Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
6 <br /> Page 2 of 2 Alexander Gast <br /> Review. I was an artist for the 2025 Coalesce show with OCAC, working with local Durham artist <br /> Keri Carnes. <br /> The board is concerned, to grossly over-simplify your mission, with promoting art and artists <br /> within Orange County. My position would be focused on bridging the gaps between the larger <br /> Orange County arts community and the large, but somewhat self-contained, arts community at <br /> UNC. I believe that my interest in the community at UNC, the community outside of it, and, most <br /> importantly, the artistic principles inherent to each, make my interests and experiences relevant <br /> to the Arts Commission. If selected, I would put everything I have into the position. <br /> Please explain your reasons for wanting to serve on this board <br /> I am interested in art and the creation of art. I have spent a lot of time investigating what exactly <br /> this means, and even more time explaining it to my parents. Something I have learned is that the <br /> creation of art in a vacuum, while still powerful and worthwhile, pales in comparison to creating <br /> art as a part of the larger artistic conversation; it is not much good to be a writer without being a <br /> reader, or to be a teacher without being a learner. <br /> The work of the Orange County Arts Commission is centered around community development <br /> and enrichment. This work interests me just as deeply, if not more so, than the work of the artist <br /> as an individual. Appointment to the Commission's committee would allow me to experience art <br /> on a different plane. I also find the student liaison position to be uniquely appealing and <br /> applicable to my interests and my artistic versatility, as I find myself straddling the boundary <br /> between an artist at UNC and an artist in Orange County. <br /> Serving on the board would allow me personal enrichment, but would also allow me to give back <br /> to two separate communities of artists who have meant much to me. It would also allow me to <br /> solidify the connection between the two communities. This is a worthwhile calling, in my eyes, <br /> and one I would be honored to undertake, with the help of the board. <br /> How would your particpation on this board contribute to the diversity of viewpoints? <br /> Compared to other students at UNC, I believe that I am uniquely connected to many different <br /> and diverse groups of scholars. Membership in Honors Carolina, the Thomas Wolfe Scholars <br /> cohort, the poetry department, Cellar Door, and other academic organizations beyond has <br /> placed me in close proximity to many different micro-communities at the school. I am also <br /> extremely social, and have little trouble forging new connections to individuals or the <br /> organizations they represent. I think that on this board, I could serve as an access point to many <br /> various micro-communities within UNC and further or forge their involvements with the Arts <br /> Commission. Though I like to think of my own viewpoints as nuanced and diverse, I think my true <br /> skill on this board would be facilitating and sourcing viewpoints and knowledge from different and <br /> diverse sectors of the University, and bringing all these people and organizations, in spirit, to the <br /> Commission. <br /> Do you have any personal or business interest(s)that could create a conflict of interest <br /> (either real or perceived) if you are appointed to this board? <br /> Boards/Commissions appointments: <br /> Other Comments: <br /> This application was current on: 5/12/2025 8:12:40 AM Date Printed: 5/14/2025 <br />