WORKSHOPS

WORKSHOPS AND TALKS’ 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

PAPER BOATS PROJECT, A TRAVELING FLOTILLA
LOCATION: Design Lab
Participation: Limited to 20. Available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up here.
Mary Sherwood Brock, Painter and Printmaker

This workshop will invite participants to use their creativity and join in the collaborative installation in the Paper Boats Project. The paper boat is meant as a symbolic response to the urgent issues such as immigration and climate change. The fragility of the paper boat extends the idea of creativity and how collaboration can connect and communicate. The boat presents a layered symbol for artists in Cuba especially and this recent project explored that and the constant concerns of climate change.

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

TO KNOW, TO WILL, TO DARE: THE SPELL WORK OF CREATING ART
LOCATION: The Point
Moderator: Lux Heljardóttir, Runemaster and Vǫlva (Old Norse term for “seeress”)

All is not seen when it comes to our individual art practice. Sometimes, it is as simple as getting started. Other times, we construct a labyrinthine method to access the state from which we can bring our work into the embodied world. Speaking to the Norse tradition in which she practices, Lux shares, ‘The Norse didn’t perceive separation between the sacred and the mundane. I invite you to hold awareness that the very act of art—of creation—is a divine ritual.’ Within this workshop, participants will discuss the nature of magic, learn the pillars of energetics, practice the spá cycle breath for focus, gain inspiration from a rune, and do a little creation flow of their own. Lux aims to bring awareness to the ways in which art is craft is spellcraft to sanctify your daily work.

BRIDGE THE GAP: WHEN CONTEMPORARY ART COLLIDES WITH CHINESE TRADITIONAL CULTURE
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Haizhu (Pearl) Yang, Director of NY20+ Art Promotion Institution, China

NY20+ Artist Residency Program, launched in 2008, is characterized by Chengdu and Bashu Culture for resident artists to do art research, experiment, create, communicate, and display, as well as be committed to making a diverse, interactive, creative, and continual international program. Based in a city (Chengdu) with more than 4500 years of civilization, surrounded by traditional architecture and 60 thousand traditional antiques of all kinds; it is an ideal place for artists to interact with Chinese traditional culture. For NY20+, the residency program is more like a door to open up different cultural dialogues, reduce bias, and build mutual understanding. Each year, we will host more than 30 international artists committed to digging into local arts and cultures, exploring the organic integration between tradition and the modern, and exchanging and promoting arts and culture. Artists can refer to Bashu culture and traditional Chinese handicrafts, or choose any kind of Bashu or traditional elements, patterns, historical stories, craftsmanship, etc. They can be used in art creation without limitation of creation forms.

FACING THE GENERATIONAL CLIFF – BECOMING RELEVANT WITH YOUNGER GENERATIONS
LOCATION: Design Lab
A.J. Steinberg (she/her/hers), CFRE of Queen Bee Fundraising

The Greatest Generation has long been the backbone of support for arts-related nonprofit institutions such as symphonies and museums. However, over the past two decades, we have watched these donors age and edge toward extinction. Despite this inevitable impending shift, organizations have yet to do much to recalibrate their communications and offerings to attract and inspire younger donors. The time for action, however, is now. No longer can institutions afford to delay changes in their intrinsic culture as the next generations of major donors are actively searching for nonprofits with whom they can align their ideals, volunteerism, and donation dollars. This workshop walks you through steps for assessing your organization’s current generational spread and outlines creative strategies that can be implemented to connect with Millennials and beyond. Also, we will discuss tactics that can be used to introduce changes to a board that feels threatened by the inevitability of generational change.

INTERNAL CLIMATE WORKSHOP
LOCATION: Food Lab
Participation: Limited to 8. Available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up here.
(note this workshop will be repeated on Saturday at 10:00 -11:00.)
Kuei-Pi Li, Multidisciplinary Artist and Researcher, Taiwan

In the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that the human body is composed of a circulatory system consisting of several elements. It is affected by external factors, such as climate or living environment. When the elements are out of balance, they will appear psychologically and physiologically, called “disease.” Chinese medicine uses spices and foods as part of the treatment or adjustment of our circulatory system. At the same time, Chinese medicine/ingredients also believe that all bodies can self-select foods (medicine) to regulate the body’s internal climate. In this workshop, the audience will be invited to use their body sense and intuition to cook a bowl of spice soup for themselves to adjust their body and mentality.

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

BEST PRACTICES FOR COLLABORATING INTERNATIONALLY
LOCATION: Design Lab
Jelle Burggraff, Head of DutchCulture’s Mobility & Advice team (which includes TransArtists, the Mobility Info Point, and Creative Europe Desk NL) and a Panel Member of the European Commission for the Expert Panel for the European Capitals of Culture 2020-2033

As the head of DutchCulture’s Mobility & Advice team (which includes TransArtists, the Mobility Info Point, and Creative Europe Desk NL) and a Panel Member of the European Commission for the Expert Panel for the European Capitals of Culture 2020-2033, Jelle Burggraaf will lead this workshop to discussion best practices for collaborating internationally.

WHY IS IT STILL SO DIFFICULT TO PRESENT CERTAIN ISSUES IN THE ART WORLD?
LOCATION: Dance Studio
Marie Deparis-Yafil, International Curator and Critic, France

There are topics so difficult to address in our societies that it seems impossible to showcase them. Certain forms of violence, including violence against women and children, are among these. Yet, they affect more than 10% of the global population. However, for an institution, hosting a contemporary art exhibition on incest, child sexual abuse, or violence against women seems to be a burden, a risk, revealing fears and challenges that are impossible to take on. This workshop will unfold in three parts: First, the narrative of an eight-year struggle by a curator to create, for the first time in France, a group exhibition on the subject of incest and child sexual abuse. Next, an analysis of the institutional refusals to host such a show despite the exhibition’s public and media success when it finally was able to be realized: Why, for instance, did no museum want to show this exhibition? Why was it so difficult to talk about this? Finally, the political dimensions of such exhibitions will be addressed, including the political force of group shows as compared to solo exhibitions, which are easily relegated to the anecdotal and the emotional, while group exhibitions force the acknowledgment of a claim.

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

HOW DOES FISCAL SPONSORSHIP WORK AND HOW CAN YOU USE IT TO BUILD OPPORTUNITIES?
LOCATION: Dance Studio
Alicia Ehni, Artist and Program Officer, New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) Fiscal Sponsorship

Learn how fiscal sponsorship works, how it can support your project, and how artists are using it to build opportunities in support of other artists and their communities. This workshop will share a few case studies of current or past NYFA Fiscal Sponsor projects that were created to build a community of support around the arts.

TRACING PALETTES ON THE DINING TABLE
LOCATION: Food Lab
Participation: Limited to 8. Available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up here.
(Note this workshop is repeated on Saturday from 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM.)
Sharo Liang, Taiwanese Artist and Researcher based in London

Eating is a ritual that involves multiple sensory elements that reconnect people’s memories and link to individuals’ ways of living and the culture that nurtures their palettes. This workshop takes on the previous one, “Food as Cultural Landscape,” to extend the concept of “Foodicine (a Chinese method of using food to treat physical diseases.)” and eating culture by serving dishes from ingredients that elaborate the portion and recipe we embodied in our daily life. The workshop will introduce one kind of spice and cook it in several flavors, such as sweet, bitter, sour, or spicy; the experience will take participants on the journey of expectation and taste buds.

DAY 2, SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2025

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

“HI HAIR” TACTILE ART WORKSHOP
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Leilei Xia, Multimedia Artist

This tactile art workshop will invite people to collaborate on telling stories through hair. It’s an intimate and revealing experience: We will start small by slowly touching each other’s hair, with particular attention on what it feels like to touch one’s hair, other people’s hair, or letting others touch our hair. We share stories and experiences around the hair, and by listening and feeling for each other, we will reimagine those sensations into a theater that tells stories about our own. Each participant will walk away with their own tactile performance piece that delivers the stories through just touching, and they will be able to perform this wherever they go.

DARE TO GET INKY
LOCATION: Design Lab
Participation: Limited to 20, 90 minutes. Available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up here.
Amanda Barrow, Visual Artist and Fulbright Specialist, Massachusetts
This workshop is, in part, sponsored by Speedball Art Products.

Improvise! Let’s create community by printing together in Amanda Barrow’s Gel Plate printmaking workshop, a fun opportunity to print one-of-a-kind artwork in this hands-on class, utilizing soy-based Akua Inks on archival paper! Within this interactive 90-minute class, we will explore the monotype process, and share colors, shapes, and textures. We’ll begin by viewing examples of prints from Amanda’s collection, then dive into making prints, 20 students max. Printmakers, makers, and anyone who wants to experiment within the printmaking genre is welcome to try this simple technique! No experience is necessary; each person walks away with one print and a 5×7” Gel Plate! Let’s dare to be spontaneous and non-critical, as we work our plate quickly. Who cares who is watching…you’re making marks, the marks of your personal history, Right Now!

ARCHAEOLOGY 101
LOCATION: Dance Studio
Joshua Goode, Artist

Discover your inner explorer as you learn the basics of Archaeological Field Work, including how to conduct an archaeological excavation step-by-step. Science becomes performance as we discuss methods of amplifying community-based engagement beyond the traditional art institution and expanding socio-diverse transnational communities through research-based alternative performance methods. While conducting our archaeological excavation– who knows what treasures we may find– we will discuss proper artifact handling documentation and learn about infamous archaeological ruses such as Troy, Piltdown Man, Beringer’s “Lying Stones,” and America’s Stonehenge.

INTERNAL CLIMATE WORKSHOP
LOCATION: Food Lab
Participation: Limited to 8. Available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up here.
(Note this workshop is a repeat of the same on Friday.)
Kuei-Pi Li, Multidisciplinary Artist and Researcher, Taiwan

BOSTON’S BIRDS: A TRANSNATURAL EXCHANGE SOUNDWALK
LOCATION: TBA
Vytautas Bucionis, Composer and Ornithologist; Florian Grond, Immersive Sound Recordist, Canada

Join us in Boston for a unique transnatural experience as Vytautas Bucionis, a composer and ornithologist, and Florian Grond, an immersive sound recordist, guide participants through the city’s soundscape. This workshop begins with a soundwalk, where attendees, led by Bucionis and Grond, will explore urban environments to listen to and record Boston’s diverse birdlife. Participants will gain insight into the practice of sound mapping and field recording, uncovering the hidden musicality of nature within an urban setting. Following the soundwalk, we transition into a musical workshop equipped with a keyboard and sound system. Vytautas Bucionis will lead an improvisational session, integrating the day’s recordings with piano, bringing natural sounds and musical improvisation into conversation with each other. In this interactive session, participants engage with the natural and acoustic environment, and will be creating a collective musical piece.

SATURDAY, LATE MORNING SESSION 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM

BEYOND TRADITIONAL EXPECTATIONS – CRAFTING EVENTS THAT REFLECT OUR SPACES AND MISSIONS
LOCATION: The Point
A.J. Steinberg (she/her/hers), CFRE of Queen Bee Fundraising

This session will examine the neuropsychology of gathering and engagement, providing valuable insights into what captivates and connects your audience. We will also look at the traditional approaches to events that artists and institutions have historically employed, and why those fail to maximize engagement potential. The heart of this workshop lies in the power of imagination and collaboration. Discover how these two ingredients can synthesize a new generation of events that leave a lasting imprint on your attendees long after the event has concluded. This session will spark a dialogue that will lead to crafting event experiences that resonate deeply and enduringly with your target audience.

BEYOND THE VISUAL
LOCATION: Dance Studio
Moderator: Audrey-Anne Bouchard, Lighting Designer and Founder, Au-delà du visuel, Canada

Partially sighted artist Audrey-Anne Bouchard and her collective Au-delà du visuel developed a new creative methodology to communicate dance and theatre beyond the visual relationship that prevails amongst the performer and the spectator. Their immersive performances, designed to engage all of the spectators’ senses but sight, are entirely accessible to audience members living with low vision. Just like the artists in their creative process, workshop participants (living with or without low vision) will be invited to wear a blindfold and participate in a series of guided multisensory exercises exploring questions such as: What story does a prop tell if it is not looked at but heard? What messages do gestures convey when they are rather felt than seen? Workshop objectives include exploring the potential of accessibility practices in the development of new art forms based on different ways of perceiving the world, building trust and creativity amongst participants and developing awareness for underrepresented audience and inclusive practices in the performing arts.

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

WEAVING FIBERS AND SOCIAL PROCESSES
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Nora Dominga Carrasco Apaza, Visual Artist – Sculptor, Peru

The workshop “Weaving Fibers and Social Processes” aims to help participants learn and practice the techniques of elemental weaving that are still practiced today in the Peruvian Amazon. In communities such as Bora, Mashiguenga, Awajun, among others, textile practices like “el anillado” bring groups together to share and strengthen social relationships. These processes, which combine indigenous/ancestral knowledge with contemporary practices, highlight the importance of recognizing these practices to socialize history or research routes to find answers among those around us. Weaving a network of contacts through communal practices is a way to socialize and recognize ourselves as a living fabric in the world.

WORKSHOP: EXPLORING THE NEUROPHYSIOLOGY BEHIND CREATIVITY
LOCATION: Design Lab
Melissa Park, Associate Professor in the School of Physical & Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Canada

This workshop shares emergent work from a Canadian-funded research creation grant, Towards a Neurodiverse Phenomenology, in which we traced fleeting experiences during the reception and creation of art using binaural audio recordings. Our co-researchers are artists working with diverse media. We found that listening to one’s own binaural recordings, immersed us in the experiences of previously recorded sonic environments ‘as if’ in the present, heightening awareness to multiple sensory experiences—aural, visual, kinesethetic, tactile—typically below the level of conscious reflection in everyday life. Attending closely to such bodily sensing foregrounds the expertise or wisdom artists have honed over time yet are challenging to articulate or describe. How might immersive listening experiences enhance or generate new creative practices? What are the linkages between our neurophysiology and our artmaking? In this workshop, artists affiliated with this research-creation project will share their experiences and emergent work, followed by opportunities for participants to explore binaural audio technology and immersive media during curated listening sessions. The aim is to generate a lively discussion about the potentiality of binaural technology to renew or push creative processes, including its significance in transcultural exchange.

WORKSHOP: LET ARTISTS LEAD, A CONVERSATION OF RADICAL IMAGINATION
LOCATION: Dance Studio
Amanda Shea, two-time Boston Music Award-winning Spoken Word Artist, Performer, Educator, Artivist, Publicist, Host, and Curator

This workshop eloquently highlights the transformative power of art and creativity in addressing systemic racism and promoting racial justice. Through my experience as an artist, I’ve witnessed that artistic expression can serve as a catalyst for change by fostering empathy, challenging entrenched beliefs, and facilitating healing within communities. It’s crucial to recognize the importance of providing support and resources to BIPOC artists and community organizations working towards racial justice. By investing in these initiatives and fostering genuine allyship, funders and institutions can help dismantle barriers and amplify marginalized voices within the arts and cultural sector. This approach not only addresses immediate inequities but also contributes to systemic change by challenging existing power dynamics and promoting inclusivity. Overall, this workshop emphasizes the integral role of creativity and culture in driving meaningful progress towards racial justice. By acknowledging the contributions of artists and prioritizing their needs, stakeholders can work together to create a more equitable and inclusive society. This workshop will have participants responding to prompts that discuss different strategies of dismantling social justice issues while utilizing art/artists. Participants will then break into groups to present and pitch an opportunity where artists are in the forefront of leadership at a particular institution. The goal is to provide advocacy at all industry levels even companies where we wouldn’t expect this to be implemented.

WORKSHOP: ATTENDING A RESIDENCY IN A TIME OF TRANSFORMATION: WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Elham Khattab, Founder of Out Of The Circle, Egypt

Immersed in the vibrant soundscape of Cairo, sketching in a local downtown café, navigating bustling streets, and marveling at the city’s contemporary art scene and rich history, the journey of the Out Of The Circle Artist Residency unfolds. Located in the heart of Cairo, our residency program, launched in 2018, is one of four pillars of the Out Of The Circle organization. It provides a space for international artists to exchange ideas, learn, and conduct research. In these transformative times, we grapple with social and political challenges, striving to create a safe haven for artists. We are committed to ensuring a memorable residency experience that fosters their research development. We facilitate an understanding of the city’s life landscape through local perspectives. Despite the challenges, we continue to build bridges between Cairo and the world. Our arts residency program addresses these questions, welcoming artists from around the globe. For us, art and culture represent a shared journey of growth in this era of transformation.

TRACING PALETTES ON THE DINING TABLE
LOCATION: Food Lab
Participation: Limited to 8. Available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up here.
(Note this workshop is a repeat of Friday workshop’s from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM.)
Sharo Liang, Taiwanese Artist and Researcher based in London

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

3D PRINTING & CASTING WORKSHOP
LOCATION: Design Studio
Crispin B. Weinberg, President, Biomedical Modeling Inc. (BMI)

For the first part of this workshop, we will discuss and demonstrate, where possible, several different 3D modeling and printing technologies, with particular emphasis on those available at The Foundry. We will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of different technologies, rather than on technical details. A few projects that used 3D printing, both for producing finished sculptures and for casting in a wide variety of materials will be presented. The second half of the workshop will be an interactive discussion. Participants are encouraged to bring their own project ideas, models, sculptures, or questions for discussion and exploration. The target audience would be artists who have ideas or projects they would like realized as 3 dimensional sculptures or jewelry but have limited experience in some or all aspects of 3D design, printing, and casting.

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

WORKSHOP: CATCHING AN EDITOR’S EYE: THE ART OF ATTRACTING WRITTEN COVERAGE OF YOUR WORK AND EXHIBITIONS
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Moderator: Rita Fucillo, Publisher, Art New England

In this worksho, we’ll discuss common sense approaches to generating written coverage of your exhibitions, your projects, and your process. Editors and publishers receive so many press releases and emails: What stands out? What is the right strategy to catch their eye? (And is there a wrong one?) Is it better to call or email? Is it appropriate to pitch an editor at a party? So much of Art New England’s content is sparked by artist outreach. In this discussion, editor and publisher Rita Fucillo will share how the magazine’s editorial outline is created each issue and what practices work best for making an impression without overdoing it. Rita will share examples of effective pitch letters and press releases and walk you through creating templates for your own. She’ll also review how to follow up in creative ways, how to be ready with an “elevator pitch” when in the presence of an editor or writer and how to enjoy the process of self-promotion.

WANT TO GO ON A RESIDENCY. SIGN UP HERE.
STUPIN ARTIST STUDIO RESIDENCY PLATFORM
LOCATION: Design Studio
I-Chen Kuo, Artist and Founder, Stupin Residency Platform

STUPIN is an artist studio residency platform established by artist I-Chen Kuo in 2017. STUPIN operates on an individual artist basis, facilitating the connection and sharing of studio and networking resources through “Studio Space Exchange” and “Pin Residency Cultural Guide.” Come find out how you can by-pass the typical residency application process and instantly create an internation residency for yourself. Don’t be stupid. Be Smart! Be STUPIN!

TRANSARTISTS: HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT RESIDENCY FOR YOU
LOCATION: Dance Studio
Bojana Panevska, Senior Advisor, TransArtists, The Netherlands

This workshop will lead you through TransArtists’ resources, the world’s largest source of information on artist-in-residencies to help artists find the residencies that best suit their needs.

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

FORECAST CONDENSED: THE WORLD AND THE WALNUT
NOTE: This workshop runs from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
LOCATION: Yellow Multi Room
Participation: Limited to SIX participants. Available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sign up here.
Freo Majer, Artistic Director of Forecast, Germany

How does the world fit in our thinking? What can humans do when our thoughts and feelings have to deal with too many complex questions and contradictions? Drawing from the acclaimed transdisciplinary research programs he initiated (see: https://forecast-platform.com/about/concept/). Freo Majer aims to discover and examine proposals introduced by the participants, combining the radical freedom of playing, inventing, and experimenting with a sense of generosity. The workshop offers participants an activating shared experience. Artists, designers, and other creative practices are invited to bring along proposals which they have questions or doubts about. The focus is on half-finished or non-functioning concepts, which may be missing an important idea, or for which there may be no suitable context so far. Those endeavors will be discussed and evaluated in an intensive workshop, each of their authors giving and receiving constructive criticism. Based on former iterations of the workshop—within the frameworks of design festivals, cultural institutes, and art schools in Slovenia, Brazil, Israel, Rwanda, and Portugal— each submitted project will be given 20 minutes: five minutes to outline the concept, then fifteen minutes for questions, feedback, and general discussion. Forecast Condensed offers a similar type of facilitation to Forecast Mentorships, but in a particularly energetic form.

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

TBA
LOCATION: The Point
More information forthcoming.

BREAKING DOWN DIGITAL FABRICATION’S PROCESSES
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Purnima Mitra, Technical Art Director in Techvity Lab, Bangladesh

Through this proposal, I’m focusing on how powerful and promising technology digital fabrication is, and how that can contribute to sustainable development, but it also requires careful and responsible use and management. By adopting a sustainability perspective and practice, digital fabrication can become a tool for positive change and transformation in the world. Digital fabrication is the process of creating physical objects from digital models using computer-controlled tools and techniques. It has the potential to transform various sectors and industries, from manufacturing and construction to education and art.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL RESIDENCY APPLICATIONS
LOCATION: Design Lab
Lori-Ann Touchette, Co-founder of C.R.E.T.A, Rome, Italy

This workshop advises artists on how to present themselves to their best advantage when applying for residencies. Topics include preparation of a convincing artist statement, photographing your work for the crafting of a coherent portfolio, tailoring the artist proposal to the specific residency, and fine-tuning your curriculum vitae.

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

GRANT WRITING RE-WORKSHOP
LOCATION: Fiber Arts
Moderator: Andrea Kleine, Program Officer, New York Foundation for the Arts

A hands-on workshop in re-working your grant writing. Participants bring in written materials they intend to use for applying for grants (or have used in the past) and we analyze what works/what doesn’t work, how to write in your voice, and how to effectively communicate our ideas. Participants receive feedback on their grant writing, communal support, and time for thinking deeply and expansively about their upcoming projects.

TBA
LOCATION: Dance Studio
More information forthcoming.

CONFERENCES

WORKSHOPS