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Yinette Guzman (’08 BFA Architecture), Public Art Advocate and Placemaking Designer

Yinette Guzman ’08 BFA Architecture Senior Project Manager, North Shore Community Development Coalition
  • MassArt Common Good Award Honoree
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Public Art Advocate and Placemaking Designer Yinette Guzman to Receive 2024 MassArt Common Good Award

Yinette Guzman (BFA Architecture ’08), Senior Project Manager of Design and Placemaking at the North Shore Community Development Coalition, will be among six recipients of the 2024 MassArt Common Good Award. Guzman is being recognized for her leadership in curating the Punto Urban Art Museum (PUAM) in Salem, MA, and her commitment to using public art to transform underserved communities.

“Yinette’s work exemplifies the powerful role art can play in revitalizing communities and fostering cultural understanding,” said MassArt President Mary K. Grant. “As a graduate of our Compass program for first-generation college students, Yinette has taken the support she drew from her own journey and is now paying it forward in countless ways. Her work embodies the mission of the Common Good Award.”

Through her work at PUAM, Guzman has created a culturally inclusive space that amplifies the voices and stories of immigrant residents while fostering community pride. She has led transformative initiatives, such as the Casa de Abuela project, an immersive placemaking experience that invites visitors into the heart of a traditional Dominican country home, and the Generations mural on Congress Street, a collaborative community mural created with artist David Fichter. Guzman is also spearheading Muñecas Sin Rostro (Faceless Dolls), an upcoming public art installation featuring seven outdoor sculptures in Salem’s Palmer Cove Park, set to celebrate Latino heritage and broader BIPOC culture in 2025.

Her work at PUAM has earned significant recognition, including a special mention in the 2020 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Urban Open Space Awards for its innovative use of creative placemaking to strengthen the community. In 2023, Guzman was also elected as a Commissioner for the Essex National Heritage Commission, honoring her contributions to cultural preservation and community development in Essex County.

Before her current role, Guzman spent over a decade at the architectural practice of Moshe Safdie, specializing in 3D architectural modeling and leading advancements in digital computing tools. Beyond her professional work, Guzman is an artist, designer, and advocate who co-founded expressive therapy programs at the Boston Rescue Mission and devotes significant time to mission work, community leadership, and creating art. As an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, she is passionate about giving back to her community locally and internationally, blending her artistic talents with a commitment to fostering cultural connections and growth.

Guzman will be celebrated alongside five other distinguished honorees, including May Chau (BFA Arts Education ’07, Arts Education), Visual Arts Supervisor for Somerville Public Schools; Shirley Ann Session Edgerton, community activist, educator, and founder of Rites of Passage and Empowerment Program (R.O.P.E.); Toni Elka (BFA Painting ’86), founder of Future Chefs; photographer Thaddeus Miles, Senior Director of Diversity Initiatives at MassHousing and founder of the Black Joy Initiative; and acclaimed documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman. Each honoree will receive a custom-made, inscribed artwork by Sam Kim, a Lowell-based ceramics artist and MassArt graduate (BFA Industrial Design and Ceramics ’18).

“This year’s Common Good Award recipients reflect the many ways artists can drive societal change, change perspectives, and honor the diversity that helps communities thrive,” said President Grant. “Each of these recipients have demonstrated innovative work in education, community building, and advocacy and stand as a testament to the essential role that creativity plays in shaping our collective future. We are honored to recognize their contributions to the common good.”

The MassArt Common Good Awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at noon at MassArt’s Design and Media Center (621 Huntington Avenue, Boston). The event is free and open to the public, though tickets are required.
For more information on attending the event or learning about the MassArt Common Good Awards, visit www.massart.edu/massart-common-good-awards.

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About Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt)

Founded in 1873, Massachusetts College of Art and Design is the nation’s first public, independent college of art and design. The College is dedicated to fostering the creativity of artists, designers, and educators who will shape communities and culture for the common good.

About MassArt Common Good Awards

The MassArt Common Good Awards celebrate individuals and organizations who use art and design to make a positive impact on society. Honorees demonstrate the essential role of the arts in advocacy, education, and community development, contributing to the quality of life and problem-solving efforts in today’s world.

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Acclaimed Filmmaker and Theater Director Frederick Wiseman to be Honored with 2024 MassArt Common Good Award

Frederick Wiseman Documentary Filmmaker

Wiseman, an acclaimed filmmaker with 44 documentaries to his name, captures the human experience through the lens of social institutions. His work has received four Emmys and the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival, along with an Academy Honorary Award in 2016.

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Frederick Wiseman.

Toni Elka (BFA Painting ’86), Founder of Future Chefs

Toni Elka ’86 BFA Painting Award Recipient: Distinguished Alumni Award

Elka, founder of Future Chefs, has made a profound impact on youth development through culinary arts in Boston. Her nonprofit provides life skills, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to prepare young people for success. Elka’s leadership has been nationally recognized for empowering youth and fostering social change.

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Toni Elka looking up and to the side.

Architecture

Featured Work

Nonprofit executive Julie Wake envisions a world where artists have a seat – and a role to play – at every table.

Julie Wake ‘07 BFA Architecture
  • Alumni
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Out of her Element, and Loving It

Julie Wake is Executive Director at Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, a nonprofit that supports Cape-based artists through funding extracurricular arts activities, artist grants, and personal development opportunities. Julie enrolled in MassArt’s architecture program after several years in the workforce and became the first in her family to earn a college degree. She is passionate about expanding access to the arts throughout Cape Cod, and amplifying the role of art and artists.

What do you remember most about your experience at MassArt?

There was the opportunity to explore — to really grow and lean into things I’d always been thinking about. Going in as an older, non-traditional student, I sometimes felt super out of my element. But I found (MassArt) so welcoming and inclusive. The classes were small, and the coaching and mentoring were so personal. I’ve never felt so challenged and then built back up. And I’ve never laughed so hard. I learned that it’s never too late to try. MassArt made it possible for me to earn a college education. 

 

How did your program shape your perspective?

I was in the architecture department and it was just mind-blowing to consider housing and structure in a way that was more human. We were thinking about environmental architecture and design as it affects us as people who interact with the world. It brought a softness to a strong-edged subject. It brought me an understanding of how the arts interact with all different sectors. 

 

How did that perspective lead you to where you are now?

I took those lessons and worked as a communications director for the Housing Assistance Corporation. I’d never worked in social justice before, but I went in with that MassArt confidence. Then, the executive director position at The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod opened up. I understood the sector, the needs and challenges, and how to work with artists. MassArt gave me the cachet to come in and be confident and fearless in a job like this one. The school thinks of its students as future leaders and entrepreneurs. I’ve now been here for eight years. 

 

What role do you see the next generation of artists and designers playing in society and in the world?

The arts no longer serve just one area. Artists are helping with mental health. They’re helping tell the story about lack of affordable housing. Artists are critical to our humanity. They’re rockstars—the rest of the community really learns from them. It’s so good for society to have an artist in conversations, to talk to somebody who sees the world in a completely different way. I see lots of openings for artists, art organizations, and community access to those things. And I’m excited because most people are starting to get on that same page.

Artists are critical to our humanity. They’re rockstars—the rest of the community really learns from them. Julie Wake ’07 BFA
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Lindsay and Alex Small-Butera dressed in formal clothing on the red carpet at the 2024 Emmy Awards.

The Art of Curating an Exhibition

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Architecture

M.Arch Resources

PROFESSIONAL AND STUDENT ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATIONS

LICENSURE

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, NCARB, provides information on architectural licensure. NCARB’s Architectural Experience Program (AXP) provides resources for, and an app to use in reporting, professional experience hours with supervising professionals which are required for licensure in most US jurisdictions. Find information on the AXP and download the app at: Gain AXP Experience and My AXP App.

M.Arch Program Director Paul Hajian MassArt’s AXP/Licensing Advisor. Paul works closely with students and MassArt’s Career resources office to identify job opportunities for students and recent graduates, and guides students through the internship and licensing exam registration. Paul may be reached at phajian@massart.edu.


STUDIO CULTURE POLICY

The Department of Architecture is committed to teaching through the studio model. Working in studio should be interactive, collaborative, and rewarding. The following topics address goals that graduate students have set for themselves concerning studio culture in order to maintain a respectful and supportive environment.

STUDIO SPACES & STUDIO COURSES

Studio spaces are intended as a gathering area for informal learning, formal lectures, and as a place to work. Though it is not enforced, students are expected to work in studio as much as possible, both during studio classes and on their own time. Since the exchange of ideas works best when all participants are there to contribute and collaborate, students should make every effort to attend studio meetings, critiques, and lectures on time. Late arrivals and early departures are disruptive and disrespectful to the teachers and fellow students.

WORKPLACE & PROFFESSIONALISM

Students are expected to respect each other’s studios, work, and equipment. Ask before borrowing equipment or supplies, and always return items promptly. They must also respect the need for a quiet work environment; use headphones when listening to music, or ask your neighbors for permission before using speakers; and turn off cell phones or set them to vibrate during class and studio hours.

We recognize that students spend a majority of their lives in the studio. They are to be mindful of food in storage, eating, and cleanup so problems do not arise related to cleanliness. They must also pay special attention to food in the shared refrigerators and clean it out occasionally.

As there are a limited number of school computers, they must be shared, if necessary. While students are free to save their work to the desktops, it is advised that they back up their work each day. Recreational use of the computer is a low priority.

When leaving studio at year’s end, students must leave spaces clean and free of personal items. Clean-up dates are posted in studio. Work left after those dates is destroyed.

STUDIO ETIQUETTE

The Department of Architecture supports an interactive learning environment where diverse opinions, approaches, and passionate debate are encouraged. However, intimidation, loud shouting, and insulting speech are not tolerated. Like other areas of MassArt, our studios and classrooms should be free from harassment, discrimination, and violence. Students and faculty will treat one another with respect and mutual goodwill, and will resolve differences in an equitable, respectful manner. The faculty, staff, and students are inter-dependent and together build the Department of Architecture.

BALANCE

It is critical that students are able to maintain a balance between their studio work, assignments for other classes in other departments, and lives outside of school. Excessive time spent in studio that precludes participation in extracurricular activities or enrollment in classes taught by this or other departments is strongly discouraged.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Spending inordinate hours in studio is less effective than investing well-considered quality time on work. Students are encouraged to manage their time so that projects are spread out over the course of a semester in manageable time blocks. Students are discouraged from working late at night on a regular basis and prior to reviews. Working fewer, more productive hours will leave time for other important activities both at school and outside of school.

COMMUNITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

The Department of Architecture is not the only school on campus to provide studio space; graduate studios are shared by numerous departments. Agendas and work styles may differ, but everyone deserves respect. Collaboration with students in other departments – such as faculty-led workshop electives or individually directed projects – is encouraged.

MASSART CAREER DEVELOPMENT

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