If you’ve been following the news, you likely know that Christopher Paul Jordan was announced as the 2025 The Current Awardee in November of last year. You’ll probably also know that The Current, an Artist Award, establishes an annual, unrestricted award providing financial and institutional support to a Black artist living, working, or with a connection to Tacoma.
What you may not know is how the whole thing happens.
It takes a community, a committee, a panel of jurors, and months of careful planning to select just one awardee from a pool of talented, dedicated, and visionary Black artists.
We connected with Victoria Miles, Rebecca and Jack Benaroya Curator, to learn more about responding to the needs of our community, making tough choices, and keeping a finger on the pulse of what’s today and what is yet to come.
Our region is so full of talent, so full of knowledge, so full of artistry and expertise that it leads me to wonder: how do you possibly choose who is going to sit on the jury?
That’s a good question, and to get straight to the point – The Collaborative Committee and I get together, and we go through art administrators and curators in and outside of our region. We’re looking for people who can find artists that align with the necessary criteria for the award; artists who have demonstrated a pattern of producing work and commitment to continual development of their work and artistic excellence within the field and medium. The people approached for the nomination committee have invaluable skills and experience in the arts and are familiar and comfortable engaging with diverse practices. The Collaborative Committee and I are already so involved in the artistic community, so when we get together we talk. We brainstorm. We make connections, we go out and meet people, learn about their work and practices. So it’s the knowledge that we already bring to the table, combined with a lot of exploration and research.
How long does this process usually take?
We think about this year-round. Things really get into motion once the awardee and nominees are announced. I use that notification as an indication of where we are with The Current and where it is heading, how things are taking shape.
It takes a lot of time, effort, and thought to bring in people who can properly support this project. The nomination jury is one of the most important pieces of the process, so we do the work to make sure we find the right fit.
Is the search for jurors public knowledge? Is it an open secret that you’re seeking these people out, or is it a Michelin Star thing where no one knows they’re on the list until they are approached?
You know, it’s a mix of both, but mostly the second. We do seek recommendations from jurors and nominators that we’ve worked with before. So in that way, it’s a bit of an open secret – but it’s definitely more of a Michelin Star, as one piece in selecting and having a juror is protecting their privacy and confidentiality, so they can do their job without much public influence or pressure, which is key to the process.
Let’s talk about the Final Juror. This year it was Tariqa Waters, which is a huge get for The Current. It seems like we didn’t hear much about Waters until the awardee was announced. How did you select the Final Juror for this cycle? What’s the role of the Final Juror?
With the nominators in general, it’s all about their skillset, and experience. We value their areas of expertise and what they bring to the table. But we’re also looking for someone warm, who can make the nominees feel open and comfortable to share about their work, practice, and ideas. Tariqa Waters is someone who is so well known and connected in the arts community in Seattle and beyond. Having Tariqa be involved with this program has been a dream, always a thought and it is amazing that this is the year we were able to work with her. We approached Tariqa Waters at the beginning of the season, the same time we identify and approach the nomination committee. The Final Juror isn’t involved in any of the conversations the nominators have around who they are considering for nomination. Once the nominations are finalized, we then connect with the Final Juror, and from there they are able to make connections with the nominated artists – often for the first time.
Part of Waters’ role in this process was conducting studio visits with the nominees prior to the final decision. Are you or any of the other jurors involved in this process?
No, this is exclusive. It’s just between the artist and the Final Juror – and I think that’s for the best. That way, there’s no bias towards a particular nominee. It’s just the two of them connecting.
The Current was established in 2021. How has it evolved in the years since?
I mean… The Current has evolved in ways I have dreamt of but was not quite sure if it could happen here at TAM. It started as my personal interrogation of the lack of Black artists in our collection then evolved into wanting to create something that was generative that also allowed us to expand our understanding of the canon of art, but more importantly, highlighting the artistic contributions of Black artists in our region, specifically Tacoma. Enter: The Current. From there, it established an annual exhibition for the award program and now, The Russell Gallery will be the permanent, dedicated space for The Current starting May 2025.
Throughout this entire process, I made a point to reach out to community partners and art administrators who do similar work. Thinking of the nomination process, specifically, at the very beginning, I remember connecting with Barbara Earl Thomas, who is an amazing artist – we have her in our collection here at TAM! She’s done great work in our region, across the country, and internationally, and I was able to get her insights into how we should approach nomination for The Current. She’s been in similar roles for award programs, as the artists or part of a selection committee and one thing she shared with me was to make the process as painless for the artists involved, suggesting a nomination process for that portion of the program. We took that advice, and with reflection and conversation, we strengthened that part of the process every year.
I’m not sure how to explain it, other than that it has felt very much like the birth of a thing. And I believe for the work to continually develop, the pulse has to be taken. For me, it’s having a finger on the heartbeat of The Current and asking, “Where are you at right now?” and that illuminates ways forward for the work.
The Current very much feels like it has that finger on the pulse of what’s here and now. With that in mind, what comes next?
In May of this year, The Current will have its own permanent space within TAM, which is very exciting. From the genesis, we considered the impact of having a physical space on this work, even before we had an exhibition. Former Chief Curator Margaret Bullock opened the door for us, and now with this becoming permanent, we can present not just exhibitions but also these ideas we’re exploring with other artists – an incubator space, to experience different works in different ways. We’ll be keeping the spirit of The Current alive, looking at today and looking ahead, by developing this more comprehensive view of Black artists in the region. It’s great to have a space for this kind of work, and to be able to share it with visitors who may not have that insight into the history of Black artists in our region.
Speaking of visitors having that opportunity to experience The Current in this new permanent space, how can the community engage? How can people support the work that you, the Committee, the jurors, and the nominees are doing?
We have regularly scheduled programming, and those programs are opportunities for the community to connect to artists featured in The Current. It’s a space to experience the ideas the artists are exploring through their work, but also to share ideas the community is exploring. Another way to support is to just be in community. The Current was created to be this generative space, and by attending these events, by getting to know these artists, asking questions and being curious, you’re being part of that thread. And I think it is so important to follow, keep up with, and connect with these artists outside of TAM! If they have public websites or media pages, encourage you to follow and get to know them. You can visit The Current webpage and find some of their personal pages as well. It is so important to get to know the artist beyond the context you know them in as well.
Talk to me about the upcoming reception for The Current. How are things looking?
Things are looking good! We’ll be having remarks from the awardee around their start at TAM and how things have evolved over time, so it’ll be a great opportunity to learn where they’re coming from. Christopher’s story has inspired me, and learning about their history with the organization pushed me – and TAM – to make space for Black artists. It’s a real full circle moment, where an artist who was very much harmed by this institution is now receiving this award and engaging with the institution on their terms. It’s a very significant moment for TAM, and I think this is going to be a pivotal year for The Current as well.
Interested in learning more about The Current?