The past issues of smART Magazine have highlighted the unique character of the  cities that the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit has reached. With this, we celebrate how each city is different, allowing the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit to consistently reinvent itself across various cities. In that spirit, we are delighted to welcome Gray Area Foundation for the Arts and speak with the Executive Director, Barry Threw. Gray Area invokes social change through the promotion and development of creative programs in San Francisco and offers multidisciplinary artists—with a focus on technology—a platform they would otherwise not get at traditional arts organizations. With this, Gray Area is able to contribute to the growing discussion around inclusivity and allow many underrepresented creatives a chance to showcase their work.

We spoke with Threw about Gray Area’s efforts to include marginalized communities into their programs, how the San Francisco artistic community has responded to COVID-19, and how Gray Area incorporates technology and innovation into the artistry it is representing.