2021-616-E-Arts Commission-BASEMENT Art Space-Restart the Arts

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Provide a brief description of your pre-pandemic core arts-related programming or offerings. BASEMENT had been in existence for less than a year when the COVID-19 pandemic shut-downs arriv ed in the Spring of 2020. Our first and only pre-pandemic public ev ent was an in-person group exhibition, “Breathing W ithout A Body,” which ran from Nov ember 2019 to January 2020. This show featured local artists Saba Taj (NC), Stephen Hayes (NC), and collaborators Max Symuleski (NY/NC) and Sinan Goknur (Turkey/NC). Through collectiv e research and studio v isits, BASEMENT curators rigorously selected these artists who employed v arious methods and media, including collage, drawing, sculpture, and v ideo. Each artist’s practice uniquely considered the past, present, and future through an exhumation of the body within distinct social and historical landscapes. W hile speculating on the contradictions and continued v iolence of racism and economic dev elopment in the name of capital, together their works asserted a space of both resistance and resilience. BASEMENT aided the selected artists in all stages of installing the exhibition including transporting artwork and prov iding indiv idualized installation support. Before the show, we turned BASEMENT into pristine gallery condition by building, repairing, and painting walls, and customizing lighting. W e acquired necessary equipment, such as v ideo projectors, and built a projection screen. Through our efforts, we showcased the artists’ works and also prov ided a clean space that allowed them to document their work and thereby build their portfolios for future opportunities. To celebrate “Breathing W ithout A Body,” BASEMENT hosted an opening reception, docent walk-throughs, weekend v iewing days, and a closing reception that included a moderated panel discussion. The months-long process of planning and mounting this show helped us strengthen and expand our collaborativ e, organizational, and curatorial skills, and to initiate dialogues with exceptional artists in the area. “Breathing W ithout A Body” generated an enthusiastic response from artists and our community. Ov er 50 people, including artists and guests from throughout the Triangle attended our opening in Nov ember 2019. Ov er twenty-fiv e guests attended the closing reception and artists’ panel discussion in January 2020. BASEMENT’s inception and programs receiv ed positiv e press cov erage from INDY W eekly, and later, from The Daily Tar Heel and the OCAC Newsletter. Please explain the impact of your organization on the Orange County community in a typical year. BASEMENT has only been in existence since July 2019 and the physical space was closed due to COVID from March 2020-August 2021. Although we hav e not had a “typical year,” our first and only pre-pandemic in-person exhibition,“Breathing W ithout a Body,” was receiv ed enthusiastically by the arts community of Orange County and beyond. “Breathing W ithout a Body” (11/2019 - 01/2020) included works by local artists Stephen Hayes, Saba Taj, and Max Simuleski & Sinan Goknur. The opening and closing ev ents drew large audiences from the Triangle and receiv ed positiv e cov erage from Indy W eekly, DocuSign Envelope ID: B028461D-0E0E-4A6F-813C-EBF4CEE2496B