns, and advocates for increased fund-ing, support, and recognition for the arts in Brooklyn. She is the co-organizer of the Brooklyn Book Festival.

Office of Brooklyn Borough President Marty MarkowitzOffice of New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn

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Media sponsors:

The Standard Hotel

Made possible in part by:

James Wallace, moderatorCo-founder, NYC State Of The Art

See profile, back cover.

Heather HubbsDirectorNew Art Dealers Alliance

Cary LeibowitzDirector of Contemporary EditionsPhillips de Pury

Dianne SmithArtist

Solution Session D:What more can be done to facilitate NYC artists selling art?

Jason BowmanDirector, Fountain Gallery

Peter Drake, moderatorDean, New York Academy of Art

A Bronx native of Belizean descent, Smith’s artwork has been exhibited with

Before Phillips de Pury, Leibowitz served as a VP of Christie’s print department. An expert in contemporary printmaking, he now focuses his efforts on Pop Art and contemporary works. A passionate collector, Leibowitz‘s collection, creations, and expertise have been cited in

Hubbs has led NADA, a member-based, non-profit arts organization, since 2004. During her tenure, she has successfully produced the NADA Art Fair Miami, and re-conceptualized the 2009 edition. As Associate Director of Art Chicago from 2000-04, she instituted the International Invitational and The Stray Show, creating opportunities for emerging galleries and the artists they represent. New York magazine recently noted Hubbs and NADA as among the top 100 “Influen-tials” in the city.

noted artists Frank Bowling, Chakai Booker, and Howar-dena Pindell. In 1995, she presented artwork to Dr. Maya Angelou and George Faison, and Smith’s works are in the private collections of notables including Danny Sim-mons, Cicely Tyson, Terry McMillan, Rev. Calvin O. Butts, III, and Vivica A. Fox. She attended the High School of Music and Art, Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of De-sign (now the Otis College of Art and Design) in LA, and the Fashion Institute of Technology.

“Art is long, life short, judgment difficult, and opportunitytransient.” • Goethe

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Art + Auction, Art on Paper, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, and many others. He speaks regularly about collecting and contemporary editions for museums and galleries. Alexander Gray Gallery represents his artwork here in New York. He is younger than Madonna.

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Special thanks:

See profilepage 3.

See profile page 4.

Jonathan BowlesDirectorCenter for an Urban Future

Wesley MillerCuratorArt21

Will Maitland WeissExecutive DirectorArt & Business Council of New York

Afternoon Featured Panel: Solutions And The Future of NYC ArtSusan BallDirector of ProgramsNew York Foundation for the Arts

After serving on the board of NYFA for 13 years, Ball joined the staff as interim director of programs in 2009. The former executive director of the College Art Association, she led the 14,000-member group for 20 years. She oversaw the CAA’s Professional Development Fellowship Program and Job Placement Bureau. She also led production of the history of the CAA as director of its Centennial Book Project. Rutgers University Press will publish the book in 2010.

Bowles became director of CUF in 2005 after serving as its research director for

seven years. During his tenure, he has written extensive-ly about New York City’s key economic trends, the value of small businesses to cities, and the economic chal-lenges facing every day people. His research has been covered by The Economist, The Washington Post, and others. Prior to CUF, he worked as research director for a New York State senator and spent time as a freelance journalist. He lives in Queens with his wife and son.

Since 1999, Miller has had a guiding hand in Art21’s Peabody Award-win-

ning television series, “Art in the Twenty-First Century,” as well as the online video series. He holds a BA in phi-losophy and art from Sarah Lawrence College, a MFA in sculpture from Yale University, and attended the Skow-hegan School of Painting and the Sculpture and the Pil-chuck Glass School. Before joining Art21, Miller worked at the Contemporary Arts Museum in Houston and with a private gallery. Miller has widely served as a guest lec-turer, critic, and panelist at the MoMA, The Art Institute of Chicago, Yale, Brooklyn Museum of Art, and others.

Weiss joined the ABC of NY from the Center for Creative Resources, a non-profit that provides management, marketing, and development services for arts organizations, where he continues to serve on the board. He served for five years as vice president of devel-opment and communications for the New York City Cen-ter. Prior to that, he spent 10 years in fundraising at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. After receiving his MFA from Brandeis University, Weiss spent several years in theater production. He has lectured extensively on arts administration.

A final note:Thank you for being a part of NYC:SOTA. Thanks to the artists, panelists, volunteers, and venue staff, who all devoted their time and expertise. Special thanks go to Justinne, Kelly, Diane, Nikoll, Shaeffer, Alfonso, Melvin, Glenn, Marisa, Natalie, Anne, Sara, and Sarah. Thanks also to the partner groups, to those who sponsored artist tickets, and to our supportive friends and family, without whom dreams would remain unrealized.

James & Jen

James & Jen WallaceCo-foundersNYC:State Of The ArtJen is a curator, art director, and busi-ness owner. As co-founder of nAscent Art New York, she helps artists with

sales and licensing, advises companies and individuals on acquisition, and helps charities raise funds. She has produced dozens of exhibitions and events viewed by over 100,000 New Yorkers, serving as guest curator at venues as varied as the Fountain Gallery and the Chelsea Market. She attend NYC College of Technology and the Pratt Institute. James is a published author and former Air Force pilot who took his BS (literally) at the US Air Force Academy, his JD at Georgetown, and his MBA at

Golden Gate University. While garnering an array of indi-vidual and corporate clients for nAscent Art, James and Jen learned some of the issues facing artists, and NYC:SOTA was born. NYC:SOTA is a not-for-profit conference and spon-sored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization that assists emerging artists and non-profits.