play - jessica van woerkom

Founder + Director Non-Profit Community Arts Program
Tucson, Arizona, Oct. 2008- Oct 2009

PLAY, was a project of Dinnerware Arts. PLAY was a non-profit gallery, boutique and performance venue, located in Tucson Arizona, aiming to support emerging and established artists of all mediums and working towards establishing a thriving downtown community. Directing and managing a variety of art showings and gallery spaces.

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The primary objective of PLAY was to inspire, engage and encourage artists of any kind, talent, age, gender, race or skill level to participate in themed group shows. Through the distribution of homework assignments, or "PLAYworks" as we called them, artists were given the opporunity to create and then show new works each month. We felt that Tucson, at the time, lacked a viable outlet for artists to interact, learn, play and network without having to be subjected to applications, fees and jurys.

Objectives

Providing positive, empowering experiences
Redefining and broadening the concepts of art as an essential element to the expression of life, culture and independent and social responsibility
Create an educational and interactive space that connects the individual to the environment, the arts, the creative self and teaching creative exchange between members of the community
Ability to provide new opportunities to under represented artists and forms of artistic expression
Providing a community gathering space

Events

Arts showings
Artisan trade showings
Interactive art events
Workshops
Classes
Kid days/programs
Concerts
Performances
Swaps
and many more PLAY dates

Inspiration . Creation . Connection

"Piece", 2009
164 individual puzzle pieces were handed out to the community and the artist we encourged at "go crazy" with the art they create for each piece. Several artists contributed many pieces to the puzzle. Over all over 100 artists across the Tucson community participated in this project.