Today we’d like to introduce you to Peter Tyas.
Hi Peter, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a child of an artist in the UK, I started working arts and craft shows as a child, installing work and selling to the public. Once I moved away from home, I surrounded myself with creative opportunities, studying fine art, visiting studios, and working in museums and galleries. I completed an undergraduate degree in history with a particular interested in how societies create culture and how societies crumble. After graduating, I worked in more museums and art galleries while completing a postgraduate degree in the management of cultural institutions. There then followed a couple of decades of working in government positions managing the commissioning of cultural services, developing partnerships and programs which brought arts experiences into health settings, enriching children’s educational experiences, and working with creative industries to develop new enterprises and develop the skills of the workforce.
In 2016 I moved to the USA and took up the leadership of Studio Channel Islands in Ventura County. This art gallery and artist studio complex provides world-class fine art exhibitions, educational programs, and a wide range of cultural programs such as concerts and films in the gallery.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The cultural sector is buffeted by economic headwinds, political machinations, and societal neglect. Throughout my working life, I have watched the teams around me change as exciting opportunities draw talented people away and as calamitous decisions destroyed precious organizations. This constant change can be stressful, and I have seen thoughtful and sensitive souls leave the sector in search of more predictable and safe options. Even with that knowledge, my own experience of working in the arts community has been anything but a smooth road. I think to survive in a prominent arts role requires mental toughness and resilience to meet each new challenge with the enthusiasm required to bring a team along with you.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Studio Channel Islands?
Studio Channel Islands is a community of creative people; its roots are in an artist collective, and the ethos of the organization has retained that shared vision of making opportunities that support creative development. Currently, the organization is rapidly expanding its education offer, reaching back into schools and building new relationships with our community.
The organization is just 10 months into creative a public art team and is working on a dozen commissions ranging in size from small light installations to whole site programs.
What are your plans for the future?
We are looking forward to developing more links with our local community, engaging new audiences, and sharing the wealth of talent and creativity that surrounds us.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.studiochannelislands.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sciartcenter/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studiochannelislands
Image Credits
W. Scott Miles
