When cultural facilities are designed with care and thoughtfulness, they can be visually arresting and meet the needs and demands of their community. But good buildings have a comparatively long life and they need to be able to accommodate changing needs of those occupants and their communities. Over a building’s life there will inevitably be wear and tear, changes in program, and the need to respond to climate change.

In our next session, we will explore how two local arts organizations, Artists For Humanity-Boston (AFH) and ZUMIX in East Boston, tackle the changing needs (and upkeep) of their community-based arts buildings. We will find out how their venues are performing and holding up, what things work, and what they are doing to meet the additional needs that have emerged in recent years.

AFH opened its new building in 2004; Zumix renovated its firehouse in 2010. The original architects and the current executive directors will discuss the original mission, program and design, including sustainability components … and how these have stood the test of time or evolved in the past decade or more. Survival and thriving are challenges in many aspects of our built environment. Arts organizations are no exception. Join the discussion of how two successful arts organizations can meet some of the most critical needs in our community and adapt to the world as it changes.

Panelists:

Madeleine Steczynski - Executive Director at ZUMIX

Mimi Love - Principal at Utile

Anna Yu - Executive Director at Artists For Humanity, Boston

Jim Batchelor FAIA - Principal at Arrowstreet

Moderators: Ioana Pieleanu and Scott Butler AIA