Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelley McInerney.
Hi Kelley, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The Moab Arts Center is located in downtown Moab in a 100-year-old building that was acquired by the City in the 1980s. The facility was previously an LDS church, school, stuntman’s hall of fame, and now is home to the Arts & Recreation City offices, a coworking space, artist studios, and a community center. In our Foyer Gallery space we host monthly art shows and in our large gathering rooms classes and events are hosted on a regular basis ranging from mosaic making, painting, yoga, movie screenings, and story telling events to name a few. Our team takes pride in working with community partners, long-time Moab residents, and visitors to our small town. Our team of three facilities public art projects such as community mural paintings, vendor markets like our Holiday Craft Fair, the Red Rock Arts Festival in September, a Summer Camp for kids, seasonal classes, and rotating art in our building, City Hall, and the Canyonlands Regional Airport.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We are lucky to have the support of our Mayor, City Council, and community in the work that we do. Year over year we adjust our programming so that it stays relevant to the current community needs. What the center looks like and how it has operated has changed over time and will continue to do so.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Our Arts Center is multidisciplinary and has offered different programs as artist in our community come and go. Our public art program has historically supported the creation of sculptures and murals in our downtown corridor. However, in recent years we have supported performing art programs such as the play Leaving a Trace, a musical performance series in a local bookstore, participatory art projects such as a photo series of residents done as cyanotypes, and collaborative projects such as a community paint along mural. The projects we are most proud of are those where participants vary from those we see on a weekly basis to those who have never interacted with our organization before, but all of them are working creatively together.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Something incredible about humans is the amount of lived experiences people have and want to share. For a small town, we have a big support system, almost 100 non-profits coexist, and a range of people with diverse backgrounds converge and live in Moab. Ask for help, listen to other people’s stories and learn from their experiences, your situation might not be the exact same, but you can still learn so much and also build a support system along the way. I personally was not present when the Moab Arts Center was formed, but I have talked to people that were and learned things that have helped me during my time working here. Wherever it is that you are, there are resources that exist and people that want to help, take advantage of that when you can.
Pricing:
- Most events are free
- Scholarships for classes and camp are available
- $15/day coworking pass
- $25/hr room rentals
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.moabarts.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moabarts
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcmoab/
- Other: https://redrockartsfestival.com/
