We’re interested in Massachusetts arts organizations that have identified a specific need for artists, then created programs to directly meet that need in essence, matched the right horse with the right course. We’re calling this type of post – you guessed it – Horses for Courses.
Our first subject is the Boston nonprofit GLOVEBOX. We asked Jodie McMenamin, co-founder and co-director of the group GLOVEBOX with Liz Comperchio (and, incidentally, our fabulous MCC Artist Department intern for Spring 2009), about what need they identified, what they do, and what’s next.
The course: “We saw emerging artists with talent and energy but lacking a community to help foster growth and professional experiences,” Jodie said. “We knew there are so many opportunities for these artists to share their work with the community. What was missing was the link.”
The horse: GLOVEBOX, a grassroots nonprofit artist organization that creates a community for emerging artists and enables them to exhibit art in nontraditional spaces in the Boston area.
What we offer artists: “We locate non-gallery spaces around the city, like pubs and vintage clothing stores, and turn them into a creative space for artists to exhibit,” Jodie said. “The local businesses that donate their space often get exposure through the press. GLOVEBOX and our artists maintain relationships with the businesses, supporting and advocating Boston’s local scene.
“GLOVEBOX provides a community where artists can begin to discover how to exhibit their work or where more established artists can take risks with their work–and where all artists can bounce ideas off each other. Our artists get involved in the entire process, and we often give them opportunities to volunteer, promote and curate.”
What we’ve done: “GLOVEBOX has hosted a variety of events including art shows at Goody Glover’s and Ned Devine’s (two Boston restaurants), an art auction to benefit orphaned girls in Kenya (in collaboration with One Home Many Hopes), and our most recent event, SPIN, an exhibition themed around cassette tapes and vinyl records (check out Studio Views: Kevin Hebb to read more about it). Rescue, Allston’s local vintage apparel and accessory store, teamed up with us to host SPIN, which was a huge success and was covered by the Allston-Brighton Tab, The Metro and the Weekly Dig.”
Up next: JUNKO REVIVAL, a group art show themed around environmental consciousness, using found materials, recycled goods or just plain old junk!
The art from JUNKO REVIVAL can be viewed and purchased at the opening reception on Sunday, July 12 from 7-10 PM at Rescue (252 Brighton Avenue, Allston). The show will be ongoing from July 12 to August 9.
Artists interested in learning more about GLOVEBOX and/or submitting work to future calls to artists should visit gloveboxboston.com and their blog, gloveboxboston.blogspot.com.
Images: Liz Comperchio and Jodie McMenamin, co-directors of GLOVEBOX; Jacklyn Boyland, WEEDING (2009), paintings on paint samples for JUNKO REVIVAL; Christopher Schuch, LOOKING NORTH-NORTHEAST FROM THE MAIN GATE (2008), C-print, 20 x 24 in; In-progress sculpture by Vic Yambao for JUNKO REVIVAL; Amanda Atkins, WILD BIRD GUEST (2009), book painting for JUNKO REVIVAL; Gary Duehr, APPLE, glass sculpture for JUNKO REVIVAL.
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