Artists’ Day of Connection: Fostering Collaboration & Partnerships
Artists’ Day of Connection: Fostering Collaboration & Partnerships, June 1, 2024
Join the ArtsHub of Western Massachusetts for this special event dedicated to connecting artists and creatives from any discipline. Artists' Day of Connection: Fostering Collaboration & Partnerships is designed to inspire, challenge, and foster greater collaboration among our vibrant artistic communities. Artists' Day of Connection on June 1 from 10 am to 2:30 pm at Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity will include a panel discussion, presentations by artists and New England Foundation of the Arts staff, and networking focused on:
● Collaboration Across Communities and Its Benefits. Discover how joining forces can amplify your impact, broaden your audience, and enrich your creative expression.
● Effective Partnership Strategies. Where do you start when you want to collaborate? Hear from other artists’ experiences and share your ideas.
● Realigning for Success After Encountering Cultural Obstacles. Gain insights on navigating cultural challenges and reshaping your approach to succeed in a diverse artistic landscape.
● Resource and Need Identification When Collaborating. Master the art of identifying what you need and what you can offer in collaborative projects to maximize mutual satisfaction and success.
Artists' Day of Connection is supported in part by Northampton ARPA, South Hadley Local Cultural Council, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Community Foundation of Western MA, City Spark, and Odenong Powwow. Artists and creatives in Northampton, Florence, Leeds, and South Hadley will be given priority for registration and are asked to register by May 18, 2024.
One of the biggest concerns heard from artists is that there are few opportunities to meet other artists and to lay the foundation for working together. Whether you’re an
artist, a curator, an arts administrator, or a student, Artists’ Day of Connection welcomes you to register. Be prepared to network, share ideas, and build lasting connections that might transform your creative journey. Panelists include:
● Justin Beatty - Justin is an artist, cultural educator, lecturer, and performer living in Hadley, MA. In his work for the ArtsHub, he has previously served as a community liaison and currently acts as the DEI Consultant and member of the steering committee. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Amherst Media and the Social Distance Powwow and a former member of the Board of Trustees for Connecticut River Conservancy. In 2021, Justin founded the Odenong Powwow, a Native American cultural festival held annually in Amherst, MA.
● Nayana Lafond - Nayana is a full-time artist and artivist (Art-Activist) working with a variety of media including painting, photography, and sculpture. Her work can be seen in museums and private collections around the world. Nayana has been curating for over 15 years as Chief Curator for The Whitney Center for the Arts and Liberal Arts Gallery. Nayana is on the board of directors for Artist Organized Art, Be The Change, and several councils for Indigenous Arts in Massachusetts.
● Felicia Lundquist - Felicia is the Training Manager for Think Again Consulting and the co-chair of the Community Engagement Committee of the Board of Directors for the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce. She is the former Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Springfield College, where she served a culturally diverse group of students within the campus community by promoting and creating innovative programs and events.
● Iohann Rashi Vega - Iohann is the current Director of Media Engagement at Holyoke Media. He is the former Director of NEPM Media Lab. He has facilitated and coordinated educator training sessions, youth media trainings and workshops, convened community partners, and hosted community events that promote national NPR and PBS/PBS Kids, as well as locally produced content throughout western New England.
● Dee Boyle-Clapp - Dee is the Director of the Arts Extension Service at UMass Amherst. Dee teaches and oversees courses, certificates, and degree programs in Arts Management online and on campus, leads training programs in artist-business and public art, works at the intersection of art and sustainability,
and lectures on the arts and the role of cities, sustainability and resiliency, and the creative economy.
Registration for Artists’ Day of Connection is $16. Registration can be made https://bombyx.live/events/artshub-adayofconnectingartists/
The ArtsHub was made possible by an initial grant from the Massachusetts Office of Business Development and additional support from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. For further information https://www.umass.edu/aes/artshub.
