Eye on the Esplanade: ‘So… what do you do, anyway?’

By Sierra Zukowski on September 21, 2023.

Anyone who went to art school can probably relate to the experience of being repeatedly asked by relatives and high school friends: “So… what do you do, anyway?”

Always a little tentatively, sometimes in a way that implies you just colour or do paper mâché all day, but often in a genuinely curious way that reveals a real gap in understanding. Mentioning a title like “curator” or “graphic designer” usually garners some head nodding and an intonated “Oooh” that suggests those words don’t have very much meaning to a lot of people. Further explanation required!

Because us art school alum don’t fall into the universally recognizable categories of nurse, teacher, accountant, tradesperson etc., there seems to be an aura of mystery surrounding arts and culture professionals. Like, what does that even mean and what does a typical day on the job look like? It doesn’t help that often, the specific work changes month to month, week to week and even day to day.

Sometimes, clarity can be found in explaining tangible by-products of the work we do. For example, hard copy exhibition catalogues, the latest exhibition at TREX Space (Tale of a Fish Scale, by the way) or social media platforms that digitally chronicle our happenings.

Of course, hidden behind each of these “finished products” are the hours, weeks and sometimes months of work required to bring each project to life. Think ideation, layout design, print production; studio visits with artists, framing and matting artwork, physical installation; writing copy, scheduling, gaining an audience.

The list goes on, and I’m sparing you the details of the inescapable administration work (you’re welcome!).

What is harder to capture in words is the feelings evoked by interactions in the field. For example, the pride of an artist who is given the opportunity to share their work and perspectives with a broader audience; the smile on a student’s face when they get to participate in a workshop and make their own piece of art; the buzz of energy at a reception.

This is what makes the work we do so meaningful. The essence of these intangibles is hard to measure quantitatively, but the positive impact on individuals and communities is impossible to deny when you experience it first-hand every day, and it’s something I’m so proud to be involved in.

Whenever I’m asked what my job is, I always pause. It’s difficult for me to explain, even.

Yes, sometimes I get to draw or facilitate paper mâché workshops, but more broadly, I am a purveyor of culture, a curator of experiences and a custodian of creative ideas.

Yes, this may be ambiguous and abstract, but it’s also decidedly awesome. And I invite you, self-identified “arts and culture person” or not, to have an open mind – to get out in the community and experience something new.

Perhaps a visit to TREX Space, a self-guided mural tour or a workshop at the Esplanade. I think you’ll be glad to have given it a try.

TREX Space is located downtown at #2 516 Third St. SE. Drop by and visit Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.

Sierra Zukowski is the program manager/curator for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition Program, TREX Southeast

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