6 Questions with Athena Currey
The Director of Programming and Partnerships at the Los Angeles-based Downtown Labs shares her perspective
We caught up with Athena Currey to learn about the recently launched nonprofit, her inspirations, her aspirations and more.
What led you to what you’re doing today?
This part of my journey began when I was working at Roosevelt Hospital in New York City, around 2012. At the time, I was teaching art to people living with chronic illness as they received treatment. That’s when I first recognized the healing power of art.
In December 2014, I co-founded The Posters, where my partner Adrian Rosenfeld and I worked with artists to make posters and donated 10% of the proceeds of every poster sold to Inner-City Arts, an education nonprofit based in LA. After closing The Posters, my friend Shay [Nielsen] was like: You have to meet Jimmy Moffat, co-founder of Art & Commerce, and founder of Red Hook Labs — he’s all about education and so are you, so this is meant to be!
Jimmy was interested in continuing the mission of Brooklyn’s Red Hook Labs by opening Downtown Labs, a studio, gallery, and education program in downtown Los Angeles, and was looking for someone to take on the project. We met, and I was hired for the role.
Downtown Labs is comprised of a for-profit photo studio and gallery, and a nonprofit education program: Red Hook Labs Education and Jobs Initiative. Labs partners with local public schools and organizations to teach free photography classes to teens and link them with meaningful career opportunities in the industry. The proceeds from the for-profit studio allow us to teach teens photography on a professional cyclorama, and exhibit their work. For the education program, Downtown Labs partners with local schools and organizations to offer free photography classes to teens. Red Hook Labs Education and Jobs Initiative also discovers, supports and accelerates the development of emerging photography professionals through an artist residency program, master classes, workshops and portfolio reviews.
Downtown Labs’ first two Photography 101 introduction classes launched fall 2017. Mentors come in many forms; there are volunteers in each class who work with the students, and we invite guest speakers so the students can be exposed to many different facets of photography. The also received mentorship through internships.
What is your mission at Downtown Labs?
We provide comprehensive photography programs linking year-round education, meaningful employment opportunities, and mentoring for local high school students at Red Hook Labs, Brooklyn and Downtown Labs, in Downtown LA. We leverage the experience and expertise of our founder and staff and work in partnership with well-established public schools and community centers to ensure cohesive, local support. Our mission is to create centers that provide that provide high-quality photography arts education to teens and young adults who would otherwise have no exposure to it, to materially advance their skills and access to job opportunities that can allow for long-term success, and demonstrably make a positive impact on the local community.
The youth we serve are creative, artistic, and ambitious, but live in communities that are stressed by poverty with deeply-entrenched obstacles. We are dedicated to facilitating and empowering their artistic development and believe innovative programming of education, mentoring and employment provides a pathway to future success. Collaborating with Labs Gallery and Labs Studio programs, Red Hook Labs Education and Jobs Initiative operates an organized and continuous program for the students, which combine year-round In-school and After-school education with hands-on employment opportunities.
Do you have a personal connection to photography?
Back in the ’90s, I carried my camera with me everywhere. I was modeling at the time, and my agent told me: You need to decide if you’re a model or photographer. He was trying to help me focus, but I don’t think he knew how crushing that was. He knew modeling was a good opportunity for me, so his first concern was that I could support myself with that work. I did show photos in a few group shows at Rivington Arms, American Fine Arts, Guild and Greyshkul, and Alleged Galleries in New York City, but I never shook the feeling of not being a real photographer.
I love that now models are encouraged to be photographers, DJs, activists, and many other things, and seeing how the industry embraces the individuality of these young talents. It’s fantastic.
What are your greatest inspirations?
Every day, I am surrounded by generous people who want to make a positive impact on the world. I’m inspired by our dedicated, smart, and curious students; my husband, friends, and family; and people like Model Alliance’s Sara Ziff, who is working to make better working conditions for people in the fashion industry.
Have you always been interested in giving back to your community?
Yes, but over the last five years, it has become more of the driving force of my career. I would like to offer the students I work with the tools to succeed, and I believe a major component is education. I understand that not every student we work with at Downtown Labs will be a photographer, but by introducing them to a new field of study their options open up; for example, they could seek a job on a photo or film set. Even if they decide to pursue a completely different field of study, cultivating their point of view and critical thinking skills are invaluable.
What’s next for Downtown Labs?
We will continue to offer free photography classes, and show emerging artists in our gallery. There are quite a few workshops being scheduled for the remainder of the 2017 and in 2018. For example, we have a holiday screen printing event in December, co-hosted by Corita Kent Arts. One of our most popular workshops is the Portfolio Reviews for adult photographers, which we will host in the new year. This gives photographers a chance to sit down with editors, agents, and other industry insiders for a critique of their work. There will also be a gallery show in January 2018.
Other workshops for adult learners include Fashion Photography Photo and beauty demonstrations. The funds earned from the emerging professionals workshops help us support the free photography classes for our students.
For more, follow @athenacurrey or support Downtown Labs
