TIASO Artist Co-Op
Artful Life is proud to have been a charter member of the TIASO Artist Cooperative along with Kei & Molly Textiles, Hakim Bellamy/Beyond Poetry, Elsa Menendez/NHCC & Tricklock, Carlos Contreras-Immastar Productions, and Michelle Otero.
Artful Life's Valerie Martinez served as the President of the Co-Op Governing Board for three years.
TIASO (launched in March of 2016) was a professional services cooperative serving full- and part-time artists and small organizations who are committed to working in, for and with community.
In 2012 a group of artists working deeply in community came together to brainstorm about what they need in order to deepen and expand their social practice.
TIASO and Artful Life artists and community members with National Endowment for the Arts Chair Jane Chu during her August 2016 visit to NM.
The McCune Charitable Foundation and Littleglobe hosted continued meetings. The result, after 2 1/2 years, was the creation of an artist cooperative.
MISSION: The TIASO Artist Co-Operative was committed to the practice of socially-engaged art that galvanizes individual and collective voices, activates empathy, and leads to personal and community agency.
PRINCIPLES:
• Pursue excellence in our work.
• Create conditions for safety and inclusivity.
• Respect the wisdom, capacity and dignity of each individual and community.
• Plan and practice an iterative and generative process.
• Cultivate agility, flexibility and deep listening.
• Practice sensitivity, compassion and awareness.
• Be mindful about transitions into and out of relationships.
• Embrace honesty, transparency and a willingness to change.
• Commit to consistency and follow through.
• Nurture personal and team well-being.
TIASO's development was generously funded and supported by the McCune Charitable Foundation.