10. What do you see as your role and obligation to the Kansas City Artists Coalition and the Lighton International Artists Exchange Program?
Basically, I believe my role at this point is to promote both KCAC and LIAEP by telling others about my experience. One of my goals is to encourage artists I have met in other countries to visit America, and Kansas City in particular. Since receiving notice of my grant in August 2008, I have mentioned the LIAEP grant to several of the artists I met in my travels. For many of the artists in Hungary, a grant of this sort could be their single opportunity to work in America. The same is true of many of the emerging artists I met during Project Network in Denmark.
I consider it an obligation to continue developing as an artist and make my career in the arts. Making the most of these opportunities is one of the best ways to show my thanks to the KCAC and the LIAEP grant. While I do this, I will maintain and build my connections to Kansas City artists and participate in the Arts community. In the future I will help artists from Kansas City through the KCAC by sharing opportunities that I come across for artists wherever I am – I expect to be moving around a good deal through my career. At the same time, I will actively seek opportunities to show and sell my work in the Kansas City area.
Jo Kamm 