This is the 107th in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF. PAA Announces Collection-Specific Interactive Maps The Public Art Archive™ (PAA) recently launched a new interactive mapping feature for public art collections. Collection Maps make engaging with public art easier than ever by giving visitors the ability to visualize public art collections on an interactive map, navigate to specific works of art, and discover artwork details. The feature replaces the need for development of costly websites and apps that drain time and resources on public art organizations. This latest addition to PAA’s suite of products and…
This is the 106th in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF. WESTAF Board of Trustees Meet in Denver Members of WESTAF’s board of trustees met October 23-24 in Denver. The meeting opened with a dinner at the historic Brown Palace Hotel that all WESTAF staff were invited to attend in order to build and deepen authentic relationships between trustees and staff. The meeting also included a gallery session, a “science fair”-style gathering designed to strengthen trustee and staff connections as we move ahead with our 10-year strategic plan. During the hour-long session, trustees visited six…
This is the 105th in a continuing series of updates about the work of WESTAF. 2019 Emerging Leaders of Color Program WESTAF’s ninth Emerging Leaders of Color (ELC) program will take place October 7-9 in Denver. WESTAF will host 15 ELC alumni for this year’s convening. Alumni participants include: Christy NaMee Eriksen (Alaska), Yvonne Montoya (Arizona), Abraham Flores (California), Laili Gohartaj (California), Mariana Moscoso (California), Alexandria Jimenez (Colorado), Julz Bolinayen Ignacio (Washington/Hawai‘i), Anastacio Del Real (Nevada), Michelle Patrick (Nevada), Sandra Margarita Ward (Nevada), Gabrielle Uballez (New Mexico), Candace Kita (Oregon), Humberto Marquez Mendez (Oregon), Renato Olmedo-González (Utah), and Moana…
Dear WESTAF Trustees: As we head into the Fall (OMG! Really?), we’ve been hard at work at WESTAF, with a variety of initiatives on the horizon and coming right up. Thank you for your continuing leadership and support as a WESTAF trustee! Here we go: NASAA LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE David Holland and I just returned from the NASAA Leadership Institute in Providence, RI. This was the smaller and more intimate conference presented by NASAA in alternate years. It was a useful opportunity to catch up in person with WESTAF EDs (at the conference were Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana,…
Dear Trustees: Really fun and productive few weeks, including a remarkable trip to the Black Rock playa of NW Nevada (more on this below) and great progress on a variety of important fronts! Read on . . . WESTAF AT WAA Chrissy and Seyan attended the Western Arts Alliance’s annual conference August 27-29 in Los Angeles. As a longtime partner in WESTAF’s regional touring program, it was a rich learning opportunity for Chrissy, who is gradually assuming responsibility of WESTAF’s TourWest program and key relationships with leaders in the touring and presenting field. (TourWest is our competitive grant program…
Dear Trustees: Just a brief bi-weekly follows (although still choc-a-bloc with helpful updates!): ALASKA In case you missed it — here’s a recap of the tumultuous week: We recently shared with you the disheartening news that Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy line-item vetoed a bipartisan budget package put forth by the Alaska legislature, which eliminated all FY20 funding for the Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA). We are now delighted to report that full funding for ASCA has been restored! As NASAA recently reported, after Governor Dunleavy’s line-item veto of 182 items, including all funds for ASCA, the…