Collaboration in the Arts featuring Mackenzie Sinclair

[AI ] TRANSCRIPT:

Not everything does work out. And that's okay, because so long as you've been honest and transparent and as authentic as you can be, sometimes those things can work out later on.

Let's talk about collaboration in the arts. With me today is Mackenzie Sinclair. Mackenzie is Executive Director of the Art Dealers Association of Canada and the Canadian Art Hop, which we will talk about later. She has over a decade of experience in the arts and culture sector and has worked with commercial galleries, museums and artist run centers. McKenzie is co-founder of the group Studio Hours here in Toronto, and she also collects art when she can. In this current chapter of her career and growth, she's leaning into the wonderful world of collaboration and what it looks like within our art world.

Thank you so much for joining me today, Mackenzie. It's so nice to talk to you and great to see you.

Thanks for having me, Heather. I'm really excited to be here.

So what are some of the things that you've learned about collaboration in your adventures and experiences in the art world so far?

Yeah. Some of the things that I've learned from collaboration is that you learn more about yourself when you're working in a group, or you're working collaboratively with a singular other person. You can either, you know, really lean into that partnership or, you know, that togetherness, and really make some wonderful things happen. I don't think we would see a handful of some of the extraordinary things that have happened within the Canadian art world without collaboration. And I think it's just such an important tool, as well as resource, to use.

If you were to give people some key points or some tips in terms of collaboration, what would they be?

One of the biggest things that I have learned so far with collaboration is being transparent and asking questions. It's okay to get a no, in terms of an art, whether it be in terms of sponsorship or partnership. With an in-kind sponsorship or just an idea that you've had and you can't execute it alone, and you're looking for partners. Don't be afraid to ask. And be as transparent as possible. Look, this is exactly what I can bring to you, whether it be financial, material time, capacity. And then the other thing that I would say is that I've learned from collaborations is that you really should shoot for the moon.

A lot of the time, people are very much willing to meet you where you want them to meet you. Especially if the collaboration or the project or the idea is something that is different or unique or is missing from the sector. Folks, I think, have this idea that people don't want to support the arts when they really do.

You just really have to ask. And that not everything does work out. And that's okay, because so long as you've been honest and transparent and as authentic as you can be, sometimes those things can work out later on. So if not now, later. And that's something that I have learned, is that sometimes collaborations don't happen when you first ask them to, but they do come along down the road.

People are really willing to, you know, keep connections, keep their network, and help out when they can and where they can. And so if a gallery or an artist or museum or institution is just not at the capacity that they can be, to work with you, doesn't mean that they can't be at that capacity until a year later, six months later. So just even starting that conversation is really important.

And that collaboration are not one size fits all. So, you know, the definition of a collaboration is the action of working with somebody to create or produce something. And what that something is, is not it doesn't have to be an exhibition or it doesn't have to be an event. It could be something as small as, you know, a newsletter together. Writing an article, a social media post. A curator in residency, like, the collaboration term, can be so far reaching. And you can really kind of take it and mold it and fit it to how it can work within your organization or your practice.

And I think that that's something that's really, really wonderful is by leaning into people's superpowers, whether they are a brilliant writer or a curator or they just love to talk about art. Or they've got connections that could help you elsewhere. Just asking and kind of and utilizing that community as well as the trust in yourself that hopefully people will also have the same vision as, you know, or hopes and dreams or, you know, just overall excitement that you have for a project that you want to do.

I love it. I love it. More joy, more celebration. More shooting for the moon and making the ask. Tell us about the Canadian Art Hop coming up.

Yes. So the Canadian Art Hop, it's very exciting. The Canadian Art Hop is a weekend. So May 1-4 this year. And it is a weekend to bridge the gaps between commercial art spaces, artists run spaces and institutions, public museums, museums and universities, as well as, just history, art history museums. We have over 95 participating spaces. As far as I know. I don't think that this is something that has kind of been pulled off before, but in terms of the last for sure, a decade, not something that has happened coast to coast on the same weekend, under the same umbrella, under the same, you know, direction and goal of celebration. And so that is something that is really, really exciting.

Amazing. I'm so looking forward to it. I will definitely be out at the galleries and, I wish I could go to more of them all across the country, but, I'll definitely go to the ones that I can. And, we will see you at some of them, I'm sure.

So where can people find info first about the art hop and then where can people connect with you online?

Yeah. So, you can find information about the art hop at Canadianarthop.ca. Or you can find us on Instagram, Canadianarthop. And then in terms of getting in touch with me, you can email Canadianarthop@ad-ac.ca

Okay. Thank you.

Thank you for having me.

So in the arts and in our personal lives, none of us really do anything alone. Collaboration is so, so essential. And what we often don't think about is how we collaborate and how we show up as a collaborator. How we can bring a spirit of generosity, what we bring to the table in all of our different types of partnerships.

So thanks to Mackenzie Sinclair for her thoughts about partnership in the arts and how essential it is, and the different ways we can think about it and approach it. I'm Heather Kelly. This is High Five for arts leaders and creative entrepreneurs. I'll see you next week.