Kaity O’Reilly – Open Engagement at the Queens Museum

With the grant provided by the Enrichment Fund, I was able to travel to New York City for the last conference-style iteration of Open Engagement at the Queens Museum. It was the 10th year for this social practice conference where artists and arts administrators gather together in to share knowledge, skills, and passions. In gathering, there was space for discussion and critical thought around what it means to be a “social practice” artist or administrator in the political and social climate of 2018. The opportunity to attend the conference has shaped my own professional and academic practice. I was able to encounter and critically engage with projects and practitioners committed to current, progressive practices of addressing social issues through the arts, which has greatly informed my own work.