2026 SPE Annual Conference: Catalyst for Exchange
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print this pageInterdepartmental Collaboration in Image Making
Noah Thompson & John Freyer
Saturday, March 21 - 9:00AM to 11:00AM
Atlanta 4
Arts administrators: studio technicians, librarians, museum staff, provide in-class and behind the scenes support that is integral to arts education. But what about our responsibilities outside of the classroom? In short, we wear many hats. From arts centers to museums, community colleges to R1 institutions, educators can often feel overwhelmed and siloed, working with what is in reach in order to give their students an impactful learning experience.
My colleagues and I at the Smith College Imaging Center assist a wide variety faculty and organizations across campus, like the Making Radical Futures Lab, run by Alix Gerber. I lead workshops on documentation and image formatting for virtual spaces. This continued with courses like Foundations, giving students a chance to learn documentary skills and portfolio design. Additionally, I seek out new and alternative technologies, such as 3D printed pinhole cameras, to offer an introduction to large format photography. Faculty in other departments have sought help on documenting textiles and geological samples, and organizations like the Hillyer Art Library and Smith College Museum of Art have collaborated with us on digitizing works in their collections. Two examples include creating videos of artist books for the library and photogrammetry capture of paintings in the SCMA collection.
This panel focuses on collaboration and sharing resources across departments. Speakers will share experiences supporting student and staff-led projects, working with archives and museums to provide professional documentation, and improving access to image-making resources. The conversation will be facilitated by Noah S. Thompson, Visual Arts Digital Specialist at the Smith College Imaging Center.
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Noah Thompson
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