Spotlight on Jackie Szafara, Executive Director for The National Arts Program®
Jackie J. Szafara has been involved with the National Arts Program® since its inception in 1982. Working directly for the foundation since 2001, Jackie was named the Executive Director in 2009. Jackie brought with her twenty years of outside experience in the marketing and advertising industry. Her responsibilities here include overseeing all venues across the country, speaking on behalf of the NAP, website development and implementation and, generally, making sure the rules of our exhibits are properly followed. Jackie is also actively involved in seeking potential new venues to add to the program.
As 2012 is the foundation’s 30th Anniversary, we decided to take the opportunity to turn our spotlight on our dedicated Executive Director. Here is what she had to say when asked a few questions about the foundation.
Q. How did you first get involved the National Arts Program Foundation?
A. The Founder, Mr. Leonard Andrews, owned a publishing company that I was working for in Chicago. I started out volunteering at the Philadelphia show. When I stopped working full time in the advertising business in 2001, he asked me to help part time with the marketing materials and now, here I am.
Q. Why does the foundation promote “employee” art specifically?
A. I think the employee part confuses people. Our mission is to find large employers. To make funding of an NAP show work, our target is where 3000 people or more are employed in order to have a minimum of 100 artists (ideally). That naturally led to large employers; cities, companies, counties, and more recently health systems and airports. Many cities have found out about us through word of mouth. We are about reducing the obstacles that someone has to showcasing their artwork. The majority of artists that participate are amateurs and have never had the opportunity to show their work, let alone have it judged professionally.
A. I think the employee part confuses people. Our mission is to find large employers. To make funding of an NAP show work, our target is where 3000 people or more are employed in order to have a minimum of 100 artists (ideally). That naturally led to large employers; cities, companies, counties, and more recently health systems and airports. Many cities have found out about us through word of mouth. We are about reducing the obstacles that someone has to showcasing their artwork. The majority of artists that participate are amateurs and have never had the opportunity to show their work, let alone have it judged professionally.
Q. What do you think has been the most significant change or addition to the program in recent years?
A. Hands down, the internet. Our website includes photos and information about all of our venues. It hosts a free, online artist gallery where they can put up bios, photos, and links to their work. For us, it is now the main area where we house all the materials, examples of what others are doing, online registrations for artists, and more recently, videos and media links. It allows us to offer a much more enriching experience for the participant and the venue than ever before.
A. Hands down, the internet. Our website includes photos and information about all of our venues. It hosts a free, online artist gallery where they can put up bios, photos, and links to their work. For us, it is now the main area where we house all the materials, examples of what others are doing, online registrations for artists, and more recently, videos and media links. It allows us to offer a much more enriching experience for the participant and the venue than ever before.
Q. Can you share one experience with the National Arts Program® that has been particularly rewarding to you?
A. To hear “thank you” for providing the opportunity for a participant to see their artwork hanging or displayed in public. I would say for over 75% of our artists it is the first time they have ever seen their artwork hung and viewed by someone other than themselves. It is in front of their peers, managers, and many whom “never knew”.
A. To hear “thank you” for providing the opportunity for a participant to see their artwork hanging or displayed in public. I would say for over 75% of our artists it is the first time they have ever seen their artwork hung and viewed by someone other than themselves. It is in front of their peers, managers, and many whom “never knew”.
Q. In your opinion, what elements are vital to running a successful National Arts Program® Exhibition?
A. A successful show is completely dependent on our Coordinators. They take on the challenge. We can provide the materials, ribbons, Rules of Exhibit, and even money, but if the person who runs the show isn’t interested in the success of the show, it will fail. We recently had a new venue with an expectation of filling a mezzanine gallery in the lobby of their state building. She was completely overwhelmed when 475 pieces of artwork were submitted by employees. Even the governor of the state blogged about it!
A. A successful show is completely dependent on our Coordinators. They take on the challenge. We can provide the materials, ribbons, Rules of Exhibit, and even money, but if the person who runs the show isn’t interested in the success of the show, it will fail. We recently had a new venue with an expectation of filling a mezzanine gallery in the lobby of their state building. She was completely overwhelmed when 475 pieces of artwork were submitted by employees. Even the governor of the state blogged about it!
Q. What are your goals for the immediate or the long term future of the program?
A. More immediate goals are controlling the growth with limited dollars. We have gone from 35 to close to 90 venues in five years. More long term goals are helping our cities and venues keep any and all the arts programs alive and finding ways to help. We are reformatting some of our scholarship dollars to do that and hope to have venues in every state and major city.
A. More immediate goals are controlling the growth with limited dollars. We have gone from 35 to close to 90 venues in five years. More long term goals are helping our cities and venues keep any and all the arts programs alive and finding ways to help. We are reformatting some of our scholarship dollars to do that and hope to have venues in every state and major city.