Register Now | Writing About Your Artwork: Artist Statements

Online workshop will take place on Tuesday, March 17 from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM EST.

New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) is pleased to present “Writing About Your Artwork: Artist Statements,” led by Michelle Levy, NYFA Coach, curator, and interdisciplinary artist, on Tuesday, March 17 from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM EST. The workshop is part of our Online Learning initiative that provides professional development workshops to artists and creatives nationally and internationally through a webinar platform, and is the second in our series of Spring 2020 workshops.

Workshop Description:
Have you ever found writing an artist statement overwhelming and you’re not sure where to start or what to include? Have you struggled with staying true to your voice while matching established expectations? Writing an artist statement should be easy – after all, you are the number-one expert on your own work. But the reality is that no matter how good of a writer you are, writing about your own work is never easy because it is so close to you. Yet, it is crucial to have an effective statement that represents your work well and makes an impact. Further, the process of crafting a strong statement is an important exercise for every artist, as it helps clarify your ideas and benefits your artistic development as a whole.

This webinar is an overview for artists of all disciplines wishing to improve their artist statements. Attending artists are asked to have a recent statement (300-500 words) with them. Topics covered will include:

• The different categories of artist statements and the various purposes they serve (ie: website, press release, etc).  
• An analysis of artist statements using examples.
• A break-down of the essential building blocks needed for a comprehensive artist statement.
• A review of the do’s and don’ts and how to strengthen your existing statement.
• Tips for getting out of your head and making a fresh start when you find yourself stuck in a language that is no longer working for you.

The first 20 artists registering for this workshop will have an opportunity to submit their artist statements, some of which will be reviewed and analyzed anonymously as case studies during the live session. Details will be provided on completion of your registration.

Title: Writing About Your Artwork: Artist Statements
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2020, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM*  
Location: Online
Program Fee: $25 
Registration: Please register for the program here.
Questions: Email [email protected]

*This workshop will be recorded and shared with all previously-registered participants after the session concludes. It will be available for viewing up to six months after the workshop date.

Presenter:
Michelle Levy is an interdisciplinary artist, arts organizer, and writer, with 18 years of experience working for New York City arts institutions. From 2008 to 2018, Levy was Founding Director of EFA Project Space, an interdisciplinary, socially-engaged exhibition program of The Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts in New York City. While there, she also founded the SHIFT Residency, which fosters the creative practices of New York-based artists who work for arts organizations. Through her role at EFA, she supported the work of over 500 artists and independent curators, fostering dialogue around ethics, visibility, identity, and care. From 2000 to 2008, Levy was Program Manager at the International Print Center New York. She is currently working as an independent consultant for artists, and has worked with NYFA since 2018, first as a “Doctor on Call,” and now as a NYFA Coach, offering remote one-on-one advice and mentorship sessions with artists. In fall 2019, she gave the in-person presentation “Writing an Effective Art Statement” and was a panelist in NYFA’s Artist as Entrepreneur Bootcamp.

Levy’s performance-based art practice uses research and storytelling to investigate the mediated spaces where identity is constructed. Her current project “Paulina” enlists archives, travelogues, and ongoing exchange with Polish artist/writer Patrycja Dołowy to investigate the mysterious found-testimony of a Polish-Jewish woman who survived World War II in Poland. From 2018 – 2019, Levy was an artist fellow at POLIN Museum for the History of Polish Jews, Warsaw, PL, and received support from the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, and Asylum Arts in New York, amongst others. Levy holds a MFA degree in Digital and Interdisciplinary Art Practice from The City College of New York, and a BA degree in Studio Art with a minor in English from Wesleyan University.

Our 2020 Spring workshop series highlights NYFA Coaching, a professional development service that offers access to one-on-one individual guidance from a variety of arts professionals, including NYFA staff. 

This program is part of NYFA Learning, which includes professional development for artists and arts administrators. Sign up for NYFA’s free bi-weekly newsletter to receive updates on future programs.

Image: Courtesy NYFA