Art in Odd Places (AiOP) 2015: RECALL is our 11th year and while this year’s festival is all about looking back at past artists and projects, we are also taking time to catch up with some of the former AiOP staff. Without the support of these dedicated volunteers, these festivals would not have gotten off the ground. We here at AiOP are honored to have worked with these individuals over the years and are taking the time to see what they have been up to, ask how working with AiOP has impacted their lives and, above all, hope to run into them on 14th Street during this year’s festival.
Jennifer Smith.
How many years did you volunteer with AiOP? Which festivals and years were you a part of?
I volunteered with MODEL and NUMBER and I was a participating artist in FREE. I suppose that takes me from 2012 – 2014.
What position did you hold during your tenure with AiOP?
I was initially the Social Media Manager during MODEL. That year, I developed an interest in expanding our blog and since our growing media team had the capacity to take on more blog features, I took a more managerial position as the Digital Content Editor. It was an invaluable opportunity to establish a voice for the project by collaborating with a team for powerful, compelling content delivered in a consistent way.
In what ways did working with AiOP assist you in your professional development outside the festival?
Even when working behind the scenes as a volunteer, the freedom of the festival allowed me to pursue creativity. I learned new skills, strengthened my weak points with practice and left the organization with confidence. AiOP is also responsible for some stand-out experience on my resume: community outreach, audio editing, public speaking to name a few.
What is your fondest memory from participating in an AiOP festival?
As a volunteer, one of the highlights was having some beloved AiOP artists in a studio, knowing full well we weren’t supposed to be there, to ask them all kinds of questions about their life and art. These conversations were so fun and insightful for me, personally. And as a participant, my project Free Kisses for Allies continues to be a touchstone for me and I hope to perform this project again in the future.
