Today we’d like to introduce you to Simone Liberty.
Hi Simone, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The story of Creative Living is one of joy and one of art. Creative Living is an arts nonprofit serving South Carolina and was started to share and expand the belief in art for all. I’ve loved art, and have been fortunate enough to engage with it from a young age. Throughout the last several years, I have carved out my career path in Arts management jobs including fundraising, event planning, artist hospitality, my own professional art creation, and my favorite profession, Teaching Artistry. A Teaching Artist, as defined by the Teaching Artist Guild, “is also known as an arts educator, cultural bearer, or community artist. They are practicing professional artists who have dual careers as educators. Teaching Artists supplement their incomes by teaching and integrating their art form, perspectives, histories and skills into a wide range of learning settings. My Teaching Artistry takes shape through Dance and Musical Theater workshops during school, after school, and through summer camp programs. When I shifted into Teaching Artistry as a full-time career, I found myself longing for two things:
1. A professional community with whom I could share ideas and grow in the knowledge of my field.
2. More ways to bring my art to people in the community outside of the K-12 system.
While some states around the USA have a myriad of programs, organizations, and routes that allow for Teaching Artists to truly take on the role of a Community Artist, in South Carolina it is more widely understood that Teaching Artists work with students. While Arts in Education is a necessary and powerful tool, the benefits of art do not stop at age 18.
Creative Living is on a mission to expand the reach of Arts experiences in our community. Just because you’ve aged out of the classroom does not mean that Arts cannot have a place in your life. On the contrary, participating in artistic activities benefits your sense of belonging, mental health, physical well-being, and a city’s economic vibrancy, cultural footprint, and the strength of your community. We believe that all of those things will be fully realized in South Carolina with the help of a thriving and connected Teaching Artist community that works to create art experiences in their towns and cities. If you’ve read this far and love the good news, please connect with us on our website: creativelivingsc.org or via email at SL.creativeliving@gmail.com
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Of course, it hasn’t been a smooth road. How can it be when it’s starting something new? Luckily, there are numerous model organizations and business partnerships around the US that I’ve researched to study how they were founded, what connections or partners did they have, and how does Charleston and more broadly, South Carolina, compare to the place where they are located.
I would say that the biggest challenge is the constant need for networking. As a Teaching Artist, I do not inherently have co-workers or a team. So, networking is a huge deal because then I have other minds to think through things with, and to make sure that other people believe in the mission that Creative Living is setting out to accomplish.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Charleston-based multidisciplinary Teaching Artist in Musical Theater, Dance, and Drawing. I work with CD-8th grade students through workshops focusing on the creative process, choreography, script creation, and new works progressions. My workshops emphasize the process of art creation over the product which encourages students to practice self-awareness, confidence, authenticity, and ownership in their art forms – regardless of if the outcome is “pretty”. Do I love a polished final product? Admittedly, yes, but what is more important in my workshops is the artist’s exploration of the art form and themselves. This is something that artists at all levels need to come back to throughout their lives and careers.
All workshops I teach include activities that encourage collaborations in small groups and creativity through student-led works to inspire young learners to work together and find joy in both ownership and co-ownership – the precursors to good communication and networking skills. To complement my Teaching Artistry, I have earned certifications in sensory inclusivity through KultureCity, and am Trauma-Informed through the Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation. My upcoming workshops and classes can always be found here: https://simoneliberty.com/teaching
I am an advocate of art for all. Constantly aware of the benefits of the arts on each person’s life, I believe art should be barrier-free and strive to create opportunities that break art practices open for everyone because creativity is not an artist’s trait, but a human trait. I am most proud of my invention, TipTaps, the low-cost tap dance accessory that breaks the cost barrier to entry on Tap Dancing as an art form.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I’m also just starting out, so instead of any lofty advice, I’d like to share a few quotes and mottos that I have learned to live by:
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman
Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.
Do the next thing.
Know Thyself
Contact Info:
- Website: creativelivingsc.org
- Instagram: @simone_liberty, @shadylady_drawings
- Linkedin: @Simone Liberty
