Variety Act Miami #10: Meet Esther Park, VP of Programming for Oolite Arts.
Recovering music journalist, former rave DJ, Reiki student, and reveler of the Miami art world's boldest talents.
Welcome to Variety Act Miami, a newsletter spotlighting multidimensional Miami people. Would you like to meet more of them? Subscribe aquí. Our banner was designed by the talented Natasha Villarraga.
Welcome to issue number 10 of Variety Act Miami—the dime piece, if you will. Look at this ‘lil bi-weekly newsletter just doing her thing! I’m your compère, Natalie Guevara. Once again, we’re spotlighting multidimensional Miamians who are making things happen in our fair city.
Today, I’m excited to introduce you to Esther Park: recovering music journalist and contributor (you may have scoped her writing in Miami New Times, Spin, Complex, The Village Voice, and the iconic underground hip-hop journal Elemental, among other publications); co-host of The Fake Podcast, which she runs with her pal Ben Wolkov; a former rave DJ; a “wannabe Peloton instructor” (her words—and girl, same); Reiki student; Pinot Noir enthusiast 🍷; and proud mom to a 15-year-old K-Pop stan.
Esther originally arrived in Miami in 2003 on assignment for a music story. She never left—and we’re the better for it. Today, she’s the VP of Programming for Oolite Arts, which is not just an organization championing South Florida’s brazen, compelling visual and cinematic artists—among them Teresita Fernández and William Cordova—but also a dynamic ecosystem, resource and learning center welcoming the wider contemporary arts community. Its exhibitions are thoughtful, immediate, and surprising. (I’m personally looking forward to checking out Kelly Breez’s new installation, Now Hold on Just a Minute Here.)
There’s no question Esther is a decorated veteran of the Miami arts and culture landscape—her CV is a murderers’ row of our city’s best institutions. Before coming aboard Oolite Arts in 2018, she held esteemed programming positions at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), the Adrienne Arsht Center, and the National YoungArts Foundation (currently known as YoungArts). She’s recognized as an ambitious leader with a quicksilver mind, a sharp eye, and a compassionate soul who’s particularly skilled at reaching new audiences and drawing them to interact with art.
I couldn’t wait to learn more about her work, how she approaches leadership, and her Miami favorites (read until the end!). Without further ado, here’s Esther.
MEET ESTHER PARK, VP OF PROGRAMMING FOR OOLITE ARTS.
On how she stays closely attuned to emerging talent in the Miami arts landscape:
Partly, my job at Oolite Arts is to always surround myself with emerging artists in our city. In turn, I’m able to meet their communities of like-minded individuals who are also doing incredible and genuine futurist work. As the saying goes, “It’s the company you keep,” and I’ve been so fortunate to surround myself with creatives and artists throughout my almost two-decade long career here in the Miami arts community.
When you establish yourself in a “scene” as someone who is genuinely seeking to discover new talent, instead of you going out there on the hunt, the hunt comes to you. So the last five to eight years have been just that: I get introduced to so many new artists (some local, others just passing through) that it’s quite overwhelming at times.
On championing artists and the similarities between music journalism and arts administration:
I see music journalism and what I do as an arts administrator almost the same way: I seek talent and I do my best to give them their most-deserving shine. Whether that’s a cover feature story or an unrestricted financial grant, support is support. Sometimes an artist just needs one solid validation to keep them going and I’ve been incredibly lucky to be in a position where my opinion might help their career.
On the classic hip-hop album that’s her instant mood-booster:
Wow, so much—but Wu-Tang Clan’s debut studio album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), is by far my go-to hype album forever.
On navigating life in Miami when she first arrived and building her community over time:
Miami is a big city with village mentality. People here are very clique-y. I’ll be honest, I met my husband down here and he’s Jamaican-born, 305-bred. Without his co-sign, I probably would have left Miami. When people ask you, “What school did you go to?” they don’t mean college, but high school. Miami is all about what “set you rep.”
I think now with more transplants, you might get less of that, but if you ain’t down with cafecitos, Trick Daddy, and saying “bro” every 10 seconds… I mean, are you really Miami?!
On an unsung Miami arts hero:
Wow, so many. Every front-of-house and back-of-house staff member who works at our local art museums, performing art centers, and local theater houses. Every art installer who hangs the million-dollar paintings on the walls, or the lighting technician who climbs 60 feet to rig a fog machine for “dramatic effects.” These folks are the guts of the arts. Without them, we got nothing.
On her most indelible strength as a leader:
I believe EQ is now more important than IQ, especially when it comes to leadership. True leaders know not just how to “read the room,” but also to “tune the room.”
I’m a big physics nerd when it comes to energy and frequencies, and I’ve utilized real scientific methodologies to really understand the subtle nature of how one’s energy can shift an entire scenario from bad to good and vice-versa. Leadership is really about shifting power and energizing your team to own their power to do good work. You lead from the back, not the front; you lead from the bottom, not the top.
On the most under-looked element when planning an exhibit opening party:
Definitely music. Each opening should have a curated playlist that accompanies the show to really bring it 360. Oh, and decent alcohol… muy importante.
On the one thing her 2003 self would not believe about the current Miami arts scene:
A rotten banana that was taped to a wall during Art Basel was sold for $120,000!
ESTHER’S MIAMI FAVORITES.
Miami anthem (current or classic!): Rick Ross’s “Hustlin’.”
Restaurants & bars: Shuckers on 79th Street Causeway and LC’s Roti Shop in Miami Gardens.
Cafés, diners, bakeries, & ventanitas: Sullivan Street Bakery every Saturday morning.
Cultural centers: Oolite Arts (duh).
The Great Outdoors: Fruit & Spice Park in the Redlands.
Small businesses: Simply Good Pizza at Lincoln Eatery—big shoutout to my big bro and local serial entrepreneur, Max Pierre.
Local Miami artist, author, or performer: Every resident artist currently at Oolite Arts.
Most delightful Miami discovery made during quarantine: ALDI has really delicious and super cheap snacks.
The recommendation you’ll always give to a first-time Miami visitor: Key Biscayne has the greatest sunsets in the world.
THANKS, ESTHER!
Follow Esther’s brilliant programming work at @oolitearts and, per its tagline, discover “what Miami is made of.” Listen to her widely entertaining thoughts, takes, and tangents on The Fake Podcast. Remember to support local artists wherever you are.
Until next time, un abrazo!