Supporting a ‘vibrant, edgy’ arts scene

A:Q:

I understand that this is a newly created position. What led to the move from this volunteer work to a paid position? Board members are supposed to govern, to set policy and establish a strategic vision for the organization. That sounds great in theory, but someone has to implement the policies and vision board members establish. The coalition has tried to exist and even grow as an all-volunteer organization, and it was becoming increasingly evident that this was impossible. Everyone on the board had full-time jobs and was unable to do the necessary work to move our vision to action. I had been trying to fill the gap as board chair and found that I was becoming burned out trying to govern and implement policies, as well. We began to see a path where our contracted income was increasing sufficiently to afford to hire staff. I see myself as a transitional executive director who will get SDRACC organized and on its way now that I have more time to devote to day-to-day operations.

Q:

You previously served as executive director of the Women’s Museum of California. What lessons are you taking from your time at the museum to your new role with the arts and culture coalition?

A:

I learned a lot during my tenure at the museum, but the one lesson that I will take with me is doing more to take more time to talk to the constituents, the people who we serve, while we are making plans for the future. You can never do enough listening because people will tell you exactly what they need from you. I plan to take as much time as possible to do that in this new role.

Q:

What are your goals/vision for the coalition as its first executive director?

A:

I want to lean into the “regional” aspect of my position. This means figuring out what advocacy and service means, not just to the arts and culture sector in the city of San Diego, but in North County, the South Bay and East County. I want to listen and learn the needs of the arts and culture communities in our suburbs, more rural areas, as well as urban enclaves. After we hear from our constituents, I want to understand how we can best serve those communities (given our capacity) and how do we scale up to serve them today and into the future. We are still trying to figure out what “normal” looks like in this postpandemic world, so this assessment process will not be easy, but I can assure you that it will be fascinating.

Q:

According to your website, part of your organization’s work includes advocating for public policies that support the arts, advocating for funding for arts programs, and informing the public about the importance of the arts. Can you tell us about a couple of examples of past policies that have been implemented and support the local arts community? A:

One advocacy effort I am particularly proud of is the

Felicia Shaw had a fellowship with the arts and culture commission in San Diego in the early 1990s, introducing her to another local arts advocacy organization — the San Diego Regional Arts and Culture Coalition. With a career of more than 30 years of advocating for greater funding and support for local arts, she recently accepted a new position with the organization as its first executive director.

“I will be building the organization’s infrastructure so that it can not only serve the nonprofit arts and culture community but individual artists who have been underserved by our organization and under-supported by the San Diego community for far too long,” says Shaw, who previously served as chair of the board of directors for the coalition. “I will also be working very hard to include more organizations led by people of color in our advocacy work. There is so much work to do to include these groups, whose audiences and artists are marginalized. Their voices need to be heard and their needs, which are great, need to be addressed.”

The coalition was founded in 1989 in response to a recommendation from the city to eliminate funding for the arts due to a cash shortage, she says. The pushback from the arts community resulted in a reversal of that decision, and the organization continues to focus on ways to maintain and increase public funding and support for local arts “always looking to get more of our fair share because we know the return on investment that the arts makes on our lives.”

Shaw, 67, began working in her new role last month and currently lives in Azalea Park in the City Heights neighborhood. She has three adult children and five grandchildren, and talks about some of the lessons learned during her overall career that she’s bringing to this position, her focus on San Diego’s regional arts community, and what she enjoys about San Diego’s arts scene.

re-establishment of the San Diego County Arts and Culture Commission, which folded several decades ago.

For years, we talked to elected officials about the need to bring that commission back. We made the case for the economic impact of the arts and the need to increase access to the arts in areas that don’t have the volume of arts organizations that the city of San Diego does.

They finally heard us and announced last year that the commission is back. We never gave up and our efforts paid off.

Q:

How would you describe the arts and culture scene in San Diego, compared to other places where you’ve lived (like St. Louis)?

A:

St. Louis has an amazing arts scene; it needs it because it doesn’t have the environment that makes San Diego such a desirable place to visit and engage in the arts like San Diego. San Diego’s art scene is vibrant, edgy, sophisticated and casual. I love that we have such a diversity of ways to engage in the arts and you never need a suit and tie to go to anything. It’s affordable for some, but not for all, which is a concern. I am also concerned that our audiences tend to be older; I would like to see younger people engaging in the arts more, but it is happening and audiences are becoming more diverse. I love the arts scene here. There is more to do on any given day than anyone will have time to invest. I hope that never changes.

Q:

Do you practice/create any art of your own?

A:

I consider myself a creative person, but I am not a practicing artist. My first love was writing, and I wish I had pursued journalism when I attended Northwestern University, years ago. I ended up majoring in communications, which served me well, but I miss the opportunity to write creative works. If I ever retire, this will be on my short list of things I would like to revisit because creative writing brought me so much joy. Until then, I will read the wonderful works of others. Those who can, do. Those who can’t do, become great arts administrators.

Q:

What kinds of local art or art programs have you been most excited about recently (and why)?

A:

I am excited about the shift our community and the entire country is making toward a greater focus on individual artists. For years, we looked to the nonprofit arts and culture sector to deliver cultural programs and services, and they continue to be primary anchors and purveyors of arts products and programs, but we forget that artists are at the center of everything. Without their individual innovation and creativity, we have nothing. Today, we are thinking about how to ensure that artists thrive, whether they are affiliated with an institution or working independently. They are no longer being asked to perform work pro bono, regardless of whether they are emerging or established artists. We value them and their time as professional purveyors of creative products, and they need a living wage to continue to do that work.

We are engaging local artists more and not bringing in artists from other places to do the work artists living right here in San Diego should be paid to do. And, we are looking to local artists for solutions to some of our most intractable social problems. Artists working at the intersection of art and social change are helping us communicate ways to understand climate change, homelessness, health equity and other issues that regular information campaigns can’t. These are all very exciting developments that I hope we will see more of.

Q:

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

A:

I used to worry about retirement and the need to slow down because that is what so many people my age are told they need to do. However, someone told me to simply listen to my body and do what feels right for me, and me only. Right now, I am having too much fun living and making a difference where I am needed. I am going to continue to use every crayon in the box until the box is empty. Then, and only then, will I call it a day.

Q:

What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?

A:

I am an introvert. I love people and enjoy being in the public eye, but I need to recharge after too much stimulation and am known to excuse myself early from parties because I am easily overwhelmed by too much interaction. The next day, though, I am ready to go again!

Q:

Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend.

A:

Time to tend my garden of succulents, a walk in Azalea Park (yes, we have a park too!), visits with my grandchildren, cooking something that takes more than 10 minutes, shopping at the local Goodwill, and any type of art adventure. Now, that’s heaven.