Event and Program Portfolio 2008 - 2016

holly Meyers

The Kentuck Festival of the Arts 2013, 2014

Description The Kentuck Festival of the Arts is a juried art festival with a focus on Outsider Art, Folk Art, Contemporary Craft and Traditional Craft works. More than 250 artists and thousands of art enthusiasts converge annually under the shady trees of Kentuck Park in Northport, Alabama each year since 1971 putting the Festival in its 44th year. Nationally recognized for its quality and diversity, a stroll through the Kentuck Festival brings visitors eye-to-art with a variety of artistic styles ranging from folk to contemporary art and craft. Traditional and heritage craft artists such as basket weavers, blacksmiths, potters and quilters invite visitors to watch them demonstrate their skills and share the secrets of their craft. There is also over 12 live music acts, storytelling, and kids art activities.

My Role As Program Manager, I assisted the executive director with all event logistics such as the budget, marketing, print material, volunteer placement, and basic grounds set-up. I assisted throughout the artist and vendor application process and jury process. I coordinated all artist booth placement while overseeing all administrative tasks to implement all Festival processes on the back side. I coordinated with state, county, and city tax officials. In addition, I prepared all music and food vendor contracts while overseeing the completion of each project.

Art Night 2013, 2014Description Art Night is a monthly event that has been taking place on the entire Kentuck Art Center campus for twenty years. Art Night includes an opening art exhibition, art activities, live music, open artist studios, featured clay co-op works, gallery shop specials, food and libations. Each Art Night Kentuck would expect between 100-300 guests. Art Night is a free community enrichment program.

My Role I planned and lead each monthly Art Night which included coordinating every art exhibition, musical act, food preparation, pop-up shops, etc. It was my role to implement the marketing aspect as well - I used e-blasts, social media and postcards to assist our marketing plan. With the help of the KMA staff and volunteers, each Art Night was predictably successful. The community anticipated the first Thursday of every month at Kentuck.

Yard Party for Art 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Description Yard Party for Art (YPA) is the Wiregrass Museum of Art’s largest and most successful annual fundraiser. The event is an end-of-the-summer, outdoor concert and dinner located in the museum garden. YPA has financed educational department’s annual budget for the last ten years.

My Role As the Special Events Coordinator, I oversaw all event logistics such as the budget, marketing, print material, volunteer placement, financial records, and basic grounds set-up. I began planning each Yard Party for Art immediately after the event ended in its current year. I would quickly break down the success of the past year and begin to redefine the goals of the upcoming YPA. It took me approximately eight months to fully plan. I began by designing a strategic plan that included assessing a new budget, booking bands, and designing a strong marketing agenda.

Successes During my time planning and coordinating Yard Party for Art, WMA had its most successful years in attendance and monies. From 2009 to 2011, we observed a great climb in ticket sales and sponsorship dollars. Also, we observed a greater visitor experience. I believe this was due to a great deal of team work and event management.

The Power House Initiative 2011

Description The Power House was an initiative brought to the staff by the Wiregrass Museum of Art’s Executive Director in 2010. The museum was facing new challenges due to the 100 year old building’s structural issues, and because of these issues WMA’s Main Gallery was no longer hospitable for exhibitions until the end of 2011. The staff had to innovate new ways of utilizing the Main Gallery. This initiative would involve events, classes and programs such as a dinner and movie series, sip n‘ paint series, music series, and family nights.

My Role I was the team leader in planning the entire year’s schedule for The Power House. This was an opportunity for me to create programs from the ground up. Each Thursday night, WMA’s doors remained open for extra gallery hours and events. I oversaw all budgeting, departmental logistics, staffing and creative aspects.

Successes Each program was designed to appeal to all people. One class might have appealed to working mothers while another attracted the whole family. Each event had its own following, and achieved the goals of grabbing the attention of the community. The Power House Initiative became a personal experience for visitors.

POP Art Bash 2011

Description POP was a New Year’s Eve Bash as well as the “kick off” event to the new Power House program schedule for 2011. The overall goal of this event was to introduce the community to WMA’s new concept, The Power House. With a Pop Art theme, the night featured appearances by DJ Andy Warhol, Pop Art Marilyn Monroe, Edie Sedgwick, and Salvador Dali. POP took place in four prime gallery spaces. A local DJ opened for the live band, Atlanta Funk Society, right in the main gallery.

My Role As creative lead, I first established the Pop Art themes, then booked the musical talent. I decorated event space, provided art activities, multiple beverage stations, hors d’oeuvres, and made a photo booth available for all guests. I oversaw the volunteers, staff, budget, media, graphic design, and basic grounds logistics such as lay-out, set-up, lighting and staging.

Successes POP was a roaring success with record breaking attendance for a first time indoor event. We reached capacity (500 guests) half way through the night. The event completely accomplished its goals which was to raise awareness of The Power House Initiative. In addition, POP was the most diverse crowd WMA has ever seen.

Story Tell’n: A Music Series 2011

Description Story Tell’n was a part of The Power House Initiative. This music series was driven by visitor interactions. We wanted the audience to feel as if they were in their own living room listening to their favorite musicians. Each musical act was encouraged to have a dialogue with the audience through their lyrics, music, and story telling. The music series featured local musicians, a traveling band from West Virginia, and a band from New Orleans.

My Role I oversaw all event planning from the concept to the logistics such as marketing, print material, volunteer placement, financial records, and basic event set-up. This music series was one that I always had in mind, but never had the venue opportunity. I chose the musical acts based on personal encounters I had with each act. I wanted the genres to be as diverse as possible but, in the end, the genres (folk, bluegrass, rock-a-billy) were all similar to one another which correlated well. In hindsight, I believe similar genres made the series more cohesive and fluid.

Successes Attendance exceeded my expectations each evening. The visitor interaction was just as I imagined. It was a personal encounter they experienced and the crowd left inspired and affected. WMA still receives requests to bring back the music series as well as the specific musicians involved from 2011. It was truly a memorable evening. I left reminded of why I love to plan events.

Past Perceptions Programming 2012Description Past Perceptions was an exhibition of works by Southern Women. In conjunction with the show, I created a series of educational programs to accompany the message/theme of the exhibition. The overall goal was to create a dynamic series of free events with the undertone of Women’s History by way of memory.

Artist in the Gallery - Artist Katherine Adams shared her experiences as a woman in the art world as well as the meaning and process behind her work. This provided an interactive setting for visitors and artist. Documentary Viewing - We screened the related documentary Women Art Revolution. This film was reminiscent of the Women’s Art Movement and showed oral histories and incorporated historical documents. Lecture - Sociologist, Jeneve Brooks celebrated women by highlighting the struggle of women from the 1940s to the present. Her lecture connected the works of Past Perceptions Exhibition and was inspired by the popular book The Feminine Mystique.

My Role I worked closely with the curatorial department in terms of program concepts. It was important to have clear objectives based on the exhibitions overall tone. I created, managed and coordinated all event details.

Successes The curatorial staff and I had an opportunity to show the community that WMA was a cutting edge contemporary art establishment. Visitors had a chance to exhaust one exhibition from open to close. This gave the exhibition more depth and accountability.

Night at the Museum 2011

Description Night at the Museum was one of the many free family festivals thrown at the Wiregrass Museum of Art. It was planned in conjunction with Halloween. Kids were encouraged to come in costume. The film Night at the Museum was projected on the side of the building for families to sit in the gardens and watch. There was more than a dozen activities for the whole family as well as a photo booth to capture memories.

My Role I planned and coordinated all conceptual details and event logistics including marketing, print design, budgeting, volunteers, etc. I was given the objective of creating a free family event for locals. The main idea was to create an fun, festive event with an educational undertone.

Successes Night at the Museum was successful in terms of seeing new faces. It was held on a Friday night which gave the community something new and exciting for the whole family. The event was such a hit that it was replicated the following year as is said to be WMA’s new annual event. We observed a slight increase in family memberships.

Art of the Brew 2010, 2011

Description Art of the Brew was the third event in a three part fundraiser known as Cuisine Art held bi-annually at the Wiregrass Museum of Art. The evening was a fundraiser designed for young adults. There was a beer tasting sponsored by the local Anheuser-Busch Company and served by WMA volunteers. In addition to the tasting and food pairings, there was live music, hops lecture, open galleries and silent auctions.

My Role I worked closely with the Kennington Committee, a group of local socialites and museum patrons, in planning and coordinating Art of the Brew. Overall, I managed the group and oversaw all event logistics such as the budget, marketing, volunteer placement, lay-out, etc.

Successes There was always a steady and natural flow in attendance for Art of the Brew. This was an easy way to budget and raise extra funds without exhausting resources. Businesses and donors were open to sponsorship. Also, it was a positive way to connect the young professionals.

Project Installation 2010, 2011, 2012Description Project Installation was a program created by the staff of the Wiregrass Museum of Art in part of an ILMS grant received in 2010. This was an educational program for teens in local high schools. Kids were locked in the museum overnight to create an installation. There were six teams of seven students, each team represented a school. The teams were randomly given a theme and then paired with a professional art mentor. The teams were given $100 dollars and sent on their way to find supplies. The winning team’s art department would go on to receive $500 from our sponsors.

My Role I helped during the program in 2010 by lending basic staffing skills and connecting with art mentors. My role became more hands on during 2011 and 2012. I helped find professional mentors and the installation themes. I helped document the program with pictures and video over the duration of 20 hours. More than anything, I provided the project manager with moral support!

Successes The Wiregrass Museum of Art was recognized and honored in the state as well as surrounding institutions for this one-of-a-kind program. Many of the students came from impoverished school systems. In addition, many of the participating schools had no art programs. Project Installation helped these schools cultivate the visual arts for the first time in their history.

Diversity

Design

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2008 Art After Hours Yard Party for Art Cuisine Art

2009 Dale Kennington Reception Upscale Resale Art After Hours Art Clash Movies in the Park Movies in the Park Fundraiser Yard Party for Art

2012 Yard Party for Art

2013 These Woods are for Living: Live EP Recording Kentuck for Kids Art Night 42nd Kentuck Festival of the Arts

2010 Project Installation Art 24 Programming B10 Reception Yard Party for Art Upscale Resale Celebrity Lecture Series Art of the Brew Art After Hours

2011 POP: NYE Bash Project Installation Story Tell’n: Music Series Dinner & A Movie Series Art of the Brew Toys R’ Us Reception Hodges Photography Reception Celebrity Lecture Series Yard Party for Art

Calendar

2012 The Wine Experience Project Installation Spring Fling Art Festival Upscale Resale The Music Lives On Messy Party Fundraiser Past Perceptions Program Katherine Adams Lecture !WAR Film Screening The Feminine Mystique Lecture

2014 Art Night Clay Days Kentuck Membership Party Coffee with the Collector 43rd Kentuck Festival of the Arts

2015 WiL: Expo Kids College