For the Common Good: A Community Arts Leader Interview with Jennifer Brockpahler
Jennifer Brockpahler is one of the hardest working people I know. Hands down.
This woman gives of herself tirelessly to our community as the director of the Ames Community Arts Council, which is her second full-time job. (It’s no secret that many nonprofit art positions can only offer funding on a part-time basis and usually without benefits, requiring folks to make sacrifices and work A LOT.)
As the Ames Community Arts Council (ACAC) director, Jen oversees a multitude of community arts projects, mentors interns, and builds creative partnerships across Story County, a few being:
The Ames Community Arts Council sends out a weekly newsletter highlighting all the art and culture events in Ames each week.
ACAC hosts an annual Artist Studio Tour for local artist members, which connects makers with new audiences and provides non-artists with a peek behind the proverbial curtain. (This year’s tour is coming up on October 9th!)
Each spring, the council hosts the annual Ames Arts Awards Celebration to celebrate local art educators, artists, and arts supporters.
Jen has partnered with the Octagon Center for the Arts to create and host the annual Business of Art Conference, which has been such a resource for our community and state.
Jen organizes the monthly Gathering of Artists (even though the pandemic), during which a local artist opens their studio to the local community for informal conversation and hanging out.
Finally, Jen’s newest genius idea to fruition is Music on the Move, which is essentially a small bikeable stage for performers to ride into neighborhoods for outdoor shows. (Think Tiny Desk concerts + a motorized bike.)
Also! Jen didn’t mention this in her bio below, but she’s also an accomplished vocalist.
John Burke pulled the instrumentalists (Rick Ennis, euphonium and Bill Buttermore, tuba), on a pedicab, a motorized bicycle that hauls a trailer where the musicians were seated. Photo Credit: Ronna Faaborg, Ames Tribune.
About Jen
After graduating with a degree in interdisciplinary studies (music, education, business) from Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska, Jennifer went on to earn a master's degree in Community Arts Management with a non-profit emphasis from the University of Illinois -Springfield. Jen spent over 10 years at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as the Arts/Special Events Coordinator, where she was instrumental in numerous projects that were intended to build audiences and strengthen community. Upon re-locating to Ames to be closer to her family, she is thrilled to put her passion for community building, outreach, and creative collaboration to work for the community and the artists of Ames.
In addition to serving as the Ames Community Arts Council Director, Jennifer works for the Critical Materials Institute of The Ames Laboratory.
Jen Brockpahler, Director of the Ames Community Arts Council
Who are you in 10 words?
Motivated. Creative. Empathetic. Practical. Witty. Reliable. Sometimes indecisive. Always willing.
What community rituals do you value?
I most appreciate those opportunities we have to come together to celebrate each other. I’m a sucker for a good awards ceremony, but most especially the annual Arts Awards Celebration put together by the Arts Council. (Please excuse my shameless self-promotion!)
I love it for its most obvious reason, as it recognizes a lot of wonderful people who do amazing things for the arts in our community. My favorite part, though, is when someone getting an award turns it around and thanks someone else for the work that they do. “Sure, I do some stuff, but the person who nominated me? Well, let me tell you…” It’s the most lovely case of one-upmanship you will ever see. And, it illustrates most completely why artists and arts supporters are just the best people.
How do you approach your community work creatively?
It’s all about collaboration. The Ames Community Arts Council is a small organization with a tight budget. As such, all of our best projects are done with other community partners, artists or arts organizations. I know it’s going to be a good day when I open my email or my phone rings and the person on the other end says, “I have an idea!”
When doing my work for the Arts Council, I try to embrace the improv theater notion of “Yes, and…” I’m not sure that I get the concept textbook right, but for me it means to start all collaborative conversations from a “place of yes,” and let one suggestion build upon another until you have a really great idea. Be ready to leverage each other’s strengths, and remember that doing something together is usually more fun than going it alone.
Beth Weninger (left), Education Director, Octagon Center for the Arts with 2021 Art Educator Award Winner Cappie Dobyns, Ames Middle School Art Teacher. 2021 Arts Awards Celebration, Sun., July 27, 2021
How has that evolved during the pandemic?
Well, as you can imagine, traditional collaboration took a big hit during this time of isolation. But, I’m surrounded by incredibly creative people who continue to have amazing ideas about how to build community, no matter the obstacles.
Can’t have a conference in person? Let’s master the Zoom platform! Can’t do a concert in an enclosed space? Let’s find some musicians willing to jump on a bike, and bring the music to the community! And the list goes on. As traditional events come back into play, I’m excited to continue to use some of the ideas we’ve developed in the last year and a half, as we’ve come up with some great ways to improve access to the arts. Lots of “Yes, and…” solutions have improved the way we interact with the community.
How has serving as a community arts leader impacted you?
I’ve learned (and had to relearn) that sometimes the best thing I can do is get out of the way. This might mean getting out of my own head and allowing an idea to take shape without all of my worrying, or it might be giving others the tools to create and then literally leaving the room. As one person, I can’t do all the things. But, I can help lots of people do lots of things, and still reap the community benefit.
In what surprising ways have the arts impacted your community?
Ames has always placed value on a creative culture. The Ames Community Arts Council was founded 40 years ago to support this very idea, and we are certainly not the oldest gig in town. Our community theater is in its 66th season, and the children’s theater just turned fifteen. Our art center is preparing to host its 50th art festival, and our public art commission just turned thirty. We have choirs for all ages and abilities, a symphony, and a municipal band. There are dance studios, artist collectives, performance venues of all kinds, and so much more. There is truly a place for everyone who wants to pursue (or enjoy) an artistic endeavor. While we are in no way perfect (there is so much to be done!), I believe that this abundance of creative opportunities has put Ames on the map as a place in rural Iowa where you can discover yourself as an artist or patron of the arts.
Then, in just the last couple of years, there has been a resurgence of the notion of using the arts in Ames to build community and drive the economy. As our city government is working harder to invite a more diverse audience to the conversation, while also putting more money into the hands of artists, I’m excited to see what comes next.
Business of Art attendees check out the mural commissioned by the Ames Community Arts Council during a downtown tour. Mural artist ASPHATE was a presenter during the 2020 Business of Art Conference.
What has been your hardest community lesson?
Often, it takes an idea, even a really good idea, a long time to come to fruition. Quality projects require relationship building and community buy-in, and creating the right environment frequently takes longer than the actual public-facing project. So, you sometimes have to plant the seed, and then let the idea mature at its own pace. On the flip side, you can’t let an idea percolate forever. No situation is ever going to be completely perfect, so sometimes the best time to do something is right now! Learning to marry those two mindsets is sometimes a real challenge.
What has been your most fulfilling community moment?
This is a hard one…
With almost every event I organize, there is a phase in the planning where I get overwhelmed and think, “This is never going to work.” But, I keep doing the things that need to be done, and hoping for the best. Usually, the day arrives, and I still don’t feel ready. Will people show up? Will they like what we have to offer? Was it worth it?
And, without fail, every single time, it all falls into place. The artists lights up while talking about their latest project. An audience member asks a thoughtful question. Two people who haven’t seen each other in ages grab a spot in the back and talk through the whole thing, missing the event. Is it perfect? No. Am I usually freaking out because I forgot something? Yes. Was it worth it? Always.
This realization is the moment that keeps me coming back.
What tips might you have for artists who want to dive into community work?
At first, you may be willing and able to try “all the things” that come your way as a community artist. (See “Yes, and…” earlier.) And wow, will people love you for it! Eventually, though, you will need to make some hard choices about which projects bring you the personal and artistic fulfillment you need to keep creating. Be honest with yourself and others about how much you can give, and respect your limits. Taking a break every now and again will ensure the quality of your contributions over the long-haul.
What would you like your community to understand about the arts and artists?
There is a place for everyone in the arts, and that includes you.
Woodworker Bill Rickard talks about his work during the 2018 Ames Artists' Studio Tour.
What tips might you have for communities to better support artists?
Most of the folks you’ve talked to have used this question to talk about how city government can support the arts, and it certainly should. But, we as individuals in a community have a responsibility, too. We need to SHOW UP. Every artist hosting any sort of event, from a gallery opening or poetry reading to a choral concert or play, is terrified that there will not be an audience. So, it’s our job to be there. Realistically, you can’t attend all of the amazing things that are happening in the community. (And the pandemic has made that harder, of course.)
But, I’m here to encourage you to find a new event every so often and check it out. If you’re feeling extra brave, make a point of saying something to the artists. Tell them what you like about their work. Tell them how you heard about them. Tell them why you think what they are doing is important, or beautiful, or fun. Trust me, they won’t forget you.
What motto or creed do you live by?
Ever since seeing it on a classroom bulletin board in about the ninth grade, I have been drawn to the Margaret Mead quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” It’s scary to be first, to be a small voice in a big world, but it’s the willingness to consistently take on small things with great purpose that allow positive change to happen. Pay attention to the beginnings of a good idea. Start from a place of yes. Listen, learn, and help make things happen!
To learn more about Jen and the Ames Community Arts Council, check out their website. If you’re a local Amesian, please consider joining their membership, donating funds, or serving on their board. As a former board member, I can attest that it’s a fun monthly meeting and a terrific way to get involved in the creative community.
Onion Creek Band performing at the 2021 Arts Awards Celebration, Sun., July 27, 2021.
Like learning about the ins and outs of being a community artist or a community arts leader? Check out interviews with artists Akwi Nji, Catherine Reinhart, Jordan Brooks, Reinaldo Correa, Kristin M Roach, and Rami Mannan, and interviews with community arts leaders Amber Danielson, Allison McGuire, and Andy McGuire.
Have a phenomenal community artist or an inspiring artist leader to suggest? Comment below or email jennifer@whatsgoodproject.com.