It was our pleasure to participate in the 2nd episode of the Redfern Arts Center’s new podcast. This one is called “Getting Outside” - and it opens with sounds from the Keene State College Concert Choir rehearsing for an upcoming outdoor concert. Host Sharon Fantl then interviews Jessica Gelter of Arts Alive! about the impact of the pandemic on the regional arts community, pivots that creative businesses are making, and the work Arts Alive! is doing in these new times. Recording happened at the gazebo in Robinhood Park in Keene - we got outside to a beautiful spot! To wrap up this sweet podcast is NOVA Arts’ story of building and opening a creative business during the pandemic - Eric Gagne, Jeff and Eliza Murphy talk about the challenges of planning for safety and booking live events and dreaming of becoming an arts destination in a time of somewhat restricted travel. Catch more episodes at the Redfern’s page on PodBean.
One quote we love from the conversation: “Use the element of time. Don’t try to make it everything you want it to be on day one. Let it BECOME based on every day that passes and what happens in the space. The pieces will get added one by one.” It was a bit of advice on growing by trusting in the time, and allowing plans to be agile based on the resources that come to the project. It felt like true artistic advice applied to a business. Allow the materials to lead you - and in this case, the materials are the community, artists, and audiences!