ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

ROUNDTABLE DESCRIPTIONS AND THEIR PRESENTERS
Please Note:

• On the Agenda-at-a-Glance Schedule, Workshop and Roundtable titles may be changed for brevity and/or clarity as to what the discussions will cover.
• All Workshops and Roundtable discussions are 1-hour long (unless noted).
• All Workshops and Roundtable discussions are free to Conference speakers and registrants.
• Unless noted there is no participation limit, aside from the limit of the size of the room.
• All room locations, unless noted otherwise, are located inside the Foundry.
• Limited Participation Workshops are noted. These require advance registration and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

DAY 1, FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2025

FRIDAY, MORNING SESSION, 10:15 AM – 11:15 AM

DARE TO CARE
LOCATION: The Point
Moderator: Courtney Bethel, Admissions Director, MacDowell
Residency programs are designed to provide time and space for artists to work on creative projects outside of the day-to-day distractions they contend with at home. But arriving at a residency for the first time without the usual support systems of friends, family, and pets can be unnerving. While not all residency programs use the same model, the questions about providing the ideal environment are the same. This roundtable will ask how we can ensure artists feel welcome and secure. How do artists feel a sense of belonging in this new environment – for example, what if the residency program is in a rural environment without cell service, internet, and paved roads? Among other questions. This conversation among residency leaders is a way to share how best to care for our artists and provide them with a warm and supportive residency experience.

BRIDGING REALITIES: UNVEILING CULTURAL MEMORIES
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Moderator: Farrukh Addnan, Visual Artist, Pakistan
Investigating the ancient and vanishing archaeological site of Tulamba through art, I bridge reality and imagination, unraveling its historical events and mythological stories to connect with a broader cultural context. Through this roundtable, I aim to engage with fellow artists, scholars, and enthusiasts who share a passion for exploring cultural memories through various artistic lenses. Together, we can contribute to the collective effort of preserving and celebrating the rich tapestry of our shared heritage.

APPROACHING CHANGE
LOCATION: Dance Studio
Moderator: Tina Lorenz, Head, ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medien Karlsruhe’s Artistic Research department, the Hertzlab, Germany
This round table will focus on leadership transitions. What happens when a program’s leadership changes, as it has at ZKM | Zentrum für Kunst und Medien Karlsruhe? Long known for supporting artists working in media art, algorithmic music, acoustics, archival science, media art history, and more, under the new artistic director Alistair Hudson, the ZKM is expanding its idea of residencies to accommodate its new philosophy of Arte Util – useful art. What are the difficulties organizations face in these crucial periods? What opportunities arise? 

FRIDAY, EARLY AFTERNOON SESSION, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION: FRATERNAL VISUALS
LOCATION: Dance Studio
Antoine Abi Aad, Associate Professor at Zayed University, Dubai, Educator and Researcher, Lebanon
The natural relationship between the Arab world, Arabic language, and Islam is well known worldwide. In Islam, praying in Arabic is fundamental. However, what may come as a surprise to many outside the Arab world is that millions of Christians pray in Arabic, with varying numbers found throughout Arab countries. Despite the differences between the two faiths, the prayers of Muslims and Christians share several similarities.  Fraternal Visuals is a calligraphic transcription of Arabic prayers from Islam and Christianity, which share similar meanings and sounds. By bringing together these prayers in one piece, Fraternal Visuals emphasizes the commonalities between the two religions, highlighting their shared roots, values, and traditions.

FRIDAY, MID-AFTERNOON SESSION, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

DISPLACEMENT AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLABORATION
LOCATION: Design Lab
Moderator: Toña Vegas, Artist and artist-in-residence, Bakehouse Art Complex
This roundtable will discuss how collaboration among displaced artists not only fosters resilience but also leads to richer, more diverse artistic expressions that can inspire and heal both the creators and their audiences.

SOLUTIONS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CUL-DE-SACS FROM THE INDIGENOUS P’URHEPECHA PEOPLE OF WESTERN MEXICO
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Moderator: Cardiela Amezcua Luna, Dancer, Choreographer, Director, Performing Arts Producer, Promoter, Cultural Manager, and Environmental Educator, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
For this roundtable, in keeping with the indigenous tradition of the P’urhépecha community, participants will gather in a circle. People with the most knowledge speak first; then the elders; then those wishing to contribute, or those with questions. The roundtable will be led by Cardiela Amezcua Luna. Two additional members of the P’urhépecha community will be invited to support Amezcua’s presentation. Additionally, Amezcua Luna will explain the history of the P’urhepecha people, the development of the Patzingo Ecotourism Center, and its evolution into an international artist residency.
This roundtable is generously made possible by Crossing Bridges LLC NY/Puentes y Redes A.C. Mexico.

FRIDAY, LATE AFTERNOON SESSION, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS MEXICAN | US BORDERS
LOCATION: The Point
Moderator: Cristina Vázquez, Founder and Director of Contenidos Artisticos INC, Mexico
This round table will begin with a presentation of Contenidos Artísticos, an effort to
establish cross-border artistic residencies where artists from Mexico and the US can
cooperate and create together, fostering cultural exchange and mutual inspiration.
Participants will be encouraged to speak about their own similar efforts and/or ways to
support one another in strengthening ties between the two countries’ artistic
communities.

WHAT ARTISTS ARE DOING IN THE ARCTIC
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Moderator: Ada Pilar Cruz, Museum Educator at MoMA with MFA in sculpture and printmaking, New York
Art as a tool for reflection when considering the fragile beauty of the Arctic and the importance of preserving its pristine wilderness, brings artists to the region. The severity of the crisis calls for creative people to become actively involved in advancing information to others. AIR programs open new perspectives and give access and understanding to other societies, new topographies, temperate zones, and a fast-changing nature. The discussion will begin with a presentation of two AIRs: one in Iceland, the other in Norway. The extraordinary topography of arctic regions and examples of the kind of work artists are doing there will be shared through photography and commentary. Following the presentation, others who have been to this region will be invited to share their experiences. There are AIRs in Iceland, Norway, Greenland, Alaska, Sweden… (A listing of these will be included in a handout).

CHANGING PLACES | CREATING EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITIES
LOCATION: Design Studio
Moderator: Meliha Teparic, Artist, Professor and Curator, International University of Sarajevo’s Gallery, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Artist and curator Meliha Teparic of the International University of Sarajevo’s gallery will present the university’s exchange exhibition program (first established by the Bosnian art historian and curator of the National Gallery of Bosnia & Herzegovina) and lead a discussion of possibilities for exchange exhibitions between and amongst the roundtable participants.

DAY 2, SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2025

SATURDAY, EARLY MORNING SESSION 10:00 AM – 11: 00 AM

SELF-CARE AND AVOIDING BURN-OUT (WORKING TITLE)
LOCATION: The Point
Moderator: Bojana Panevska, TransArtists
More information forthcoming.

SATURDAY, EARLY AFTERNOON SESSION 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

2ND GENERATION PERSPECTIVES ON ARTISTHOOD
LOCATION: The Point
Moderator: Kai Latvalehto, Director of 2nd Generation Cultural Embassy, Finland
Artists and cultural workers who have a second-generation migrant background (i.e. their parental roots are in a different country than the country they have grown up in) are hugely over-represented across the globe. For some this may be the single most contributing factor to becoming an artist. How have the artists/cultural workers tackled and utilized their background?
What are the roles of the majority societies and minority identities?

SATURDAY, MID-AFTERNOON SESSION, 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM

ARTISTS ARE THE NEW INSTITUTIONS
LOCATION: The Point
Moderator: Franklin Einspruch, Multimedia Visual Artist, Dissident Museum, New Hampshire
With the number of working artists greater than at any point in history, with the institutions increasingly captured by a relative handful of galleries and ideological and artistic premises, and with digital tools for publication and exhibition rapidly gaining power, artists are increasingly taking curatorial and editorial matters into their own hands and starting their own initiatives. Franklin Einspruch, proprietor of Dissident Muse and the Dissident Museum, will lead a conversation around such efforts and how they promise to alter the balance of power in the visual arts.

EXPLORING GLOBAL ARTISTIC CONNECTIONS
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Moderator: Janet Goldner, Interdisciplinary Artist, New York
In 1995, Janet Goldner embarked on a transformative journey to Mali when she was awarded a Fulbright Senior Research Fellowship. Her ongoing engagement with Mali, spanning projects, research, inspiration, and friendships, epitomizes the profound impact of transcultural immersion in shaping artistic practice and fostering global connections. Building on Goldner’s experiences, this roundtable discussion offers a platform to delve into the rich tapestry of cross-cultural artistic endeavors. From Mali to other corners of the world, artists who have ventured or would like to venture beyond geographic boundaries, forging deep connections with diverse communities and inspiring collaborative ventures, will share their journeys. Our gathering seeks to illuminate the transformative power of transcultural engagement as artists. By sharing experiences, insights, and challenges, participants will uncover the universal threads that unite us while celebrating the distinct cultural nuances that enrich our creative endeavors. Join us as we embrace the dynamic fusion of art, culture, and global connectivity.

ROUNDTABLE: FOOD, ART. SCIENCE: INTERSECTIONS
LOCATION: Food Lab
Moderator: Braden Kuo, Director for the Center for Neurointestinal Health at the GI Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
This roundtable will introduce Braden Kuo’s art project examining the impact of processed food versus natural foods upon digestion within the GI tract using medical technology, which will act as a springboard for questions and for others to discuss their work with food, art and science. This presentation is limited to 10 participants. Sign-up here.

SATURDAY, LATE AFTERNOON SESSION, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

THE ROLE OF ART/BODY ORNAMENTATION IN HEALING
LOCATION: The Point
Moderator: Larisa Waya, Artist; Chaplain, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Field Education Supervisor, Harvard Divinity School; Founder, Founder Clergy Couture
This round table invites artists and others to discuss ideas of body ornamentation and fashion as a means of healing, acceptance, and reconciliation and of body ornamentation’s social and spiritual impact. Also to be discussed will be the social and spiritual impact of fashion and textile arts.

DAY 3, SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2025

EARLY MORNING SESSION, 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM

EXTENDING EXCHANGE
Moderator: Farrah Karapetian, Artist and Public Thinker, US
What happens after an international artist residency or other opportunity for transcultural exchange is as important as what happens on it. Given the network they have built, how do former residents take up the mantle of person-to-person diplomacy? Whether continuing to work with their original host organization or not, how do they continue to foster exchange in their communities, enlarging the network to which they were introduced once home? This roundtable invites participation from those interested in extending the exchange that begins abroad and sharing genuine, ethical, relational models for how not to drop in and drop out of the lives of people whose cultural circumstances and identities are different from our own. What is the role of photography, reportage, and funding in creating or dispelling insider/outsider dynamics? What are our strategies for documentation and dissemination of information and the networks that result from them when the safety of participants is of concern? How does the work of an artist residency continue once it’s over, not only in terms of production but relationships?

HELPING THOSE WITH SENSORY CHALLENGES
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Moderator: Andrée-Anne Blacutt, Artist and researcher (processes of sensory perception), University of Laval, Québec City
After a brief introduction about an international collaboration on an artistic project for people with hearing disabilities, participants will share and discuss their projects or ideas to help people with disabilities flourish in a sometimes hostile environment. Together we can make the world better for all.

TBA
LOCATION: Design Lab
More information forthcoming.

SUNDAY, LATE MORNING SESSION, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

CREATING ART ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF CONSUMERISM FROM A CUBAN PERSPECTIVE
LOCATION: The Point
Moderator: Janette Brossard Duharte, Cuban Artist, and President of UNEAC
This discussion will present the process of researching and creating an extensive art project, “The World as a Supermarket,” on the impacts of consumerism on the natural world. Researching and creating this project was also affected by being created in Cuba. Roundtable participants are invited to share their experiences and challenges of making art about climate change and whether these subjects are supported by their respective countries and how they engage with their audiences.

SUNDAY, AFTERNOON SESSION 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

ART AND HEALING, VISIBLE MENDING
LOCATION: The Point
Moderator: Faustin Adeniran, Artist and Participant, Visible Mending Exhibition at the Ely Center of Contemporary Art, New Haven, 2024
This round table discussion will consider how community-building programs and exhibitions can connect with people in healing professions through craft-making.

BANANA BREAD DIPLOMACY
LOCATION: Design Lab
Moderator: Kathleen Bitetti, Artist, Curator/Arts Administrator, Public Policy /Advocacy Expert
A roundtable discussion on how to advocate and support a socially engaged art practice.

TBA
LOCATION: Dance