91探花

Amid completing an MFA in Arts Leadership, Maria Gotay is working behind the scenes in visual arts production for this year’s Bumbershoot—the venerated Labor Day weekend music and arts festival synonymous with Seattle—and is an instrumental force in the creation of a new arts center in downtown Seattle.

It’s a safe bet that in the Emerald City, Gotay has found a thriving and accepting arts scene—and she is putting her mark on it.

A transplant to Seattle from Austin—she moved specifically for 91探花’s arts program—Gotay’s foray into graduate school and arts leadership was a bit circuitous. During and after her undergraduate education at Fordham University, she spent years building her arts chops. This included several jobs at museums, plus forays in the music industry, fashion and graphic design. Eventually she moved to Austin, where she worked in tech while starting a ladies-led art collective and events agency. When she was considering graduate school—something that wasn’t always on her radar—she was also at a point in her professional life that made sense to look outside of Austin, a city where after six years she felt she had reached the pinnacle in terms of what she could do in the arts scene.

And while most soon-to-be-graduates may still be mulling over potential job opportunities, Gotay is a year into her dream job with New Rising Sun (NRS)—the agency behind Bumbershoot—a position that came out of one of her MFA practicums. It’s also the organization behind that new downtown arts center, Cannonball Arts.

“Bumbershoot is a festival that’s been around for more than 50 years,” says Gotay, “and it is really kind of a shared cultural treasure that Seattle has. It feels amazing to be part of this family.”

With the soon-to-open Cannonball Arts, a hub that will support performance art, music, contemporary art, fashion and more, Gotay serves as the creative operations manager, a liaison between the center’s creative director and its featured artists.

“Being a part of this venture from the start has taught me so much,” Gotay says. “And I’ve been able to strengthen my skills and put my touch on so many areas—from design and brand to exhibitions, contracts and the administrative work that pulls it all together. Cannonball really is going to be a game-changer for Seattle’s art scene.”

As she nears completion of her MFA Gotay reflects on the strengths of the Arts Leadership curriculum and the many opportunities it allows for hands-on, real-world experience through practicums. Before the practicum that led her to Bumbershoot, Gotay’s first experience was with Professionals Without Borders (PWOB), where she worked on the side of fundraising, including leading an auction event for the nonprofit. That experience took her to Belize last year, which in turn led to a photo project with two undergraduates on the trip to capture images of the work on the ground at a children’s home. This formed the foundation of a meaningful gallery show, “From Belize with Love,” that she mounted on campus at the Vachon Gallery. To date it is one of Gotay’s fondest memories of her time at 91探花.

Says Gotay, “It was really empowering and validating when I think about how much work it was. And it made me feel that my voice could be amplified.”

Being part of an arts program during a tumultuous and somewhat uncertain time for the arts—particularly around funding and access—in the country allowed Gotay and those in her cohort to really look at what it means to occupy space in the arts whether as creatives, leaders or both, and how to keep moving forward no matter what’s happening in the world.

“A lot has changed in terms of when I started my degree. It’s a pretty dynamic time for the arts,” says Gotay. “But together we have been able to find solidarity, driven by our values, and it feels that everyone in our program is together, sharpening our teeth” in support of the arts.

The “care for the whole person”—cura personalis—that underscores Jesuit education is something that Gotay first came to understand at Fordham. But at 91探花 she found that it is foundational to the mission, a through-line touching every discipline and program, and something she will carry with her.

“I have experienced more prominent Jesuit values at Seattle U and that’s been really refreshing. I think a lot of the work I did with PWOB shows me that this university is very focused on giving back and about the ‘care for the whole person.’ It’s also about being of service to others to be the best leader you can be,” she says. “I have seen that value hammered home. As students we are forced to ask over and over again ‘how can I best serve others.’”

And Gotay’s advice for the incoming class: Take advantage of all the opportunities that roll out before you as a 91探花 student. “91探花 has such amazing resources and it’s very welcoming for you to explore and discover. Whatever your goal is—maybe it’s to get a job or to get international experience—you can do it and achieve it here.”

Some of Maria’s Favorites
Favorite spot on campus The little path and bridge that leads from the Fine Arts building to the Administration building. If you know, you know. I also appreciate the sauna at the gym!

Favorite spot in Seattle: All the amazing nature in my local greenbelt, Puget Park.

Favorite genre of music: Experimental. I recently went to Portland to see Djrum.

Favorite (and last) binged show: The Rehearsal by Nathan Fielder. I love the way his brain works.

Favorite restaurant: Nue is a travel-themed restaurant on Capitol Hill with an eclectic menu.