Barnard College Barnard College
Beyond Barnard Focus Series

Arts Focus

Arts Focus Gallery Image

Arts Focus brings together guest speakers, panels, workshops, and information sessions from across the arts world. Arts Focus increases exposure of students to a range of careers and considerations in the industry, while providing Employer Partners with the opportunity to connect with Barnard's exceptional student body.

The series aims to share practical information with students about the ins and outs of pursuing work in the arts (museums, galleries, cultural institutions, media, and way more!), while also engaging in conversations about important issues facing (and faced by individuals in) the industry. Students benefit from direct contact with practitioners and talent professionals, while also connecting with each other and building a sense of cohort. 

Questions about Arts Focus can be directed to BeyondBarnard@barnard.edu.

Arts Focus Programming

Arts Focus will kick off with an introduction to arts careers at Beyond Barnard. The semester-long series of events will include a keynote conversation, alum panels on arts careers across disciplines, application workshop for the GRoWing the Arts Program, and connections to employers at a range of arts institutions. Additional events in Arts Focus include:

Additional Employer Events

Registration links to specific Focus Series events are available to students in Handshake. Questions about attending can be sent to beyondbarnard@barnard.edu.

Spring 2024 FOCUS Series Kick Off | Friday, January 26, 1:00pm - 1:45pm

The Arts FOCUS series aims to share practical information with students about the ins and outs of pursuing work in the arts (galleries, cultural institutions, media, and way more!), while also engaging in conversations about important issues facing (and faced by professionals in) the industry.

Arts FOCUS: Groove With Me Inc. | Friday, March 1, 11:00am-12:00pm

Join Angelique Agudo Senior Director of Groove With Me Inc. for a discussion on Dance Administration and the work of Groove With Me

Groove With Me (GWM) is a free dance school for girls in East Harlem. It attracts and engages girls during the idle after-school hours when 90% of youth violence occurs. Instilling life skills such as creativity, problem-solving, perseverance, focus, dedication, and accountability lead to success both in and out of the classroom. A question and answer session will be held at the end of the session. This event is part of the "Arts Focus" series for spring 2024. Search for "arts focus" in the events section for opportunities to connect with additional organizations within the arts.

Arts FOCUS: New Perspectives Theatre | Friday March 1, 1:00pm-2:00pm

Join Melody Brooks Artistic Director at New Perspectives Theatre Company for a discussion on their Women's Work Project. Topics to include: What do Emerging Writers Need Today? Finding a Network of Artists and Producers Learn From and Find Critical Feedback Other Resources of Support This event is part of the "Arts Focus" series for spring 2024. Search for "arts focus" in the events section for opportunities to connect with additional organizations within the arts.

Arts Focus: Arts on Site, Artists as Citizens: Putting your Art into Action | Friday, March 1st 2024, 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Are you interested in putting your Arts into action or starting an Arts non-profit? Join Chelsea Ainsworth, Executive Director of Arts on Site as she discusses her Woman-run Arts Non Profit organization dedicated to providing artists with opportunities to create and perform new work! 
Arts On Site began as an event to showcase artists. The event was an initiative from professional artists Chelsea Ainsworth, Kyle Netzeband, and Adrian Rosas, to connect artists from multiple art forms. As the event grew, a diverse community of artists grew and the concept for Arts On Site was born.

Art Focus: Career Insights: Careers in Film & TV (Wednesday, November 1st; 1:00pm-2:00pm EST)

Virtual Event

https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/j/94599721171?pwd=VklhZTRqaGdoVWgvQTZ5Mjk1WXBzUT09

Join us for our upcoming Career Insights: Careers In Film & TV to hear about the career trajectories of Barnard alums currently working in a diverse range of roles within this industry. Our panelists will speak on what their day to day looks like, the challenges and rewards of being in their respective roles, and the opportunities and skill sets they’ve found to be most helpful in fleshing out their unique career pathways.

Panelists:

Sarah Choi (‘16); Writer & Creative Producer

Lily Kaplan (‘16); Head Of Development, Dorothy Street Pictures

Career Insights is a speaker and panel series that introduces Barnard students to professionals from a broad range of expertise and backgrounds. Guest speakers, most often Barnard alumnae, will hold informal chats or participate in panel presentations based on their industries and experiences. The Career Insights series is a great opportunity for students to learn about different career trajectories and ask questions and engage with those who are actively immersed in their field(s) of interest.

Art Focus Series: Mentor in Residence - Jamie Babbit  (Friday, November 10th; 1:00pm-3:00pm EST)

 

The Mentor-in-Residence program provides an opportunity to learn about an industry and ask questions to an industry-expert. After you register here, you will be directed to the site to schedule a 30-min appt. The meetings will be virtual on zoom and may include up to three other students simultaneously. Space is limited. Scheduling is on a first come, first serve basis. Email lmaltz@barnard.edu with questions.

Jamie Babbit has directed several features and produced and directed multiple award winning television shows. Her debut film, But I’m a Cheerleader, was listed by The Independent as one of the top twenty best romantic comedies of all time. Babbit's directing television credits include Only Murders In The Building , A League Of Their Own (Amazon, pilot), The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Russian Doll, and Silicon Valley for which she received a Best Comedy Directing Emmy nomination. Babbit was also an Executive Producer on Only Murders In The Building, League of their Own and Silicon Valley, and she recently directed the pilot for a new historical fantasy series for Amazon called My Lady Jane. Babbit began her career as Martin Scorsese's intern on The Age of Innocencee. The Itty Bitty Titty Committee, her second feature, won The Grand Jury prize at the SXSW film festival and her short "Stuck" won a jury prize at Sundance. Babbit has been profiled in The New York Times, Out Magazine, Time Out, The LA Times, Filmmaker magazine, and Vanity Fair. Babbit graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University where she was a Centennial Scholar in foreign studies, and she grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She currently lives in Los Angeles, CA with her girlfriend and two daughters.

This event is part of the Art Focus Series.

 

Arts Focus: Barnard Children's Book Panel (Thursday, November 30th; 5:30pm-6:30pm EST)

Info Session

Arts Focus: So You Want to Write a Children's Book

Have you ever wanted to write or illustrate a book for children or teens, but you're not sure where to start? Bestselling and award-winning children's book authors Karina Yan Glaser (Class of 2002), Abby Hanlon (Class of 1998), Victoria J. Coe (Class of 1983), and E. L. Shen (Class of 2018) discuss their paths from Barnard to now in his hour-long panel about the many different ways to become a children's book author and illustrator.

Bios:

Karina Yan Glaser (Class of 2002) is the New York Times bestselling writer and illustrator of The Vanderbeekers series. The first book in the series, The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, was a New York Times Notable Children's Book. She is also the author of the standalone novel A Duet for Home, a Publishers Weekly bestseller. Find her online at www.karinaglaser.com.

Abby Hanlon (class of 1998) is the author and illustrator of Dory Fantasmagory, a chapter book series for five to nine year-olds. The books have been translated into 24 languages. Her first picture book Ralph Tells A Story is widely used in elementary school classrooms. She recently illustrated Chester van Chime Who Forgot How to Rhyme by Avery Monsen. Find her online at abbyhanlon.com

Victoria J. Coe (Class of 1983) is the author of nine books for children, including the Global Read Aloud, One School, One Book favorite, and Amazon Teachers’ Pick Fenway and Hattie. Co-founder of Write On Productions, she also co-authored Writing Kidlit 101: A Self-Guided Course. Visit her at victoriajcoe.com/@victoriajcoe.

E. L. Shen (Class of 2018) is the author of The Comeback which was praised in The New York Times for its "fast-paced prose and big emotions" as well as The Queens of New York, her young adult debut novel. Her next book Maybe It's a Sign publishes in January 2024. E. L. is also a senior editor at Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House. Find her online at elshenwrites.com.

This event is part of the Art Focus Series.

 

 

March 28 (2:00PM): Mentor In Residence - Binta Niambi Brown

Learn about Binta Brown's role as the founder of omalilly projects and her former role as Head of Operations and Strategy at Keep Cool/RCA Records. 

March 29 (1:00PM): Career Insights - Librarians, Archivists, Taxonomists, & Museum Careers

A range of panelists will discuss their careers as librarians, archivists, taxonomists, and working in museums.

April 4 (1:00PM): Mentor in Residence - Lakshmi Sundaram '08

Learn about Lakshmi Sundaram's various positions working in television and film.

April 10 (5:30PM): The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Join Zoe Tippl '15, Senior Project Manager at The Metropolitan Museum, to learn more about her role and her previous experience working with exhibitions at the Whitney Museum.

April 12 (5:30PM): Gesso House

Natalie Kawam, Barnard alumna and art consultant, will discuss her journey starting her own company, Gesso House, which builds partnerships between artists and businesses of all kinds for alternative exhibitions, campaigns, and more.

April 13 (1:00PM): Building narratives from ideas: The professional writer's process and case study

Join Lakshmi Sundaram, LA-based television and film writer and Barnard alum, for a part 2 event which will include a skills building case-study session to learn about the process of building a story/narrative from an idea.

April 19 (5:00PM): Freelancing in the Arts

Alexandra Haddad '21 will share her experience transitioning from an artistic assistant at the McCarter Theater Center to a Theatrical Intimacy Education freelance choreographer and coordinator.

April 26 (1:00PM): Career Insights - Careers in Creative Writing

Panelists will discuss potential career paths in Creative Writing.