Chance for a reboot

After taking a break from their art practice, Corson Androski returned to a precarious position. Inadequate and failing storage for their video and photographs had put years of work at risk of being lost. There was no room to store new work either, and the return to practicing art was stalled.

Corson applied for a Micro Grant from Amplify Arts in December 2018 and was awarded $120 for digital storage, including a new hard drive and external hard drive.

“Getting everything backed up was an immense relief. I worried that asking for storage was a “boring” need, but without it I can't work. This equipment gave me the security to not just start new work, but also build and organize an archive, which has been really generative for me. This past year I’ve been starting up my practice again, and reflecting on past work has helped me find a strong direction for new material. Curating old work for applications and grants has given me a great sense of resolution… there were a lot of half-finished thoughts.”

Corson has also been a regular attendee at Working Artist Wednesdays (WAW) since 2018. From January through April WAW focused on all the pieces needed to put together a strong application, whether for a grant, exhibition, or residency opportunity. Corson used that knowledge to apply for (and receive!) one of two 2019 Artist Support Grants. This is an unrestricted $5,000 award to support the artist’s practice and can be used for any purpose.

“Participating in Amplify Arts programs and writing grant applications has helped me resolve a lot of old questions, and it’s really helped me emerge with an identity as an artist. I’ve never had access to an arts community before. Since moving to Omaha these grants, and all of the formal and informal community services that Amplify provides, have really been my primary support system as I’m starting up my practice again and settling into this city.”

In addition to their art practice, Corson works as a freelance software developer and academic research assistant, focusing on archival research of the women’s movement.

To learn more about Corson and their work, visit their website and follow them on Instagram.