We were lucky to catch up with Hailey Ciesluk and Ryker Huizinga recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hailey Ciesluk and Ryker Huizinga, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Hailey: Since I started contributing to Cultivate’s digital media & marketing, there has been a clear intention on having an inclusive, welcoming, and accessible media presence. To me, that is an incredible goal to have as a media coordinator, especially in something as valuable as the arts. Not only do we want our digital presence to be thoughtful and intersectional, but there is as much emphasis in the actions taken as an arts organization. Being a part of that initiative has been so important and taught me a lot as I entered the professional art world.

Ryker: Cultivate offers a contemporary art gallery, fine art education program, and artist resource center – so there’s always a lot going on! I feel grateful to have been a part of many meaningful projects so far.

Building our volunteer program has been especially rewarding. Cultivate opened the doors to its physical location at 620 Wealthy St SE in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the beginning of 2023. At the same time, we launched our volunteer program with opportunities to get involved as gallery sitters, classroom aides, art handlers, and more. It’s been incredible to meet and work with so many community members who are excited about the work we’re doing and eager to volunteer.

Volunteers are magic! It means so much that individuals are willing to share their valuable time and energy, and we couldn’t do what we do without them. Recently, one of our volunteers, Eric Osborne, completed 100 volunteer hours with us in just six months. I’m in awe of this support for the arts and passion for community. We’re incredibly grateful, and it’s wonderful to play a role in facilitating these connections and opportunities.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hailey: My name’s Hailey Ciesluk, and I am the Digital Media Coordinator at Cultivate. I specialize in ethical marketing strategies that advocate for accurate representation backed up by an organization’s actions. As for personal endeavors, I am an interdisciplinary artist who specializes in pointillist paintings highlighting social history. In the case of both forms of my work, there is an emphasis on shared knowledge—putting out meaningful material that not only benefits the user’s experience, but teaches me as well. I work primarily in art-centered spaces, hence why my work at Cultivate is so valuable. My goal is to provide the most accurate, thoughtful content at my disposal, in an effort to emphasize the human-nature in marketing.

Ryker: I’m Ryker Huizinga. I’m the Volunteer and Events Coordinator at Cultivate, and I’m passionate about creating engaging, meaningful opportunities for volunteers to get involved and connect with the arts community.

Personally, I explore interests in public art, photography, video, music, and creative writing. I’ve always loved creating and experiencing art, but last year – before I joined the Cultivate team – I realized I hadn’t made much time for art in recent years. I took a Cultivate class to jump back into the habit of exploring and creating regularly, and I was inspired by Cultivate’s work as an artist-run nonprofit organization – so I joined the team!

Cultivate’s mission is nurturing creativity, promoting inclusivity, and advocating for the arts. You can see these priorities woven into all we do and I’m proud of this work.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Hailey: Keep providing opportunities for artists to grow. It is so important for communities to see the ways creativity can flourish, and it provides sustainability for the artists of today. It creates hope for generations to come, as well as for people who’ve actively watched a city transform. Art is a valuable asset for everyone in ways beyond the goal of employing more artists. A thriving, creative ecosystem includes age-friendly spaces that nurture creativity & critical thinking, funding for more public art initiatives, and advocating for artists councils, to name a few examples. Opportunities only expand when artists are given a chance to showcase the humanity of our world.

Ryker: A good place to start is supporting local artists in your community – buy their work; share and tag them on social media; and attend artist markets and other art-focused events. Listen to the artists in your community – what are they advocating, what are they hoping to accomplish? Join them in these endeavors.

Other priorities include advocating for arts councils and public funding (like Hailey mentioned), and always paying artists fair and livable wages for their work.

Investing in art education is also extremely important – from creating robust school art programs to offering continuing education and support to artists looking to learn new skills, expand their networks, and find valuable opportunities. It’s all about creating spaces where the arts are truly valued, exploration and mistake-making are celebrated, and there’s an intentionally cultivated environment of collaboration, not competition.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Hailey: The thing that really pushed me to embrace being an artist was how much my mental health improved because of my art making. Once I discovered my love for painting, I found a safe space in my work and in the physical act of getting lost in a piece. The fact that this simple practice could shape so much of my world — how I interpret beauty, where I seek happiness, how I define safety—shows the true impact art has on our minds. I believe wholeheartedly that my studies and endeavors in art didn’t just shape me into a better artist, but a much better person overall. For that, I cannot think of a more rewarding aspect for following my creativity.

Ryker: A paraphrased quote from Marcel Proust that resonates with me is: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

Art-making, for me, involves having new eyes. It’s embracing new perspectives, focusing on little details, or marveling at the bigger picture. Taking time to see in new ways is often challenging, comforting, and rewarding all at once. I enjoy this process and what it teaches me about myself, those around me, our stories, and how we’re all connected.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cultivategrandrapids.org/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/cultivategr?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CultivateGR
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cultivate-grand-rapids/
• Other: Hailey and Ryker’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/hailey.ciesluk?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== https://instagram.com/ryker616?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Hailey and Ryker’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hailey-ciesluk-ba1465115 https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryker-huizinga

Image Credits
Artist exhibition event photography by: Bud Kibby (2nd, 3rd, & 5th photos)