In nurturing art that does more than sit on its butt

As Anne Pasternak, President and Artistic Director of Creative Time, accepted the NAMAC Award for Outstanding Organization, we were inspired by her words and asked her if we could share her notes with the broader NAMAC network since they really capture what we are doing as a field.

"In nurturing art that does more than sit on its butt, I've learned a few things:

Trust in really smart artists. Loosen the institutional reigns & let them lead you. You will learn new things.

Be innovative & creative.  Push beyond your comfort levels. Try new things. Be innovative.  Life is exciting when we are learning.

Be fearless & take risks. Artist Jeremy Deller said "Getting into trouble is actually a good thing." I agree. Don't be afraid of mess. It'll get cleaned up. Life is so much more exciting when it's unpredictable.

Be relevant. Remember we are living history.  And either through our actions or inactions, we are shaping it. It's our job as thinking beings to shape it into a better place.  Own your power & use it well.

The world is changing so fast, so while our missions may stay the same, how we interpret & activate them can evolve. Change may be scary, but it's boring to do things the same way over and over again.

This is truly an inspiring moment to charge ahead, so focus on your mission & honor it well."

Photo credit: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders