In a nutshell, what is your research focus?
I am a social scientist with substantive research contributions in the area of arts management and policy. My research focuses on the dynamics of artistic production—specifically, the role of physical and human capital. I address questions such as: What are the effects of investments in arts facilities on organizations and cities? And how do arts workers navigate their careers? I supplement this work by studying arts policy related to the distribution of arts in society.
What is your motivation to do research?
I like doing research because it allows me to exercise my analytical skills. Prior to being a researcher, I worked as an actor and a trained singer. In these roles, I also enjoyed being analytical (e.g., analyzing text and music). I also like to create and have ownership over my work. Being a researcher lets me share my ideas, and gives me the opportunity to discuss my ideas with others interested in the same topics. I like doing research in the arts because of my background in the arts, and the enjoyment I get from participating in the arts.
What project(s) are you currently working on?
One project that I am working on looks at the impacts of university investments in the arts. For example, this project addresses questions such as how do universities spend money on the arts, and how does spending on the arts affect outcomes such as who participates in the arts and even the types of students that attend universities. Another project that I am working on looks at the role of artists in public sector innovation. Here, I consider whether artists have skillsets to offer to non-arts sectors, like goverment, in producing creative and innovative solutions to problems. I have also begun work on a book project tentatively titled The American Contemporary Artist: A Statistical Profile, which will be a compendium of my research on artist workers. The book will provide a historical account of what we know about artist careers and put forth alternative models of artist careers in the 21st century.
What does international networking mean for your research?
Having the opportunity to network with people outside of the United States always reminds me that the world is so much bigger than I perceive it to be in my day-to-day work. Working in an international context gives me new perspectives on the ways I think about how to formulate the problems that I am trying to address in my research. When I work internationally, I am reminded that most likely someone else is thinking about the same issues I think about in my work, and more importantly, has different and valuable perspectives that I need to consider.
What do you see as the main focus of your participation in the ZCCE Fellowship Programme?
I hope that the main focus of my participation in the ZCCE Fellowship Programme is to begin a long-term partnership with ZHdK through research and teaching. While I am in Zurich, I would like to focus on sharing ideas and getting to know the ZHdK community so that we can learn how to align our goals and collaborate on projects in the future.