In a new series of questionnaires, we’re learning more about the members of this year’s Creative Assembly Cohort. Keep reading to get to know Claire Givens, songwriter and vocalist of pop-art band People Museum.
Full Name: Claire Givens
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Discipline/Creative Practice: Songwriter/Vocalist
Affiliation: People Museum
How do you work to grow and develop in your practice?
I do a lot more listening than anything. I try to only express things when I feel I can be most truthful.
What does community look like to you?
Community are people who see past titles—people who are willing to share and commune in an open way. My community is full of creatives that are looking for an alternative family.
What do you believe is the role of a museum?
To give to the world many perspectives. To give an opportunity to dream.
What are you hoping to gain from your experience in NOMA’s inaugural Creative Assembly Cohort?
I am hoping to be challenged by the prompt and by the artistry of the people around me.
What’s the last book you read?
A book of essays on poetry by Mary Oliver
What music do you listen to when you’re working?
I don’t listen to music much when I am writing. I like to have movies on in the background.
What are three qualities you value most in others?
Presence, openness, truthfulness.
What do your peers value in you?
I think I am a good listener and can give good advice when it’s needed.
If you could have dinner with one person you admire or who has served as a source of inspiration, who would it be and why?
I really just want to have dinner with my partner Nicholas Bateman always. He is a filmmaker and my favorite artist. He serves as a constant inspiration for me and we seem to bring out better and better ideas from each other. I also love food and just want to be around people I’m comfortable with when I’m eating—haha.
About the Creative Assembly Cohort
New Orleans is one of the most culturally rich cities in the world, and its layers of culture can be experienced in an endless number of ways. As the largest museum in the region, the New Orleans Museum of Art has a singular opportunity to serve as a nexus and forum for New Orleans’ vast cultural production. The Creative Assembly Cohort is a multidisciplinary group of New Orleans-based creators who immerse themselves within the museum’s collection and use the institution as a catalyst for their own work and creativity.
The disciplines of cohort members vary, but range from musicians, dancers, and poets to mixologists, activists, and educators. Cohort members use the museum as a space for inspiration and collaboration and work with the museum and its staff to develop and implement programs that speak to a diversity of perspectives.
Learn More About Creative Assembly
NOMA’s Creative Assembly community engagement initiative is supported by the Wagner Foundation.
