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Convos with the creative folk shaping the arts and culture in the San Francisco Bay Area. Hosted by Shawna Vesco Ahern.
[00:00:00] This is an Art Yap. It is an Art Yap. We're talking Art Yap. Yappity, yappity, yappity yap. Art Yap. Yappity, yappity, yap. Artfully, artfully, artfully, artfully. Yappity, yappity, yap. It's time
I'm Shana Vesco-Ahern, and this is Art Yap, the podcast where I gab with Bay Area creatives about imagination, arts, culture, and everything in between
Today's guest is Susie Varadi, director of partnerships at SFMOMA. Susie runs corporate and government giving, which basically means she's part matchmaker, part psychologist, and part fundraiser, spending [00:01:00] other people's money to do good in the world. She's got a background that sounds made up if you didn't already know her, a PhD track in neuropsychopharmacology, which means she spent her early career training monkeys to play computer games while on different substances.
The monkeys, not Susie. From there, it was nonprofit food and shelter work, Meals on Wheels, a stint with Macy's Community Giving, and finally, after applying five separate times, landing at SFMOMA, where she's since brokered some of the museum's biggest partnerships, from a 1.5 million google.org gift tied to the Ruth Asawa show, to an ongoing collaboration with the robotaxi company Zoox.
She's one of the most stylish people you'll meet, and the proud owner of two border collies, Edison and Eloise, who are the real stars of her household. I'm so inspired and impressed by Susie's approach and her philosophy around philanthropy and moving resources around to support the arts and culture in the Bay Area, and I hope you will be too.[00:02:00]
So let's get into it. Oh, and I should mention, this Mercury retrograde's got me down bad, and my microphones weren't working, um, so this is recorded on my laptop. And additionally, while I'm not officially sponsored by Flonase, I might as well be, because I'm getting over something. And Flonase is the only thing keeping me going.
So Flonase, call me Welcome to Art Yap. Oh my God, thank you. Thank you so much- Happy to be here ... for coming on. I, you know, I asked around the office about you when I knew you were coming on, just to get, you know, a sense of who you are. Mm-hmm. Sure. And the scuttlebutt, the scuttlebutt, the water cooler talk- Uh-oh
says that you're a powerhouse. Aw, that's sweet. That you're really creative, you're really invested in educational initiatives in museum spaces. You're a really fun person to talk to. Aw. And you really, like, [00:03:00] hold it down. You hold corporate partnerships down. And so hearing all this about you, I thought, like, the most obvious place to start this discussion is with this question: What can you tell me about your dogs?
Oh, my goodness. Uh, they are the joys and light of my life. Um, they have fabulous names, Edison and Eloise. Oh, cute. Uh, my husband named Edison, and I named Eloise. Uh, Edison is such the perfect dog that he's the type of dog where you're like, "This is so perfect, I need a second," and then you get an Eloise. Oh, very cute.
Uh, Eloise is equally perfect in the most, uh, opposite way. She's, uh, the most demanding. She truly is why they call female dogs bitches. Mm. Uh, she is- Good for her ... she is a good representation. Um, but they are the light and joy of my life. What's their favorite dog spot? Are they Reseda Park? Are they- Oh, my gosh
Fort Funston? We, we live right near Dolores Park, [00:04:00] so they do a lot of Dolo. Mm-hmm. But they love beaches. Um, Lake Tahoe, they love to swim. I know- And you don't bring them into the office, though. I haven't seen them. Have you met two Border Collies in an office? There's reasons for that. No. Border Collies don't do offices.
They could just run around the conference room. Um, uh, yeah, they could make sure we're doing our work on time. They would keep us on task, all the things. Someone needs to. Someone needs to do it. I mean, that's why I have them- Mm ... because I am not the most organized person, so they keep me on task.
Absolutely. So tell me, if you're at a cocktail party- Yeah ... it's a mixed crowd, we don't know- Yeah ... who's there. Yeah. It could be non-art people. Totally. Who knows? Yeah. And someone asks you, "Oh," like, "what do you do for a living?" Mm. How do you- Mm ... explain your job to them? I most- You know, it's easiest, like, I mean, I would love to- All of us who work in philanthropy want to express that we work in philanthropy- Mm-hmm
like we're doing good with other people's money, right? Mm-hmm. But that doesn't really like [00:05:00] translate well with initial reads- Mm-hmm ... so I usually just say I work in museums. Oh. And then people are like, "Oh, that's cool," and they automatically assume you have something to do with the art, and then they say, "What do you do?"
And I say, "Oh, I oversee the organization's corporate foundation and government giving program." Mm-hmm. Um, and they're like, "Oh," and like they just are then bemiffed and bewildered. And so then you have to go into it a little. Mm-hmm. It's like, you know, like my expertise is like listening to the goals of other organizations and trying to find a way to make that align with what we're trying to do, and ultimately trying to gain their budget to satisfy our budget.
Mm-hmm. Um, so it's kind of Yenta. You know, kind of matchmaking. Um, it's kind of, uh, you know, using business acumen to explain arts, which is, you know, not always the, you know, way arts get explained to people. Mm-hmm. Um, and yeah, so you know, again, then [00:06:00] they're like, "Oh, can I, can I get a free ticket?" And I'm like, "Actually-"
yeah, you know, you know, really that is one of the things that museum employees do get." Mm-hmm. That's a great perk, you know. So I've had lots of follow-up calls with people just by like saying, "Yeah, and if you're here at the museum on a day I'm in, in the office, you know, let's say hi." You know? Mm-hmm. So you never know what that'll lead to.
I think that's one of the most interesting things for me, being on the inside here, um, versus the inside of like government institutions that do arts or university institutions- Yeah ... that do arts. I see when partnerships are budding, they're coming in through the door, they're kind of at that starting stage- Mm-hmm
stepping back and thinking like, "How does this align with things we already have on our horizon or how we're talking- Mm-hmm ... about what we're doing?" Mm-hmm. It's not just like some sort of crazy money grab. Like, "We have an offer on the table, let's get them in the door." Mm. It really is like this other process going on.
Mm-hmm. Um, that was the most fascinating thing to me, and I know, and this is what I've heard from someone else here, that again, [00:07:00] you really love when there's like educational initiatives or things coming in that would support that, especially for younger audiences. Do you communicate that, like, explicitly to potential partners?
Or, like, do you kind of feel it out, like what their interest is? Maybe they just want their logo- Mm-hmm ... on our website or on emails. They don't care about the content of what we're doing. Mm. Like, do you get like a mix of people? Yeah, I mean, yes. Uh, uh, you know, it depends, again, for me to answer that question, like which hat I'm putting on.
Mm-hmm. If I'm putting on the hat of being a sponsorship professional, um, the answer is that, like, the, the ages of a logo slap are dead, and it's all about what experience a company can bring to a person, even if it's completely unrelated to their product. Mm. Right? Mm-hmm. So it's like, uh, like when you...
Let's use like a more commercial perspective. Like, if you're going to a basketball game and it's sponsored by Ruffles, there might be like a fan engagement experience, but [00:08:00] in the end you get, like, sent a coupon for Ruffles, right? Right. So it's not really about eating Ruffles in the moment you're at the basketball game.
Mm-hmm. It's about you now associate that awesome experience, or maybe it was like an AI version of yourself in a uniform or something, you know, or you dunk in a basket, is brought to you by Ruffles. Mm-hmm. And it's has nothing about actually eating the potato chip, right? This is interesting. So, yeah. Yeah.
So when you bring that to a museum perspective, we try to kind of do the same things. We, we, um, you know, are trying to engage the, uh, people we're building partnerships about what is the experience that they can create at a museum. Mm-hmm. And if you bring it from that perspective and knowing, you know, it's, again, that's where the yenta part comes in.
It's like knowing what we have on the horizon and what might be of interest to people, um, to kind of, you know, future, future landscape- Mm-hmm ... like what that might look like. What is the experience that they can bring to the [00:09:00] museum that people will be like, "Oh my God, I loved being at SFMOMA. Oh, and that was brought to me by fill-in-the-blank company here."
Mm-hmm. You know? So, uh, how do you do that? If you put on the Suzy's values hat- Mm ... like where does she, um, find joy? Mm-hmm. And, uh, she does find joy spending other people's money, uh, to do good. Um, but she also finds a lot of joy in, um, you know, the way that I was brought up. My family were immigrants to this country and, uh, escaped during, um, the post-World War II, during the Hungarian Revolution, and really, they brought items of value with them, their art, their, uh, trinkets- Mm
their whatever they could smuggle out of their country. And it was always, um, brought to my attention that the only thing you really own is what you know. Mm. And so the value of, uh- [00:10:00] Of, uh, understanding, like learning and education has always been really, really deeply ingrained in, in who my, you know, my perspective and my values.
Mm-hmm. Um, and then also kind of this aesthetic beauty and creativity has always been something that, um, uh, was part of the values that I grew up with. And since I cannot create beautiful things, um, I try to create partnership and, and experience around beautiful things. You do create beautiful things. You strike me as such like an artful person.
Oh. Like even just your outfit right now. Oh, thank you. Like the color composition- Yeah ... just the textures, everything about it. Yeah. Like, you are a very artful person. Yeah, but, but I'm not the physical creator. Yeah. Like, I'm not a, a paint- I'm not the painter, you know? And my- Yeah, I feel that ... especially in my family, which is hilarious, is we always joke, how did I end up in the museum?
Because my sister is the one who's, uh, actual, is a painter. Mm-hmm. Uh, she ended up, [00:11:00] um, doing interior architecture and hospitality work. Mm-hmm. So she works in, in that space, whereas my creativity is o- actually, my favorite thing to do is cook. Mm. So I would be more- Yeah, I love to cook. I hear you ... yeah, it would be more aligned for me to work in the hospitality and for her to work in the museums, and we've kind of flip-flopped those roles.
Mm-hmm. Um, but, um, you know, my, my, uh, father was, um, a, an early inventor in the, um, tech space. Interesting. And he used to bring home these bitmaps, literal bitmaps- Mm ... of the chips he was creating, and my sister and I would use them as wallpaper for our Barbie houses- Oh ... because they were just so beautiful.
So I think, um, and my- Women in tech. Yeah. There you go. And my mother was a fashion designer- Mm-hmm ... um, and, uh, who became a school teacher when she realized she wasn't gonna make it in fashion. Mm-hmm. And so again, it's kind of these- I can kind of see some of your mom coming through in a lot of what you're doing.
Yeah, it's kind of... Yeah. Yeah. It's kind of all these morphs [00:12:00] of like, um, creativity wasn't always, you, you know, the, the process was the creativity- Mm ... not necessarily the output. Yeah. You know? And so, and learning how to think and learning how to, um, yeah, think about texture and color and, uh, uh, putting a, an outfit together was something that I was trained to do from, you know, the, the different creative forces in my, in my home and my world.
Yeah. It's so nice to grow up with people Who value creativity in these multiple ways Yeah And so it's not, you know, if you're not making ceramics, you're not an artist. It's just a way of living whatever your path is creatively. Totally. Totally. And I think when you were speaking, like, about partnerships too, I started to hear some of that, you know, I internet stalked you, some of that psychology MA, I believe.
Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, I was on a PhD path. Mm-hmm. Um, I studied experimental [00:13:00] psychology. Ooh. Yeah, yeah. Oh my God. So- Tell me more ... yeah, so my- It's all experimental. No, literally, like, my, uh, career training is in how people think. Mm-hmm. So my degrees are actually in neuro-psychopharmacology. Hmm. So not only how people think, but how they think when they're on drugs.
Interesting. Um, and my first job in grad school was with, uh, six monkeys and 12 computers and, and a whole lot of drugs. Um, and- That sounds like the start of a joke or a sitcom. I know. I know. It really does. Um, and I loved what I learned, but those were the practical applications. Mm-hmm. And I was alone in a research lab with- Six crazy monkeys, a lot of computer screens.
I taught monkeys how to play computer games, and then gave them different substances to see if it made them think differently. And, um- Do you think you pull any of that into your- I do every day ... experience now? Every day. I am training [00:14:00] monkeys every day. Um, no, I think the value of understanding how people think and make decisions is something you can use in any career path.
Oh, for sure. And it's really about, um, you know, aligning, again, aligning decision-making, helping people, uh, s- steer them suggestively towards a way to make a decision. Mm-hmm. I mean, that's most of the- most people's problems are they can't make a decision, right? So if I can give you a silver, you know, a, on a silver platter three options of how you can spend your money effectively at this- Mm-hmm
museum that lead to all of the goals that you want to achieve- Pick your path ... you don't have to think. Yeah. I've done all the thinking for you. Mm-hmm. And I think that's how, um, how I've been successful in creating partnerships, is like really deeply listening. Mm-hmm. Um, and then being deeply creative of how we can execute that at the museum.
Mm-hmm. And it just seamlessly answers your marketing problem for the moment, and you can give [00:15:00] me either your philanthropic or mar- marketing dollars right away. So- So when you look back to, like, teenage you and early 20s you- Oh my God, yeah ... like when you're just trying to, like, figure out who you are- Yeah
and, like, who you're gonna be in capitalism, what are some red threads you see, and like would that early you be so surprised- Oh, yeah ... who you are now? She would be so surprised. She'd be so surprised. I think first she wanted to be a vet, you know, her, with her love of animals. Mm-hmm. So how the hell she became a woman training monkeys was, like, clearly a wrong path, right?
Mm-hmm. Uh, she wanted to make change in the world. Mm-hmm. So hence understanding and thinking about psychology as a, as an option. Uh, she wanted to be a chef. Mm-hmm. And she was told by her family at that point in time that that's a great vocation, go get an education. Mm-hmm. Back to those values about education.
So they were like, "You would be a horrible chef, too, Susie, because your, have such a big pers-" Like, they knew me better than I knew myself. Mm-hmm. You know, I have, surprise, surprise, a [00:16:00] pretty big personality. Mm. And to be back of house wouldn't have been the right solution for me in a hospitality organization either.
Yeah. Um, and I always, once I, once I landed in philanthropy, I really, you know, studied psychology, as I shared with you, at the graduate level. Decided didn't want a single career path that that would, that would lead me to. Came back to San Francisco, uh, and wanting to deeply engage in the culinary arts. I managed, um- Non-professional cooking schools.
Hmm. Um, and, uh, at one point in time, someone handed me a dirty dish and said, "Here's job security for you." And I realized all the wrongs that happen in hospitality, and that just really made me angry. So I somehow pivoted my career- Mm-hmm ... to try to integrate all the things I love. So trained in psychology, trained in cognitive thinking, trained in how to be, uh, how to cook and [00:17:00] nourish people, and that was my love, and this deep desire to wanna help people.
Mm-hmm. So my career path really started in, um, nonprofit food and shelter organizations. Okay. And, uh, specifically with my Jewish heritage, I, uh, ran the Kosher Meals on Wheels program in San Francisco, and, uh, really was doing cognitive assessment on seniors, bringing them meals- Mm-hmm ... for home-bound people, and really nourishing souls and connecting them to other, uh, resources to help them live and thrive.
I couldn't imagine this pivot, but now that you're showing me, like, the micro moves you made, it's like everything's making sense. Yeah. It's absolutely tracking- Yeah ... how you went from one thing to the next. Yeah. And so then after that, you know, each successive move, I got the, kinda the fundraising bug of like, ooh, spending other people's money is kind of fun.
It really is. Yeah, it really is fun. Yeah. And, uh, so just with each move, I got more into that, [00:18:00] uh, and learned sponsorship when one of my board members brought me to the corporate world. Mm-hmm. Um, I worked for Macy's Community Giving for a number of years doing, worked on the parade group, so think- Wow ... the big type of events- Yeah
that they used to, to run, uh, here in San Francisco. Once they decimated the whole community giving program, uh, it was like I needed to go back to nonprofit. I knew that's, that's where my space is. Yeah. And from there, I, I tried to get into museums. I did a couple stints in education- Mm-hmm ... uh, working with the school district and then with Boys & Girls Clubs, and really valued, um- shared organizations with that perspective that I shared with you- Mm-hmm
about why education's so important. Um, but always wanted to get in the art space. So actually, SFMOMA, I think I applied here maybe five times before I actually landed the role that I did. Wow. Um, and took stints at other museums- Mm-hmm ... in the interim. Um, and, you know, actually came [00:19:00] here the day the pandemic started for a completely different role than what I'm doing.
Mm-hmm. Uh, it was really to kind of start, uh, a corporate art loan program- Oh, wow ... for the museum. Yeah. Uh, which we, uh, had done a couple of examples of, you know, like Chase Center has art that SFMOMA helped, uh- Mm-hmm ... place on site there. And it was a, a role that the museum thought it was gonna take, but, you know, the pandemic kind of veered us in a different direction.
Also, it's, like, pretty expensive, like with insurance and shipping and all of that- Oh my God, yeah ... 'cause I've done a little bit of that, and it's kind of like not worth it really. I don't know if- I don't know ... not worth it is, is the really the answer. It's like, who's the art for, right? Yeah. Like if we're not using it- Exactly
in the museum- Yeah ... it's great to have it elsewhere in the world- Mm-hmm ... so that it's, you know- Not just in the warehouse ... being seen. Yeah Yeah It's not just in our warehouse. So, um, but, but agreed. It's far more, uh, intricate in its plan and in its execution than [00:20:00] maybe what a company buying the work directly might be.
Mm-hmm. I don't know if you can talk about it, maybe in vague terms, what's one of your, like, favorite partnerships that you've ever- Mm ... pulled off here at- Mm ... SFMOMA? And like what were the elements of it that, like, really resonated with you? Yeah, yeah. No, that's a great question. I mean, my biggest win in, uh, was with wor- working with google.org- Mm
around, uh, the Ruth Asawa show. We did garner a $1.5 million gift, um, from them, and really as a desire to be a love bomb to San Francisco, um, in honor of Ruth's social justice- Mm-hmm ... advo- and advocacy work. So I mean, that program was amazing. Mm-hmm. Um, but it didn't have all, some of the ingredients that like make other s- smaller partnerships kind of beautiful.
Mm-hmm. Um, I can really share that one we're working with right now is, uh, with Zoox, the autonomous vehicle, you know, robo [00:21:00] taxis. Mm-hmm. Um, and we're just value aligned from the very first conversation. It was never about would this happen- Mm ... it was like, at what scale are we working together? That's great.
Um, and really, you know, them wanting to, uh, showcase that they're a design think organization rather than a people mobility organization. Mm-hmm. So how do we help as an or- as a, a museum- Mm-hmm ... help them tell that story? And they have been the most creative in utilizing the benefits that we can offer.
Mm-hmm. For example, just the other day, uh, they organized a tour of the new Fisher collection, uh, for about 20 people, and it was for their, uh, riders on their wait list who haven't yet been able to come off. Oh, wow. You know? So it wasn't like for their executives- Mm-hmm ... it wasn't for their employees, which they've done things for those groups too.
Yeah. But it really is how does your core customer learn about your involvement at a museum? Mm-hmm. And, you know, [00:22:00] we tell people all the time, "You can do that." This is the first company that's, like, taking advantage of it. Mm-hmm. And the way they wanna show up, they don't wanna show up and just talk about who they are.
They wanna talk about why they made the design choices they did as, you know, each iterative phase of how- Mm-hmm ... they're coming align, uh, to be a new industry. That's cool. So yeah, yeah, which, uh, you know, is... I think those are kind of the best partnerships when you can, um, help the, help a, a brand- Um, authentically connect with your audience Mm-hmm And it is more of a afterwards moment.
The person's like, "Of course," you know, fill in the blank company was at the museum Mm-hmm That made sense, rather than being leery of like, "Ooh, what's that marketing thing over there?" You know? Mm-hmm. Like, we've all seen sponsorship done poorly Yeah And it's ucky. You feel used, right? You're being marketed to Mm-hmm But when it's authentically aligned and it helps your experience, you're like, [00:23:00] "Of course that," you know, "that made sense."
Or y- or you just don't even notice it was there I don't know if you have something to share, but, like, what's a lesson you maybe learned the hard way- Mm ... throughout your career? Mm. I think any idea that I've ever prepackaged and brought to someone- Mm-hmm ... and laid it out for them is the wrong approach.
Hmm. It's, you know, like, it was always a younger, younger, younger Susie would, um, show up with a proposal already, like, polished, and "Here's your, you know, gold package or your silver packet," you know, whatever it was. Right. Um, and through conversation, I most often never shared that proposal, you know? It was always, like, putting it back in my, you know, quote-unquote "briefcase," as if I ever carried a briefcase, but, you know.
And just, like, it- It, it just would- ... more of an active listening to what they're doing or just- Yeah, it's, it's- ... to be, like, more organically shaped between the two parties. You may have an... Yeah, yeah. Yeah. That's the... That's it. It's like you may have an idea up your sleeve- Mm-hmm ... like, oh, I [00:24:00] want French company to sponsor our new Matisse show.
Mm-hmm. But, like, telling them that as a, an, a place to start thinking- Mm-hmm ... is more productive than what the output of what it could look like- Yeah ... rather than me saying, "You have to sponsor this exhibition," or- ... "This is the way you should show up at a museum," you know? Yeah. It's more like, "Hey, you know, we have this cool, you know, thematically aligned, you know, program coming down the pike, and wouldn't it be cool to sit there and brainstorm how we might be able to, um, share audience with you- Mm-hmm
or bring more people to the museum," or whatever, whatever the kind of idea is. Rather than spoon-feeding them what you think the answer should be- Mm-hmm ... kind of giving them a glimmer into your thinking, and then the- ... using your creative prowess- Mm-hmm ... to, like, navigate it together- Mm-hmm ... is a much more successful outcome.
Have you ever had to, like, pull out of, like, an almost partnership? Oh my [00:25:00] gosh. It, it feels awkward. Have I? Uh, usually for more... Uh, to be honest- Mm-hmm ... the only times that I can hon- feel that, that that has really happened is more that, um, it wasn't a boon for the organization. Yeah. Like, there was something more challenging behind the scenes, whether it was our own internal process- Mm-hmm
or, um, something like that. Like, here at SFMOMA, one comes to mind where, um, it was with a spirit sponsor- Mm-hmm ... and we actually had to return their money to them because it was too logistically challenging with the way that, um, alcohol licensing and regulations are at- Yeah ... the museum and how we operate.
Mm-hmm. It was nobody's fault. Right. It wasn't, it wasn't a, not perceived as a great partnership. Mm-hmm. We just... It was actually- causing more work for the museum than alleviating work. And as a lean nonprofit, that, that wasn't a sustainable model. Yeah, that makes sense. We have to deliver hard news all the [00:26:00] time.
Mm-hmm. You know, like, we can't do that crazy idea that you wanna do, m- you know, wearable tech company, or we can't do, uh, you know, I don't... I'm trying to think of another example of something we can't do, you know, or we're not ready to do. Mm. You know, usually in, in, in partnerships we say, "No means not right now," you know?
Mm-hmm. It's just not the right time. Maybe in six months there'll be a better idea or technology change or product change or a, a new program will evolve at the museum. But, but it just means not right now. You know, you'd be a good litmus test for this next question, 'cause you really do have a different sense of temporality, I think, than a lot of us.
You know, there's been... it's been a rough few years for SF and arts. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Um, that's no secret. And, like, our empty downtown and, like, this- Mm-hmm ... doom loop headlines and everything. Mm-hmm. From where you sit here at SFMOMA and from your, you know, [00:27:00] history in other cultural institutions around here- Mm
how do you see the city right now- Mm ... and how do you see the future? Are you doom looping as well- Mm ... or do you have kind of a more optimistic view of things? I do have a little more optimism from where I sit. Um, I think we're coming out of the doom loop. Mm-hmm. Uh, in fact, much of what we sell at this moment in time for the museum to potential partners is being a part of that resolution.
Yeah. That, you know, we want SFMOMA in downtown to be thriving. Mm-hmm. And if you're bringing your business downtown, we should partner together in some creative way, um, s- so that your audience is our audience and our audience is your audience, right? Mm-hmm. Um, I think with the news of, like, our convention center being booked out for three years, that just shows that there's gonna be more and more activity downtown.
Mm-hmm. Um, but I tell people, you know, 'cause [00:28:00] we work with a lot of people that aren't headquartered here in, in the Bay Area, you know, I tell people all the time, like, all the news that you hear is solely about downtown. Like, I feel the creative energies in our communities, in our neighborhoods, in our restaurants, in our retail stores thriving- Mm
everywhere but downtown. Yeah. So let's solve that, right? Mm-hmm. Like, San Francisco's not a problem. You know? Yeah, that's how I feel too. Exactly, and I tell people also, like, you think creativity's dead in these areas. Mm. It's just too expensive for a lot of creatives. You're not hanging out where they're hanging out.
Mm-hmm. San Francisco is just as creative as it's ever been. Mm-hmm. And technology is not our greatest creative asset. Yeah. It might be an economic driver, but it's not truly where the only creativity in the Bay Area is. You need to find your niche pockets. You need to go into those c- community galleries.
You need to come to museums and see- Mm ... you know, not just the mainstay [00:29:00] shows, but what else we're, what other experiences we're working on with local artists. You need to go to the Exploratorium and think that everything built there was built by h- bare hands and, and creative thinkers. You need to go to art, art fairs, and street carnivals, and Sunday's slow streets and look at the chalk drawings.
That's where the creativity is in San Francisco. Mm. It's not, it's not just in, you know, the next whatever big boom we're having. Oh, I like a nice positive ending. Now, we've moved on- Ah ... to the Magic 8 Ball. Ooh, what's she gonna tell us? You have to ask her a yes or no question. Oh my goodness. And then shake her and flip her.
And I should warn you, she's never wrong. Oh. So if it's a high stakes question, you might wanna be careful. Oh, yeah. I have to be really- We'll give you a moment. Uh. Gosh It's the most challenging part of any- It is. It is [00:30:00] Mm-hmm. It is. Um, Magic 8-Ball, uh, will we... I don't, I can't, uh- I know it's hard- Yeah ... 'cause you don't want the wrong answer.
I know I don't. Magic 8-Ball, will SFMOMA attract yet another cool, creative, hip sponsor in the next six months? Ba-boom.
As I see it, yes Yay. Woo-hoo. All things are good in 8ball land. Well, thank you again for coming- You're so welcome ... on our app. Uh, this was very insightful, I think, for our audience- Awesome ... who likes to get a look at how money moves around, how resources move around, and- Yeah ... that the people who do it really care.
I do care, and thanks so much for inviting me. It was an honor, truly. Yay. Thanks for listening to Art Yap. If you enjoyed this episode, the best way to support the show is to leave a rating or [00:31:00] review. Share Art Yap with a dreamer, a maker, a friend, because good ideas are better when they don't end. For video trailers and sneak peeks, follow us on Instagram at artyap_podcast.
Until next time, keep imagining, keep creating, and keep yapping