How One Curator Works with Artists at a Regional Art Center with Collin Parson (#116)

Members of the general public enjoy their visits to art centers and museums without much thought as to how the art got into those spaces in the first place. Who decides on what to show and when to show it? Who decides what works to put next to one another and where to put a nail in the wall or a pedestal on the floor? Or even what color to paint the walls? All of these decisions, and more, fall under the purview of curators and exhibition directors in those non-profit spaces. In this episode of The Art Biz I talk with Collin Parson, the Director of Galleries and Curator at the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities in the Denver suburb of Arvada, Colorado. Collin reveals how the exhibition process works at their venue: his timeline, rotating gallery spaces, and the decision makers at the organization. We also discuss how he selects artists for shows, what makes an artist easy and fun to work with, and why it’s important that artists keep him informed. Be sure to pay attention to some of the big mistakes he sees artists making.

Highlights

• Collin’s background of artists and his work as a curator. (1:30)

• Curating a massive space and Collin’s approach to rotating exhibitions. (10:50)

• Scheduling artists into a gallery’s calendar isn’t as simple as it seems. (19:15)

• Why Collin generally doesn’t accept exhibit proposals. (22:52)

• What makes an artist fun to collaborate with? (26:48)

• What Collin wishes every artist would do—and not do. (33:03)

• Studio visits and what curators expect from artists. (38:25)

• Finding inspiration for the most memorable shows. (45:35)

• Details about juried shows and artist rosters. (48:55)

• Balancing curating exhibits, making art, and a personal life. (55:03)

Mentioned

• Collin Parson

• Charles Parson

• Arvada Center Galleries and Exhibitions

• Meow Wolf in Denver

• Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art

• Steve Farland’s warrior chair-sculptures

Resources

 

• artbizsuccess.com/curator-parson-podcast

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection community

 

Guest Bio

Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Collin Parson currently serves as the Director of Galleries and Curator for the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities in Arvada, Colorado and is a former member at the historic Pirate: Contemporary Art cooperative and past artist-in-residence at RedLine Denver. An arts administrator, artist, curator, and designer he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Design and Technology with emphasis in Lighting and Scene Design from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Master in Arts in Visual Culture and Arts Administration from Regis University in Denver. His creative work involves the control of light and color to create vivid geometric light and space works. He has had the privilege of jurying many arts festivals and exhibitions and has received numerous awards and recognition for his curatorial projects. He was awarded 100 Colorado Creatives by Westword magazine in 2013 and featured in many television and print productions. Parson is the son of Colorado sculptor Charles Parson, whose experience with the regions arts community helped Collin long before his professional career began. Growing up in a family of artists, Collin is proud to be continuing the educational and creative traditions.

First posted: artbizsuccess.com/curator-parson-podcast