Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Berns-Zieve.
Hi Sarah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
⚫️ I Fell in love with Dance at the age of 8
⚫️ Attended Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA/BSFA), focused on becoming a professional dancer
♾ Learned incredible time management and discipline
♾ Explored my creativity through choreography
♾ Saw and felt the power of art and community to heal and unite people
⚫️ Dance-related injury summer prompted the creation of The Arts Collective at BSFA in my 3rd year
♾ Designed a website from scratch using Squarespace
♾ Envisioned and carried out a project called Humans of BSA (emulating Humans of NY)
♾ Recruited and led a team of students in managing social media, website, and community outreach
⚫️ Graduated from BSA
⚫️ Attended Swarthmore College
♾ Began exploring the relationship between art and social justice
♾ Fell in love with film and filmmaking
♾ Realized how integral the concept of art is to my belief system and values
⚫️ Rebranded The Arts Collective at BSFA as The Arts Collective Bmore
♾ Mission Statement: Bringing people together through art to make change together through art
⚫️ Established The Arts Collective Bmore as a non-profit organization
♾ Recruited a board of directors
♾ Successfully acquired a grant
♾ Envisioned and carried out a project called Turn the Corner with young, emerging, local artists
⚫️ Began doing freelance videography/editing
♾ Became enamored with music videos and the idea of interdisciplinary, collaborative projects
⚫️ Decided to return to Baltimore to immerse me in the arts community and strengthen my skills
⚫️ Started working remotely with Beast of the East Productions as Team Member/Intern
♾ Learning a skill set related to production, particularly for indie films
♾ Gaining knowledge about the industry
⚫️ Currently living in Baltimore City, actively creating art, and looking to build community
♾ Running The Arts Collective Bmore
♾ Working as a production assistant for the art department of a show shooting in Baltimore
♾ Doing Freelance videography/photography/editing
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
The road has not been smooth, but the bumps have only strengthened my momentum. One of the biggest challenges I faced was getting injured while attending Baltimore School for the Arts. I struggled but ultimately learned much about myself and my path at a younger age than I think I would have otherwise. The injury also helped me come up with the idea for The Arts Collective. The next biggest challenge in my journey was realizing that the college I was attending at the time was not the right fit for me. I felt out of place in a place where community and art were not valued as I believed they should be. This realization did not seem optimal as I was already halfway through college, but I knew I needed to be in a place where community and art were at the heart of everything. So, I returned to Baltimore, and I have been happily pursuing my creative endeavors, connecting with people, and grounding myself. There have been many bumps in the road, but they have always steered me in the right direction. There’s no one stopping you from turning your ideas into reality. Once you truly realize that, life gets better. Create! Also, reach out to people to collaborate. I sometimes like to work alone, but I have found that the best ideas are born from the community.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an all-around artist with a passion for community. I am a videographer, editor, writer, and dancer. Also, I have some experience with web design and am actively working to grow my graphic design skills. My work leans toward the abstract, and I am drawn to interdisciplinary, collaborative projects. I have found that my background as a dancer influences how I move with the camera and edit visuals with sound. Also, I am very interested in people and love to listen to their stories. Overall, the aim of all I do is to create a community in whatever way possible.
I am the founder/director of The Arts Collective Bmore, and a Baltimore City-based non-profit focused on art, community, and Baltimore. Our mission is to bring people together through art to make change together through art. One of our goals is to uplift the voices of youth and marginalized groups, especially emerging artists. We are an ever-evolving collective, approaching our mission in all ways possible. Go to our website to learn more about us and check out our recent projects. Follow our Instagram to immerse yourself in the Baltimore art scene and all it offers.
Stay posted on my website, which will be dropping soon. It will be a digital, archival home for all my personal and collaborative work. I continue to explore different mediums of expression and am always open to new connections.
Call me if you’re looking for a videographer or video editor.
If you want to join The Arts Collective Bmore team, email me.
If you’re looking for someone to brainstorm and collaborate with on a project, reach out.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bz____________?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Other: https://vimeo.com/568602393
Image Credits
Braden Morrison (headshot of me)
