Break it Down | Make it Better 2018
This year’s Break it Down | Make it Better was designed for you, by you. We heard your feedback and are putting together a day of captivating conversation about being an artist in 2018. From ‘Advocating for City Investment in the Arts’ to ‘Building an Arts Based Business,’ conversation topics were submitted by West Michigan artists, curators, art educators, venue coordinators and creative professionals.
TICKET PRICES:
* $20 Early Bird Day Pass : January 16 – January 31st, 2018
* $30 Day Pass : February 1st- 20th, 2018
* $45 Day of Pass : February 23rd, 2018
Get tickets here >> https://www.universe.com/events/break-it-down-make-it-better-2018-tickets-grand-rapids-2QTZ3M
INCLUDES:
* The Keynote Panel – The Civic Life of an Artist | The Creative Life of the City
* 27 Sessions – including Roundtable Discussions, Workshops and Panels – Schedule announced on February 1st.
* Light breakfast, and lunch from El Granjero – included in registration cost
KEYNOTE PANELISTS
* Patricia Villalobos Echeverría – Artist, Professor of Art at Western Michigan University
* Stacy Stout – Assistant to the City Manager of Grand Rapids
* Zach Meers – Artist, Blight Abatement Artist Residency Program Manager for the City of Detroit
* Sarah Gonzales Triplett – Chair of the East Lansing Arts Commission, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at Creative Many Michigan
* Josh Solas – Kendall College of Art and Design, Illustration and Graphic Design Student
This keynote panel will be moderated by Jeffrey Augustine Songco.
WORKSHOPS, PRESENTATIONS, ROUNDTABLE THEMES:
Advocating for City Investment in the Arts ● Utilizing City Budgets to Fund Public Art- A Detroit Perspective ● The Future of Art In Neighborhoods ● Neighborhood Based Arts Projects ● The Role of the Arts in Raising Civically Active Youth ● The Creative’s Role in Designing Cities & Neighborhoods ● Building Relationships between Artist Run Spaces & Arts Institutions ● Artists Opportunities within the City of Grand Rapids ● Applying for Public Artworks & Events in Grand Rapids ● Is your City Zoning Pro Artist? ● The Intersection of Social Justice, Advocacy and the Arts ● Arts Advocacy in Michigan ● Using Your Privilege to Advocate for Inclusion ● Tearing Down Sexual Harassment in the Arts ● Artist as Organizer ● Collaborating Across Cities ● Neighborhood Stabilization through the Arts ● Artspace Start-up: Art Sales & Alternative Incomes ● Curating with Diversity in Mind ● Get Connected: Michigan Arts Education Policy ● Designing for Inclusion ● Mapping Success: Personal and City Tactics for Growing Arts Careers. ● Performance, Presence and Empathy in Activist Art ● Building an Arts Based Business ● Writing about Art/Criticism ● Telling your Story to Build an Audience ● Demystifying State Funding for the Arts ● Art as Resistance ● Featuring the Arts in Community Building Events
FACILITATORS INCLUDE INDEPENDENT ARTISTS + REPS FROM:
City of Grand Rapids ● City of Detroit ● Creative Many ● Grand Valley State University ● Western Michigan University ● Grand Rapids Youth Council ● City of Detroit ● Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University ● Commonplace ● Creative Many ● Artist Creating Together ● Burly Mermaid ● Dwelling Place ● Michigan Council of Art and Cultural Affairs ● Lions & Rabbits ● Urban Institute for Contemporary Art ● DisArt ● Little Space Studio ● Knit IT! ● The Oddest ● The Moon
ABOUT BREAK IT DOWN. MAKE IT BETTER
Break it Down | Make it Better is a series of events aimed at producing educational programming, discussions and professional development opportunities for artists, curators and venue coordinators in the West Michigan community and region. These programs are presented through an ongoing partnership with Dwelling Place / Avenue for the Arts, Creative Many Michigan, and ArtPrize.