VISUAL STUDIES WORKSHOP HOSTS HOLDING SPACE: CREATING BELONGING IN ROCHESTER

A Community Conversation Moderated by Calvin Eaton–

EVENT: Holding Space: Creating Belonging in Rochester is a public gathering, hosted by Visual Studies Workshop (VSW) and moderated by Rochester community leader Calvin Eaton, that invites the Rochester community to reflect on the lasting impacts of everyday racism, ableism, and sexism, especially when these harms go unacknowledged. Featuring media from the VSW archives, testimonials, and an interactive conversation featuring Eaton and several community members, this event invites us to unpack what it means to “hold space” for each other, and discuss how creating a culture of belonging can be a healing, disruptive, and liberatory act. 

This is a VSW Community Curator™ event. The Community Curator™ program invites representatives from community groups in the Rochester region to curate film screenings using VSW’s collection of over 10,000 film and video titles. Community curators work with VSW staff to research and select a program of films that speak to their interests, while opening a broader dialog with the Rochester community.

DATE: Thursday, October 9, 6-9pm

LOCATION:  Visual Studies Workshop, 36 King Street, Rochester NY 14608

RSVP: $10 suggested donation; free for VSW Members.

About Calvin Eaton:

Calvin Eaton, M.S. (he/him) is a disabled, neurodivergent polymath and futurist working at the intersection of health equity, education, and systems design.

About Visual Studies Workshop: Visual Studies Workshop nurtures experimental and expansive approaches to photography and media arts, and builds community among artists and the public through exhibitions, publications and residencies. VSW was founded in 1969 in Rochester, NY by photographer, educator and curator Nathan Lyons (1930–2016), and became one of the earliest independent, not-for-profit, artist-run spaces in the country. More than 50 years later, the organization’s mission is reflected in its core programs: VSW Exhibitions and Salon events, Project Space Artist Residencies, and VSW Press. In support of VSW programs, the organization holds substantial photography and moving image research collections and an art library for artists, critics and the general public to explore, research and reuse. vsw.org