Norie Sato receiving the 2014 Public Art Network Award at Annual Convention
The Nashville PAN Preconference has come and gone, sniff sniff, I miss seeing everyone already. I was thrilled to be able to speak to so many of you and to be with smart, hard working people in the field. The PAN preconference is such a great time to reconnect with old colleagues and meet new people as well as to learn. And so many issues and things to learn just to keep up or to innovate do not fit into the time we had. A special thanks to those who worked so hard for us to organize the conference.
But in the spirit of constructive feedback and reflections back on the precon, I offer the following:
1) The Preconference is TOO short. We had essentially only 1 day. 2 panel session slots do not give us enough time for the various issues that need covering. At least another half day would have allowed us at least another session slot to allow for some more breadth and depth would truly be desirable. The Nashville team worked hard to showcase their city…and maybe we (I) could have spent more time in it, as well.
2) The Year in Review this year was great. The jurors explained so well their reasoning about selections, spoke well about the work they selected. We may not have agreed with all the selections, but we understood why. I appreciated knowing that they didn’t agree on everything and that was OK, even good, and where heart may have factored in the selection over the brain. The jurors were each well steeped in the issues and work of the field, thus their comments, thoughts, and explanations were illuminating. I appreciated their critique of some trends in the field, too, and found them to be lessons and warnings for me. 37 selections out of a field of nearly 350 submissions might say something about our field’s work over the past, when the “target” recognition number is around 50.
3) We need more artists in attendance. I applaud the artists who attended the PAN Conference. PAN/AFTA need to think about how to involve more artists in the conference because they add liveliness and energy to panels and other events. We need to encourage artists of all experience levels to come. The content of the conference also needs to address their interests if we would like to attract more artists. More support for artists to participate on panels in the form of travel/hotel subsidies is needed. But, there must also be content worthwhile for them to spend money and time to attend. I also felt a lack of Nashville artists’ attendance. Could there perhaps be more sessions open to the local artists to attend for free?
4) The panel presenters did a pretty good job as a whole. Some were outstanding and inspiring. But, sometimes I wondered why some people were presenting on the topic? Plenary sessions are especially important to calibrate with a nod to aspirational as well as inspirational.
5) The more participatory panel formats allowed presenters to bring up questions and the attendees to ask questions or relay their expertise so we can share and learn from each other. Conversations, feedback, lessons.
6) Social events are great! Let’s continue the receptions! A lot of learning also takes place in the networking and social settings. I found the large Preconference reception however too large. I like meeting others from the parallel precons, but with networking time at a premium, I had a hard time meeting people from Public Art in the crowd. A nearly 300 person reception (just from our Precon attendees) is already pretty large group. I know how hard it is to find money for receptions, too, so I really appreciate their efforts on our behalf. At another conference, we also invited local artists to attend the reception. I could not tell if that had happened in Nashville.
7) We didn’t have a chance to have a late night pool party!
8) A special shout out to Nancy from the Nashville Visitors’ table. Her honest critique of some of the outdoor sculpture around the city as well as tips on where to go made talking with her such a pleasure. We need more ambassadors like her.
This is our field’s only comprehensive conference. I did have a great time and I did learn some great takeaways. Some attend many years in a row, and as a field, we need the preconference to provide us with material that advances as the field advances. Those new to the field do not need to start at zero as if it is 1973, but to learn some basic strategies the more experienced in the field have learned over the years and can share. We are the ones who can make it what we want and need. Let’s push to make it the best it can possibly be.
