Elizabeth Reiss, CEO of The Arts Center of the Capital Region is a force of nature. Many of you here no doubt know her or at least of her but many don’t fully understand the energetic impact and momentum she creates in the regional art scene and beyond. Seasoned and confident, Liz is not only a personal mentor to myself and many others but additionally serves as an Advisory Board Member of ACE! who has been connected here since it’s inception. As such, I can’t think of a better person to bring a slice of pragmatic sanity to the barrel we are looking down that we call 2025.
Please state your name, title and past experience that got you to where you are today.
My name is Elizabeth Reiss. I am currently the CEO of the Arts Center of the Capital Region.
I’ve always worked in the arts, everything from gallery installer, docent trainer, publications manager to festival producer. What got me here? At the Arts Center? When I was in college I took a painting class. A visiting artist/professor looked at my work and scoffed at it. Told me to stop painting. She and my primary professor laughed. I was humiliated. I never want that experience for someone. Everyone should paint. Sing. Dance. Maybe they won’t end up in a gallery. Every artist belongs somewhere – the walls of MoMa or the fridge. So, I work at a place that celebrates it all. I love it. I’m lucky.
That said, what else got me here? I’m fearless when it comes to thinking I can pull off a project. I’ve opened a children’s museum in NYC, produced an artist-made skate board park in Pittsburgh, and now I’m working on my most complicated endeavor yet – finally developing the upper floors of the Arts Center.
Image: Provided
Can you tell us a bit about what a day in the life looks like for you at the Arts Center?
The Arts Center has a much smaller staff than people may think. There are 7 of us full time. So, I spend a lot of time internally, writing & managing projects. I like writing. Our board is really involved, there’s lots of people dropping in. Or, I’m out. I’m old fashioned, I like to meet with people get a little deeper into things. Get to really know people. I spend a lot of my time representing the Center and the region at places like Creatives Rebuild New York, ArtsNYS, or with elected officials. I’m trying to start up a new group – Capital Region Arts Allies, to help the region get more funding. We are all surviving, but imagine if we all had enough resources to do more?
Image: Corey Aldrich
I know in addition to your main gig, you are involved in other supportive organizations. Can you tell us a bit about those roles?
When I started at the Arts Center, I knew we were also an arts council and a regrant site, but I didn’t really know what any of of that meant. So, I turned to my peers and had some fabulous mentors who mentors formed ArtsNYS, a state-wide educational and advocacy group. That led to me to serve as President of ArtsNYS for the last three years which has been incredibly fruitful. The Arts Center was able to distribute a million dollars over two years in grants to our community. Beyond the funding, I’ve met a lot of people. Last fall I invited the Center for Urban Futures (See ACE! Interview with Eli Dvorkin of CUF) here to talk about the arts and artists in the Capital Region. The growth here is phenomenal. The artist population is growing at a faster rate than any other sector. It’s really exciting. I stepped down as President, but will still be finishing the projects that I started, including a state-wide artist survey that ACE!, CREATE Council on the Arts and Siena College collaborated on with the Arts Center. We are just getting to building the research tools for the findings. Stay tuned on that one.
Image: Provided
With a new administration, the end of ARPA funding and the current underwriting challenges for the arts, where do you see things headed in 2025? What in your opinion needs to be the main focus for arts / cultural institutions?
You know, the future is a little uncertain in regards to policy and funding. And so many people are feeling unsafe right now. This is where the rings on my tree may be an asset. I’ve seen this before. Federal funds may retract, state funds will be under strain….but….private dollars may fare better. It’s too soon to tell. One thing I do know…. this kind of uncertainty leads me to my own true certainty – in times of unrest people need the arts. Artists help us understand what we are seeing, experiencing and feeling. Time and time again, when things get tough, people want to feel control. So they start making things again. There’s a reason crafts blew up during the pandemic. It was something to do, sure, but it was something we could do with our own two hands and with our own autonomy. So the arts will forge on. At the Arts Center? Our main focus will be on strengthening our core programming and to continue to rebuild now that the rescue funds have be spent. Yet, we’ll also try to be sensitive to the changes and stay ahead of them. We will be as nimble as possible to serve the needs as they present themselves. That said, we have a few ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) and DRI (Downtown Revitalization Initiative) dollars to spend, so look forward to more public art.
What would you say are some practical suggestions that folks can put to use in their organizations to find a more predictable resource sustainability?
That’s a big question. Lets see…
When funding gets tough, its always good to stick to your core competencies and to deliver them with excellence. If you want predictability, you too need to be predictable. That doesn’t mean you have to do the same creative act every day, but it does mean you have to commit to the same level of care and thoughtfulness in what you bring to the public.
Image: Steve Alverez
It’s better to have 100 donors at $10 a month than one donor at $1000 a month even though its a lot more work. Your funding can withstand donors dropping in and out and your programming can stay on track.
I’m also still learning this one – communicate more than you think you need to. People – whether they are consumers or donors – want the inside track. They want to stay in touch. Let’s face it, its hard to get people’s attention, so develop a communication plan and stick with it. Even if no one tells you they are listening. They are.
Image: Provided
Anything in the pipeline that we should be aware of? Anything you would like to plug that you have coming up?
More and more creatives are moving upstate and they aren’t interested in our old rules of who does what or our outdated regional boundaries. The work week will continue to flow and change, where people go for arts and entertainment will flow and change, and I hope as a community we can work together to reach for more.
Sorry I don’t have anything more tangible. It’s winter. We are all hunkered down. The kilns downstairs in the pottery studio are warm though…
For more info –
WEB: capartscenter.org
IG: @capregionartscenter
FB: @TheArtsCenteroftheCapitalRegion
