Greetings friends,

It feels impossible to articulate what has transpired in the world, our country, and our communities this year in a short letter. What I feel like I can personally reflect on is the feeling of loss, something I think everyone has experienced more intensely over the last ten months. However, before recounting our organizational struggles and accomplishments, I want to acknowledge that the spectrum of experiences this past year has been vast and that many people have had immeasurably more difficult times than us. The Co-Lab team wants to extend our most profound concern for each of your well beings and the health of your friends and families, far more essential and valuable than any organization or business venture. We sincerely hope that circumstances are beginning to right themselves in your lives as this year comes to an end.

Back in March, we were having dire discussions about the programmatic and budgetary directions we might explore, anticipating that the pandemic might go on for a year or longer. We talked frankly about the very harsh realities that the arts may not survive this type of disaster and how we could best weather the storm in order to continue providing for the community. For a while, I resisted the idea of changing directions; after all, things had been looking up for the organization. The Springdale General gallery offered greater exposure to the public, sales were up, artists were getting paid, we were hiring more, the Glissman property development project was underway, and our capital campaign was about to launch. Feeling like we were retreating when we were so close was devastating to me, ‘twelve years of unrelenting labor wasted’ was the sentiment I couldn’t shake. I felt like it all might collapse and that I had thrown away the last sixteen years of my life striving to build something that mattered, something that might last beyond my involvement. I was having a crisis of faith, as I’m sure as many of you were, or very possibly still are. All this, not to mention the loss of our collective in-person art experiences; the void left in its absence seemed unfillable. Fortunately, these feelings began to wane as I grew to accept this was a universal experience and that, more importantly, it was another opportunity for us to reset, analyze, reimagine, and adapt. If anything, these principles have been pillars of Co-Lab’s history. After all, Leslie Moody Castro and I started this endeavor at the beginning of the last recession! The tenacity of the organization and those who support, direct, and contribute their talent to it is what drives us forward, even if a few steps backward or sideways are required. We are, after all this time, still here.

I am recovered from this momentary malaise and am excited to begin our next chapter, but first, let me review what we were able to accomplish this year despite the circumstances.

After submitting a mountain of applications, we were fortunate to receive the assistance that helped us afford our ongoing expenses and obligations.
We extended resources to our community members struggling to sift through the avalanche of COVID relief information, helping individuals find and apply for funds, grants, and unemployment benefits.
We awarded funds to BIPOC LGBTQIA artists working in our community, assisting them in continuing their creative work and affording living expenses during difficult times.
Programmatically, we shifted our support to an ongoing open call for video work, providing stipends to artists selected to be featured across our platforms.
Director and Curator Vladimir Mejia kept #bitres (our digital residency program) going strong, giving artists in isolation access to our audiences and stipends to produce new content.
Associate Director of Grants and Sponsored Projects David McMichael continued his work helping our sponsored projects, composed primarily of underserved artists and groups, receive grant funds for their future projects and productions.
Director and Itinerant Curator Leslie Moody Castro has been in Mexico City for the duration, working on a multitude of projects and developing exhibitions with CDMX artists for future Co-Lab programs.
Director of Development Austin Nelsen continued to lead the Glissman Development Project, which moves forward through the permitting process and should be wrapping up mid-2021, allowing us to begin construction once we determine that capital fundraising is viable.
Director of Facilities and Events Christopher Burch and his father Charley Burch have laid the groundwork for our near future endeavors at Glissman, preparing the property for our soon to premier open-air temporary gallery and outdoor programs venue!

In 2021, our primary goal is to optimize the use of our undeveloped property on Glissman Road for COVID compliant programs that mirror and combine what we produced last year with Partial Shade’s outdoor series A Platform and our white wall gallery programs at Springdale General. Due to COVID restrictions that regulate indoor gatherings, we will be closing the Springdale General gallery to focus our efforts and finances on the Glissman property, our only material asset, and a far superior location for safe art experiences. An open-air exhibition space is currently being assembled on site, built out of culverts donated from the neighboring concrete factory. Entitled COUVERT, the site-sensitive structure/sculpture will provide a covered space for us to host installations, performances, video and sound works, film screenings, murals, and more. The structure features large doors on either end, allowing for increased air circulation, solar panels for LED lighting at night, and natural light tubes for daytime viewing. Like A Platform, the structure encourages participants to examine their relationship with navigated physical space and highlights the importance of the site, context, and accessibility.

We plan to reopen Glissman in March (COVID status pending) and are working to assemble the structure to meet that goal. We are also developing procedures to assure both artists and audiences that attending future events is safe and worthwhile. Part of this plan is to encourage regular COVID testing within our small arts community. We believe building a culture around testing will supply additional layers of protection and personal accountability to one another alongside other preventative measures such as distancing, masking, temp checks, and contact tracing. We are confident that this path forward represents the best opportunity for us to continue supporting artists and their visions as well as begin the process of rebuilding our arts community.

For the first time in a while, I feel optimistic about the future. With safety at the center of our plan, we hope to reconnect with you when you feel comfortable enough to join us. It’s going to be a slow process, and we are fully prepared to proceed at a safe pace. We miss you all dearly and look forward to the day we can come together again to celebrate art and community. Until then, we wish you a happy holiday season and cheers to leaving this year behind.

Sincerely,
Sean Gaulager, Executive Director and Curator
and Directors Leslie Moody Castro, Austin Nelsen, Christopher Burch, and Vladimir Mejia

Please consider donating to Co-Lab Projects before the end of 2020! Funds raised at this time will assist with paying artist stipends, commissioning new projects, covering operational and production budgets, and affording ongoing expenses next year. Help us further stabilize the organization during these difficult times by making a charitable and tax-deductible contribution today.

2020 End of Year Letter