By Anna Gagliano

The history of Hallwalls is rich and integral to understanding the Buffalo contemporary art scene, but the present brings something even more exciting. 

Enter Parrish Gibbons, the gallery’s newest full-time female staff member and deputy executive director. In August, she’ll be succeeding the current executive director, Ed Cardoni, as he enters retirement after 35 years of looking after Hallwalls.

“To fill his shoes is such a sensical legacy, actually, because he’s been such an advocate for something exactly like this happening,” said Gibbons.

From its origin on Essex Street on the West Side, Hallwalls has moved around downtown Buffalo, landing in “The Church” at 341 Delaware Avenue as it has grown into the city’s hub for contemporary art by creators both local and beyond.

The organization has seen a lot over its 50 years, including several funding cuts and tearful goodbyes to other Buffalo icons amid the successes. In a bittersweet turn, though, Hallwalls has built itself to be an all encompassing campus of art.  

Gibbons understands the importance of having a partner like Cardoni on her side throughout this transition in a field that is as male-dominated as arts administration is. 

Her career, though, has been “bookended by women.” Fresh out of Buffalo State with a degree in business and minor in design, Gibbons was looking to be involved in anything creative when she stumbled across a job posting at an art studio on Craigslist.

“I was like: ‘I don’t care. It’s an art gallery, I want to go work there.’” After meeting with program director Carrie Marcotte and learning that Starlight Studio supported adult artists with disabilities, she was hooked. Through her experiences as both an administrative assistant and director of community relations there and mentorship from Marcotte, Gibbons quickly began to learn more about the intricacies of the art sector outside of monetary aspects. More specifically, “what art making does for the art maker.” 

“Starlight Studio is the best part of these artists’ day… so to be introduced to the art working world in that way, I’ve just carried that appreciation.” 

Gibbons brought that unique perspective to her next role at Art Services Initiative of Western New York, headed by Jen Swan-Kilpatrick.

This prominent advocacy group provides artists access to state funding and different learning opportunities, and also supports community engagement in the arts (and is fiscal sponsor for The Buffalo Hive as it goes through the process of acquiring 501(c)(3) nonprofit status). 

“They are grant makers, they do professional development workshops, they facilitate trainings … As a worker, I felt like I was getting my masters in arts administration, but getting paid for it!” Gibbons says.

Another way ASI supports local artists is by sharing job opportunities with the community, a program that ended up benefitting Gibbons. 

“One day, my coworker looked up at me, and she said, ‘Oh no, your new job just came in.’”

The new job? An open role at the Kenan Center, another major Western New York arts center conveniently located in Gibbons’ home base of Lockport. 

The role was publicly posted by ASI, as any responsible employee should do, but Gibbons still ended up securing her “dream job” after applying. She spent her time at the Kenan Center writing grants and getting her feet wet with capital campaigns. Over her four-year career there, she wrote $7 million worth of grants.

Two years ago, Gibbons got a call probably made from the same small office she works in every day and was again swept up with the idea that she could (and would) make a difference in the Western New York arts community by bringing her fresh ideas to the long-standing, progressive history of Hallwalls.

Hallwalls is an institution that has always prided itself on advocacy for all marginalized groups, something that Gibbons plans to continue as she steps into the the role of executive director this August.

“When it comes to our programming, it’s true blue. We’re really supporting those marginalized communities. Even just this past year, our artists were majority female and trans … It’s certainly something I’m going to maintain and grow.”

With such a commanding and impressive resume, one would expect Gibbons to have met many roadblocks along the way, especially with being a woman in the arts scene. And she admits she has, but gender-based resistance is no match for her drive and confidence. 

“I don’t fear what I deserve … I’m deserving of [my job] not only because I have the credentials and the experience, but because I have the potential to keep learning like anybody does,” she said. 

“I think I’ve been very blessed with female leadership … I’ve just been so lucky to have so many females believe in me that I’ve never even questioned myself.”

Having that kind of confidence doesn’t come without challenges, though. Gibbons is familiar with facing those who are uncomfortable with how comfortably she commands herself.  

“When I am proactive and make a decision, I see people get a little fluttery about that. I think operating and finding that safe space is a constant challenge for women in leadership. You want people who are [mentoring you]… to feel like you’re being respectful to the advice they’re giving while also being true to yourself.”

Gibbons’ reflections on being a woman in the arts and leadership become more immediately important when she thinks about her 8-year-old child.

“I think the biggest thing we could do for women in the workforce … is just be the role models that you want to see in our community.

“I would love for her to see all types of people in leadership, LGBTQ, all types of diversity. There’s certainly not enough people of color in leadership. The fact that a white woman is being celebrated in certain circles of getting this leadership role almost shows how far we haven’t come.”

Hallwalls is the perfect place for Gibbons to further this kind of environment and contribute to the ever-evolving and diversifying world of the arts. When she succeeds Cardoni in August, she has all kinds of plans to create new initiatives for visiting artists to get them more immersed in Buffalo culture, as well as maintain and bring back current and former programs that uplift marginalized creators. Her careful and intentional eye will help bring this all together with the rest of the Hallwalls staff.

“We’re very strategic about how we view our support … We’re actually going into these communities and saying, ‘How can we support you? What stories do you want to tell, and how can you tell it through Hallwalls?’”

Gibbons has seen how Hallwalls provides support, and knows it’s her duty to continue that legacy, especially considering the support she’s been given throughout her career, something particularly precious to her.

“It really is women supporting women. If you see a woman in leadership … chances are it’s women that got her there, and that’s certainly my story … I’m super blessed with a community of [women] that have had my back.”