Tag: Public Trust

Diana Escobar, BMC ’27

Praxis Course: Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Semester: Spring 2026

Faculty Advisor/Professor: Professor Monique Scott

Community Partner: Public Trust

Praxis Site Supervisor: Aaron Levy

Praxis Poster:

HART_DianaEscobar

 

Further Context:

Having grown up in Philadelphia, a city considered the birthplace of American museums, the role museums play in communities and how they interact with the public has always been part of my interests. Being interested in the field, I sought out experiences to understand how larger institutions work. After in a various number of museums in the city, I had not experienced what it was like to be in a smaller, more intimate cultural nonprofit until my praxis this Spring with Public Trust. Located between the University of Pennsylvania and West Philadelphia on 40th Street and Walnut, Public Trust offers free programs on health, education, and ecology. It collaborates with artists, thinkers, and community members through public conversations and film screenings to foster dialogue around everyday issues. Taking a W.E.B. Du Bois approach of finding hope in times of hopelessness, its mission is to restore trust in collectivity and the
common good. Through this experience, I saw both the daily operations behind the organization and how care and reciprocity shape its community building.

During my time at Public Trust, I worked on a range of projects under Executive and Artistic Director Aaron Levy and Executive Assistant Jabriya Calabrese. One major project was the planning of a multi part installation by artist Daniel Faust, Presidents, featuring photographs of wax figurines of American presidents from museums in the United States and Europe. The exhibition will take up four walls in the front gallery. My role included measuring the gallery walls and sharing dimensions with the artist to ensure the prints fit, along with contributing to conversations about layout and adjustments. As plans developed, we had to balance the artist’s vision with practical concerns like accessibility. For installation, we explored alternatives to drilling into masonry walls, including using magnets. We also connected with installers who had worked with the Institute of Contemporary Art. Although the installation is still upcoming, the process required ongoing coordination and patience to prepare for a smooth install.

Another project I worked on was the book Curating Engagement, based on a 2025 retreat about engagement in cultural institutions. I helped finalize the manuscript for publication by reviewing the full text and editing for grammar, clarity, and formatting. Working closely with Aaron Levy and Jabriya Calabrese, we completed revisions under a tight deadline and sent the book to print. The release included an opening reception in Chicago, along with an excerpt published on Hyperallergic for outreach.

Alongside these larger projects, I supported day to day operations. This included drafting language for grant proposals such as those for the Warhol Foundation, helping build a bookshop section for the website, preparing technology and setup for public programs, and packaging and shipping books. These tasks showed me how essential this work is to keeping the continuation of Public Trust’s core and reach. They form the backbone of the organization, and through them I saw how much care and coordination goes into sustaining Public Trust’s mission.

Maya Carlino, BMC ’26

Public Trust Archival Display

Semester: Spring 2025

Praxis Course: HART 420 Museum Studies Fieldwork

Faculty Advisor: Monique Scott and Sylvia Houghteling

Field Site: Public Trust

Field Supervisor: Aaron Levy

Praxis Poster: 

HART_MAYACARLINO_Revised

 

Further Context:

This semester I interned at Public Trust, a small arts non-profit on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. While they’ve been around since 2002, they’ve recently rebranded from the Slought Foundation and moved away from curating exhibits and installations to focusing more on one-off events and other interactive programming. They’re dedicated to engaging with the community and have an integrative approach and commitment to health, education, and ecology, which guide their programs.

As I mentioned, Public Trust no longer does temporary exhibitions, however, I was able to help them develop a couple different permanent displays for the space. During my first few weeks, a project by a former intern was wrapping up, and I assisted in hanging three large prints on the wall in the front room. It has been really neat to see how a few minor changes made to the space every week add up to big differences in the end. Aaron Levy, my supervisor, has been consistently upgrading the recording and projecting technology, and the tech booth has gone through a transformation since I’ve been there.

I was tasked with creating a series of archival displays of past programs. I did extensive research through the organization’s archived website, which is open and available to the public online, and designed 44 poster spreads that will soon be hung on the wall in the public forum. It was challenging to keep the designs consistent, as titles, pictures, and information available about dates and times varied between events.

InDesign to create the designs, which I taught to myself over the course of the semester. I had to figure out how to install the special fonts from the previous poster template, relink images, how to create guides to be consistent with my layout, how to place a gradient, and then how to manipulate the colors so they matched the image and also looked good. There is a notorious learning curve for Adobe programs, and InDesign was not any easier to learn how to use, especially for such a specific project like the one I was working on, however, if I hadn’t spent so much time getting things wrong, then I wouldn’t be so confident with the program now.

I am sure the final display will enrich the experiences of visitors to the space. As the audience attends present and future programs, they can learn about the history of knowledge that has been shared at Public Trust.

Lucy Frank, BMC ’25

Curatorial Methods Internship at Public Trust

Semester: Spring 2024

Praxis Course: HART B420 Museum Studies Fieldwork Seminar

Faculty Advisor: Matthew Feliz

Field Site: Public Trust

Field Supervisor: Aaron Levy

Praxis Poster: 

Lucy Frank_Poster_Final_S24

 

Further Context:

My internship at Public Trust, an arts organization situated on the University of Pennsylvania, has been a journey of exploration, learning, and meaningful contributions. There I worked closely with Aaron Levy, its director and a professor at UPenn on a variety of projects. During my time there, I learned the ins and outs of a non profit arts organization and community engagement center, and the vital role these play in shaping our collective future. Public Trust’s ethos revolves around pushing boundaries and challenging perceptions. With a focus on creative approaches to health, education, and ecology, the organization underscores the belief that public
trust can only be rejuvenated through a commitment to these foundational concerns. Through innovative exhibitions and dynamic public programming, Public Trust creates spaces for dialogue and reflection regarding political and social issues.

My time at Public Trust not only broadened my skillset but also enriched my
understanding of the intersection between art and societal issues. I worked on a plethora of projects such as conducting research for a permanent exhibition engaging the archives, editing curatorial language for the exhibition, developing several procedures and protocols (e.g.
memorandums of understandings) to support upcoming programs and partnerships, and contributing to grant application brainstorming. Most importantly, I familiarized myself with their twenty-year archives and conducted relevant research about contemporary artists working on issues concerning public trust. Crafting memorandums of understanding and brainstorming grant applications highlighted the importance of strategic planning and collaboration in driving impactful initiatives forward. However, it was my engagement with Public Trust’s extensive archives and research on contemporary artists that truly resonated with me as an artist myself. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to take Bryn Mawr’s Praxis Program. My internship experience has equipped me with invaluable skills and insights, reaffirming my belief in the transformative power of art, and preparing me to enter the art world post-grad.