Bzz Bzzz!

I've been simply buzzing about the Hive Archive lately. As part of my "big leap" in my professional life, I am taking on the role of Program Director for this Providence organization.

So what is the Hive Archive, exactly?

{Handmade Hive Archive Notecards}

The official answer is that the Hive Archive is a women-run feminist arts collaborative with a mission to promote gender equality by dismantling obstacles that limit women and girls in reaching their full creative potential. Our work is focused on empowerment through art, creative expression, and civic involvement. The idea is that artists are the bees, and they buzz into our programs and resources bringing with them their own resources and take what they need to go buzz around doing their thing, creating new work.

Sometimes I have trouble telling other people about the Hive, because I'm still trying to wrap my mind about what this mission means and how it's manifesting itself (and also ways that it can manifest itself in the future). I'm on a staff of three - Executive Director, Program Director, and Intern. I find this project incredibly exciting because it's young and small and defining itself and evolving constantly. I get to be thinking about building community through art in a more formal way than inviting my friends over for a crafternoon in my living room!

I've completely latched on to this "hive" metaphor. I love thinking thinking of myself as a bee and having this welcoming community to be a part of. In my role as Program Director, I get to focus on helping this hive take shape and offer the resources that our fellow bees need. I'm thinking about who these bees are, and what's the honey that holds it all together?

At the beginning of the year, I took on a new mantra: "You are creating a work of art called your life." Here's to spending my time working on stimulating, artistic, and fun projects like the Hive Archive!

Carole Ann