Island Arts Organization Growing in New Ways, Preparing for Major Cultural SeasonKEY WEST
One of Key West’s newest cultural organizations, The Studios of Key West, has announced the appointment of new staff in advance of its 2007/08 season. Joining executive Director Eric Holowacz, who began in May, are Elena Devers as Marketing and Projects Coordinator, Martha Barnes as Program Coordinator, and Lauren McAloon as Facilities Coordinator.
“This is an exciting time, with so many new partnerships and creative ideas coming to us from all levels of the community,” says Holowacz, who was formerly the arts officer for the capital city of Wellington, New Zealand. “We want to keep an open door, help others advance their cultural initiatives, invite locals and visitors to develop their artistic capabilities, and become a nexus of exchange and collaboration.”
Established formally as a non-profit organization in mid-2006, The Studios of Key West is based at the Historic Armory building at the corner of Southard and White Streets, and comprises a growing campus of creative facilities. Visitors can already discover a main hall filled with rotating exhibitions, new theatre, Nutcracker rehearsals, an upcoming film component, and over 50 lectures and workshops beginning in October. The campus also boasts 12 artist studios, a sculpture garden featuring local three-dimensional works, and residential cottages for visiting artists currently in development.
“In a very short time, we’ve come a long, long way towards solidifying our mission,” says Holowacz, “and our new team will be the main reason we succeed in these early years and benefit the local community always.”
Elena Devers is originally from Western Pennsylvania, but has been a presence in Key West for over 10 years. A well-known local actress, she joined The Studios of Key West as a part-time administrator in February 2007, and became the organization’s first Marketing and Project Coordinator in August. She earned a Master’s degree in Performance Studies from the University of London’s Queen Mary College, and continues to act in local productions at Red Barn Theatre and Waterfront Playhouse. Her most recent project for The Studios of Key West was the successful new theatre collaboration, One Night Stand.
“It is so exciting to watch as our board, staff, artists, and community come together to help establish a new cultural entity for Key West,” she says, “And we’re inviting everyone to participate in a coming season filled with new art, exciting collaborations, personal development opportunities, and the creative process.”
Martha Barnes, begins September 24 as Program Coordinator for The Studios of Key West. She earned her fine arts degree from Kutztown University, and has had a diverse career in arts management, project development, and cultural leadership. Cultural events coordinator at Albright College for over 13 years, she more recently served as director of the college’s Community Cultural Center in downtown Reading, PA. Her background in bridging artist and audience will be a wonderful asset in Key West.
“When I first turned the handle of the historic Armory doors, I entered into a world of possibilities,” she recalls about her first visit several months ago. “It was immediately apparent that The Studios of Key West was carefully nurturing a vision, and creating the heart of the art-making and art-appreciating community. I am delighted to have the chance to work with the island’s visual, literary and performing artists as they share their bevy of talent, and forge new partnerships and collaborations on the island.”
Rounding out the new team at The Studios of Key West, is Facilities Coordinator Lauren McAloon. Originally from New England, McAloon moved to Key West in 1990. Self-trained as a sculptor and mixed-media artist, she first began working as a part-time support person in late 2006, and started her new role in July. McAloon oversees the organization’s campus, equipment, set-up, venue rentals, and scheduling.
“These are all extraordinary people,” said Bob Muens, Chairman of the organization’s Board of Directors, “They will fuel our growth, dream up new partnerships, further our connections to the community, and find innovative ways to support and present the culture of Key West. We hope everyone will ”
The Studios of Key West staff keeps an open door, and welcomes new ideas, cultural projects, and creative possibilities. They can be reached at the The Studios of Key West offices in the Historic Armory, 600 White Street, or at 296-0458 or info@tskw.org.
01 September 2007
The Studios of Key West Jazzes Up Walk on White
The Studios of Key West is Growing, Planning, and Inviting Creative Ideas and New Partnerships from its base in the Historic Armory Building
The Studios of Key West has come a long way since establishing itself in June 2006 as the island's newest non-profit cultural organization. Thanks to strong board leadership, a new executive director and extremely dedicated staff, and generous grants and contributions, the past year has seen major growth. Following the redevelopment of the Historic Armory building, the opening of six subsidized artist studios on the second floor, the launch of a free humanities lecture series, and the completion of the first workshop season, the organization is now planning an ambitious slate of new projects, partnerships, and programming.
The public is invited to get a closer look at upcoming cultural activities during the next Walk on White gallery crawl. The doors open from 6 to 9pm on Thursday 16 August, and the evening will feature works by Barbara Vogel and Jim Racchi in the armory Sculpture Garden, delicious foods from Waterfront Market, and complimentary wine, and live music by Din Allen. Most of the twelve studios will be open, making the event a great way to meet the growing community of artists at The Studios of Key West.
"Our development is about creative people and energy," says board member John Martini, who is also a prominent Key West sculptor. "We have defined a mission of support for local artists and cultural development, installed a great professional team, and assembled a hard-working board of community leaders. We are all working for a positive impact on the culture and quality of life of Key West."
The Studios of Key West has been in development for several years, and became a tax-exempt charitable organization in June 2006. It is based on dynamic artist community models from around the world, but carries a distinct local mission. Its first year has seen the transformation of the Historic Armory building into a multi-use campus for diverse cultural programming and production. Activities thus far have included free humanities lectures, a season of creative courses taught by notable American artists, weekly life drawing sessions open to the general public, and the regular exhibition of new painting, sculpture, and mixed-media works.
In early August, six additional studio spaces were created, bringing the total number of dedicated artist spaces to twelve. Following a formal selection process, seven local creative people have joined the growing community. They include painter A.D. Tinkham, mixed-media artist and photographer Natasha Cole, painters Letty Nowak, Marc Caren, and Rebecca Bennett, writer Mark Hedden, and graphic designer Peter Downie.
“The coming season promises to bring all sorts of opportunities for the local community, including an expanded free lecture series, over 40 artist-led workshops, free weekend arts activities for Key West children, and the introduction of Key West’s first affordable art vending machine," explains new executive director Eric Holowacz, who took the helm in May. "I want The Studios of Key West to invite people to be creative in new ways, to not only discover our culture, but to actively produce it. And I want our young organization to forge mutual partnerships with other weavers of Key West’s creative fabric."
Holowacz, who relocated to Key West from Wellington, New Zealand in May, has already found inspiration in the work of island artists and organizations. There is so much going on, at every level of the community, that he likens the current state of the arts to a kind of renaissance. To further develop things, The Studios of Key West and partners Sculpture Key West and the Florida Keys Arts Council will begin holding regular after-work networking sessions for the island’s arts leaders and cultural organization directors. The first will be an informal gathering and information sharing opportunity from 4 to 6pm on Thursday 23 August. All local arts leaders are welcome to attend.
One Night Stand, a collaborative theatre project to be based at the Armory, takes over the campus on 10 and 11 August. The innovative idea will see four teams develop, rehearse, and present new short theatre works over the course of a single day. The public is invited to the One Night Stand reception and public presentations, which will also feature live music by Elilzabeth halbe, from 7pm on Saturday 11 August. Tickets will be available for $8 at the door.
The coming months will bring even more activity and excitement, with the first of many workshops and lectures beginning in October. Plans are also underway for the redevelopment of the tskw.org website, the publication and distribution of the official season catalogue, and the announcement of 2008 exhibitions, projects, and artist residencies.
"Any community, whether in a far corner of the South Pacific or the end of the American highway, will depend on the arts to express its culture. Creativity is an essential part of how we tell our story, how we interpret the world, and how we understand ourselves,” says Holowacz.
“That’s really the crux of our mission,” remarks Martini, “Our board and staff are dedicated to making new and exciting possibilities happen. And at the end of the day, we hope our island can call it a bit of a renaissance."
The Studios of Key West staff keeps an open door, and always welcomes new ideas, cultural projects, and creative possibilities. They can be reached at the The Studios of Key West offices in the Historic Armory, 600 White Street, or at 296-0458 or director@tskw.org.
The Studios of Key West has come a long way since establishing itself in June 2006 as the island's newest non-profit cultural organization. Thanks to strong board leadership, a new executive director and extremely dedicated staff, and generous grants and contributions, the past year has seen major growth. Following the redevelopment of the Historic Armory building, the opening of six subsidized artist studios on the second floor, the launch of a free humanities lecture series, and the completion of the first workshop season, the organization is now planning an ambitious slate of new projects, partnerships, and programming.
The public is invited to get a closer look at upcoming cultural activities during the next Walk on White gallery crawl. The doors open from 6 to 9pm on Thursday 16 August, and the evening will feature works by Barbara Vogel and Jim Racchi in the armory Sculpture Garden, delicious foods from Waterfront Market, and complimentary wine, and live music by Din Allen. Most of the twelve studios will be open, making the event a great way to meet the growing community of artists at The Studios of Key West.
"Our development is about creative people and energy," says board member John Martini, who is also a prominent Key West sculptor. "We have defined a mission of support for local artists and cultural development, installed a great professional team, and assembled a hard-working board of community leaders. We are all working for a positive impact on the culture and quality of life of Key West."
The Studios of Key West has been in development for several years, and became a tax-exempt charitable organization in June 2006. It is based on dynamic artist community models from around the world, but carries a distinct local mission. Its first year has seen the transformation of the Historic Armory building into a multi-use campus for diverse cultural programming and production. Activities thus far have included free humanities lectures, a season of creative courses taught by notable American artists, weekly life drawing sessions open to the general public, and the regular exhibition of new painting, sculpture, and mixed-media works.
In early August, six additional studio spaces were created, bringing the total number of dedicated artist spaces to twelve. Following a formal selection process, seven local creative people have joined the growing community. They include painter A.D. Tinkham, mixed-media artist and photographer Natasha Cole, painters Letty Nowak, Marc Caren, and Rebecca Bennett, writer Mark Hedden, and graphic designer Peter Downie.
“The coming season promises to bring all sorts of opportunities for the local community, including an expanded free lecture series, over 40 artist-led workshops, free weekend arts activities for Key West children, and the introduction of Key West’s first affordable art vending machine," explains new executive director Eric Holowacz, who took the helm in May. "I want The Studios of Key West to invite people to be creative in new ways, to not only discover our culture, but to actively produce it. And I want our young organization to forge mutual partnerships with other weavers of Key West’s creative fabric."
Holowacz, who relocated to Key West from Wellington, New Zealand in May, has already found inspiration in the work of island artists and organizations. There is so much going on, at every level of the community, that he likens the current state of the arts to a kind of renaissance. To further develop things, The Studios of Key West and partners Sculpture Key West and the Florida Keys Arts Council will begin holding regular after-work networking sessions for the island’s arts leaders and cultural organization directors. The first will be an informal gathering and information sharing opportunity from 4 to 6pm on Thursday 23 August. All local arts leaders are welcome to attend.
One Night Stand, a collaborative theatre project to be based at the Armory, takes over the campus on 10 and 11 August. The innovative idea will see four teams develop, rehearse, and present new short theatre works over the course of a single day. The public is invited to the One Night Stand reception and public presentations, which will also feature live music by Elilzabeth halbe, from 7pm on Saturday 11 August. Tickets will be available for $8 at the door.
The coming months will bring even more activity and excitement, with the first of many workshops and lectures beginning in October. Plans are also underway for the redevelopment of the tskw.org website, the publication and distribution of the official season catalogue, and the announcement of 2008 exhibitions, projects, and artist residencies.
"Any community, whether in a far corner of the South Pacific or the end of the American highway, will depend on the arts to express its culture. Creativity is an essential part of how we tell our story, how we interpret the world, and how we understand ourselves,” says Holowacz.
“That’s really the crux of our mission,” remarks Martini, “Our board and staff are dedicated to making new and exciting possibilities happen. And at the end of the day, we hope our island can call it a bit of a renaissance."
The Studios of Key West staff keeps an open door, and always welcomes new ideas, cultural projects, and creative possibilities. They can be reached at the The Studios of Key West offices in the Historic Armory, 600 White Street, or at 296-0458 or director@tskw.org.
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