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Cultivating Community through Curation

In 2021 I answered a Call for Volunteers for a local multidisciplinary community arts space in Logan Square as it was reopening its doors post-lockdown and needed help reviving their  public programming. At the time I was living a short 10 min walk away and it was a great way for me to invest in my neighborhood and reconnect after a period of extreme isolation.

 

This incredible opportunity to grow through active professional skill development, also functions as a creative and social outlet. Being a part of the Comfort Station community allows me to continuously create, foster and engage in authentic connections over shared interests and passions with my peers through creative collaboration.

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From 2022 to 2025 I held the role of Exhibitions Program Manager at Comfort Station.This role truly required a full spectrum of skills that were often acquired and continuously honed while the work was being done.

I began the 2022 cycle as a solo effort and learned a lot that first year, focusing on identifying the each of individual processes involved in producing every exhibition. 

In 2023, we did another organizational Call for Volunteers and the Exhibitions team began to grow.  The help was incredibly welcome on my part, as the work had kept my hands very full over the previous year. I began the rather involved process of documenting and adapting the systems that I had already started to establish on my own. My new teammates were vital to these efforts as they took on more of the event hosting that I had covered the previous year.

2024 brought greater developments as we began to introduce the artists to the functionalities of the production process and worked more collaboratively as a team. This took a lot of weight off my shoulders and it was so exciting to watch the team excel together and individually.

2025 was a year of implementing artist feedback and revising our communication and co-working strategies to streamline our overall program processes. I started working with each of the members on the team individually to hand off the remaining roles I played in the production process, emphasizing the importance of artist coordination and social media management.

Exhibitions Manager

Comfort Station

Campaign Strategy + Implementation    |    Graphic Design     |      Social Engagement     |    Community Organizing   |    Event Planning + Production

Promoting Local Art

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Working with local artists was by far one of the most rewarding elements of my work with Comfort Station as Exhibitions Manager. I was able to connect with so many Chicago-based artists and creatives, who have been great sources of inspiration since then.

 

There have been many updates over the seasons for print assets tied to each of the exhibitions. We've gone from simple, yet efficient double-sided postcards with minimal information to a beautifully designed, riso-printed takeaway that features an interior spread with photos of the artist's work, full exhibition text and and any related events or programming that the artist may choose to incorporate into the period of time during their exhibition.

The production of each individual exhibition would involve completing a certain series of processes, for which I was able to create and adapt responsive systems to help track the flow of information and progress developments.

 

As time passed and I spent more time within the gallery space, especially during opening receptions and viewing hours, I was able to help identify needs for additional information on-site. By my second cycle as Exhibitions Manager, I had introduced the consistent use of a works list and map to the production of each show. This helped take some of the mental stress off the individual gallery attendants, and will serve as great resources for future reference in archival endeavors.

The addition of external signage also helped cure the curiosity of passersby during hours when the building was closed to the public. A little peak through the front windows and the poster would provide enough context and information for folks to continue their exploration into the artist's work online.

 

Past Exhibitions

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