The Artist Volunteer Center
ABOUT: The Artist Volunter Center (The AV Center) was founded on the principle that art is most powerful when inspired by or attempting to establish a dialogue around social justice issues. Designed to act as a conduit between artists, communities, and opportunities, the AV Center offered access to experts in the advocacy, nonprofit, and fine art fields, while redirecting funding streams to provide an alternative to the commercial gallery track. The AV Center also fulfilled the role of mentor and resource center, giving artists a framework for understanding and exploring social issues, as well as navigating the impact this may have on their artistic practice. All artist projects were collaborative endeavors from the beginning and are carefully designed to meet the needs of the community while challenging and expanding the skillsets and interests of the artists.
This was a nonprofit / artist project I developed and implemented from 2013 - 2017 to essentially help artists help people, and a way to connect those artists with opportunities to further their career with art made from their experience and around social change. I sought to decentralize the art world, and bring equity for all to experience the arts. Read this interview where I speak more about this as Social Choreography.
It was through this work that I realized the part of my job I was most concerned of and interested in was addressing the mental health of those I was serving. I put the Artist Volunteer Center to a close as I became a licensed mental health counselor. I am Co-Founder and Clinical Director at Shadowlight Center, an integrated mind-body-spirit psychotherapy practice devoted to holistic healing. www.shadowlightcenter.com
INCEPTION: On the evening of October 29th, 2012, the first floor of my Brooklyn studio building on the Red Hook Waterfront was swept with seven feet of water. My space on the second floor was untouched, but all of my friends and neighbors below were completely devastated— their artwork, equipment, and livelihood vanished. I was grateful for having not been directly affected, but traumatized by witnessing devastation all around me. As a way to find meaning in what was happening I sought to help others get their lives back on track. I began volunteering in the recovery effort and was quickly hired by NY Cares then later by the organization Respond & Rebuild to run Volunteer Coordination in The Rockaways. I helped source, coordinate and lead thousands of volunteers to clean homes free of mold and debris. I worked out in Rockaway for nine months and shortly thereafter founded the nonprofit The Artist Volunteer Center
Funding for the Artist Volunteer Center has graciously been provided by:
The New York City Cultural Agenda Fund
The Pollination Project
Arts From The Ashes
Danspace
Xaviera Simmons
As well as many private and anonymous donations