Career Path of a Director and Chief Curator at UC Santa Cruz
Rachel's career path was unexpectedly shaped by Hurricane Katrina, shifting their focus from literature to the intersection of art, politics, and social change after witnessing "the way that the arts were impacting and affecting the ways in which the recovery" from the devastation. This led to a graduate degree in visual culture and art politics, along with early curatorial work, ultimately culminating in their current role as Director and Chief Curator.
Arts Administration, Curatorial Practice, Impact of Arts on Society, Higher Education, Nonprofit Leadership
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Job Title
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Undergrad
Grad Programs
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Rachel Nelson
Director and Chief Curator
Institute of the Arts and Sciences, UC Santa Cruz
Stetson University, 2010
PHD, UCSC Visual Studies
Classics, Spanish Literature
Arts, Entertainment & Media, Education
Creative
Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Rachel's career path was unconventional, highlighting the impact of unexpected events (like Hurricane Katrina) on career choices.
2. Her experience witnessing the role of arts in the recovery from Hurricane Katrina significantly influenced her career trajectory, demonstrating the intersection of arts, politics, and social change.
3. She combined a background in literature with practical experience in teaching and curatorial work, showcasing a multidisciplinary approach to her field.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
I had an unusual path to my job as a director and chief curator at an arts space program. I started university in New Orleans, and it was in my first couple of weeks when Hurricane Katrina hit. The hurricane devastated the town in many ways, and the university closed for a year.
I had gone to school with a very different idea of what my life would be like. Because of the storm, I ended up having to go to college someplace else. Even then, I didn't really think of the arts as my career.
I majored in literature, but because of Hurricane Katrina, I was going back and forth to New Orleans. I watched how the arts were impacting and affecting the recovery from that dramatic and horrific hurricane and the social-political climate that followed. Artists were making alternative spaces and fighting to address racism and the economic structures that led to the storm's terrible impact.
The way I saw arts working within politics and social relations was really impactful to me. So I continued along that path and got a degree in literature. I then spent some time teaching children in a Montessori school.
However, the idea of the impact of the arts and how they intersect with our ideas about society, social relationships, and politics continued to influence me. I ended up applying for graduate school to study visual culture and art and politics. During that time, I also began curating.
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