About Us
About
The Museum of Human Achievement of East Austin is a physical arts, community space, and organization based on principles of affordability and access. We provide affordable space and professional support to individuals and organizations that have historically lacked access to institutional resources. This support is tailored to meet people and organizations where they are and ranges from grant writing, legal assistance, production assistance, affordable or free office space, administrative assistance, financial planning, and individual micro-grants and commissions. The hope is that this kind of thoughtful practice of caring and capacity building of long-term infrastructural strategies can better support and grow new leaders within the under-resourced communities that still struggle to both maintain physical space and access resources in Austin.
To make sure we serve our community equitably our programs are led by a guiding body of 28 individuals in leadership (57% BIPOC, 45% LGBTQIA+, 12% non-binary, 53% women).
Accessibility/Diversity in digital arts
- Artist-led workshops, gatherings, mentorships, public showcases, and artist + tech wizard residency; promoting troubleshooting, curiosity, and critical thinking around emerging and ubiquitous technologies (CATS+)
- An annual festival which celebrates, amplifies, and supports the unique and underrepresented in indie video games and play (Fantastic Arcade)
- A monthly meetup that celebrates, amplifies, and supports the unique and underrepresented within indie games and beyond (Games Y'all)
- VR, AR, and net.art exhibitions, performance, and education; emphasizing diversity among artists utilizing emerging technology (IRL)
Residencies and Cultural Exchange
- An international artist residency (Unlisted Projects)
- Accessible online gallery and artist residency providing monthly stipends (Welcome to my Homepage)
Supporting and Commissioning arts and music
- 24/7 public art gallery which champions and supports diverse artists (Cage Match Project)
- Mobile art gallery and store for local makers focused on uplifting women artists, queer artists, and artists of color (The Mall)
Mobile touring performance and platforms
- A Mobile Performance Center (Peanut)
- drive-in movies in partnership with neighborhood associations (CoHA)
These efforts result in producing over a hundred free public programs annually which integrate community vision, arts, and social practice. Since our founding, we have partnered with 1,300+ organizations, presented the work of 5,500+ artists -- including 700+ original art commissions-- and welcomed 300k visitors.
As a community hub which provides studio, office, and event space to 19 artists, 22 arts and/or mutual aid orgs, and tens of organizers each year, space access is based on a sliding scale that accounts for income and historical access to resources. In 2020, community members were able to donate to local causes in lieu of paying rent, resulting in $23k of donations to community causes. In 2021, donated space, and fundraising events resulted in a total of $65k in funds redistributed to community causes. This practice of generosity, community support and affordability are in response to displacement and gentrification in East Austin where many struggle to maintain space and grow infrastructure.
Our professional support programs offer no fee fiscal sponsorship, administrative and developmental support to 47 organizations (resulting in $2.4m in funds distributed to first time grant applicants), as well as a paid fellowship program to students. Staff, leadership and volunteers at MoHA have supported the founding of multiple non-profits, small businesses and informal collectives and assisted mutual aid and social practice orgs establish sustainable infrastructure.
Our residency programs have hosted 55 visiting artists and 93 online residents, resulting in 137 different public programs. Our digital arts programs have commissioned 25 original indie games, presented 1k+ new games, and 100+ monthly meetups. Each year we provide support to over 650 artists and partner with 150 organizations in support of this work. MoHA has collaborated on 14 different traveling productions in partnership with communities from small towns in Texas to major touring productions in Portland.
Learn More
For more info about MoHA as an organization and community, visit the following:
- Good Job MoHA to read about MoHA's highlights over the years.
- Press to view articles written about MoHA's programming.
- History of MoHA to learn about MoHA's history since its founding.
- Past Events to view an archive of all events.
- The MoHA Community to get to know the community.
Values
- Experimentation | MoHA supports open-ended and unconventional interactions between artists and audiences, making space for creative works that go beyond traditional notions of failure or success.
- Accessibility | MoHA reaches for programming that speaks to the diverse identities and experiences of people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. We are committed to free or radically affordable programming that is accessible to a broad public.
- Respect | MoHA is a thoughtful and active participant in community that aims to facilitate connection and collaboration with our neighbors both within and without the arts.
- Support for Artists | MoHA provides funding, resources, and low-cost studio and performance space to those with limited access to economic or institutional support.
- Collaboration | MoHA facilitates cross-disciplinary collaborations through expansive programming, shared workspaces, and creative partnerships.
- Critical Thought | MoHA provides a platform where critical questioning and the free exchange of ideas promotes public dialog about our future.
- Upholding the Vibe | MoHA welcomes strange, potentially disastrous, heartfelt acts of humanity that raise the cultural brow without getting too high.
Staff
Zac Traeger is a composer and Executive Director of The Museum of Human Achievement. He has led the organization through 12 years of award-winning programming. MoHA was founded with $4k he saved from teaching piano with no loans or institutional support. In twelve years, MoHA has grown from an informal DIY collective to a 501(c)3 nonprofit grounded in equity, affordability, and accessibility. Zac is passionate about sharing knowledge and resources in support of long-term sustainability and has helped numerous arts, community and social justice organizations establish infrastructure and long-term strategies.
Zac has successfully written over $10m in funding applications including support from the National Endowment for the Arts, TX commission on the Arts, Rally Austin, Capital Impact Partners, People Fund, City of Austin’s Cultural Arts Department, United Way, Mid America Art Alliance, SBA’s Shuttered Venue Operator Grant and EIDL loans. Zac sits on multiple boards including UNESCO Media Arts board for the City of Austin, the Land Use and Code - Cultural Working Group, Urban Land Institute’s Cultural Advisory Board, Unlisted Projects, and the Live in America Festival Facilitator and Support Team.
Since founding MoHA in 2012, Zac oversees MoHA at large with a focus on sustainability and long term vision. Reach out to Zac about supporting MoHA through donations, grants, sponsorships, community partnerships, cool snacks or cats stuff.
Rachel Stuckey is an artist and the Director of Digital Arts at The Museum of Human Achievement in Austin, TX, where she advocates for diverse voices in emerging media arts and indie games. In 2014 she founded the Welcome to my Homepage Digital Artist Residency. She has previously worked as Gallery Director at Women & Their Work, programmer for Experimental Response Cinema, and community organizer for Girls Who Code.
As an artist, she works with new media to explore enthusiasm, confusion, and mystical lore about computers and life online. Her work has shown at Small File Media Festival, Fusebox Festival, The Wrong New Digital Art Biennale, Hyperreal Film Club, Drkmttr, Other Cinema, Film Forum, Echo Park Film Center, daswerk, Slovenski Filmski Center, and elsewhere. Forever a fan of media art residencies, Stuckey has spent time in creating and researching at Laboratory, Signal Culture, and Media Archaeology Lab. She earned an MFA from The University of Texas at Austin and a BFA from University of Colorado Boulder.
Rachel runs MoHA's Digital Arts Programs - media arts residencies, net art, creative software workshops, and more. Email her about CATS+, Welcome to my Homepage, digital arts opportunities, our Discord server, or to chat about digital equity, the indie web, or anything tech + arts related.
Tor Reynolds is a multi-disciplinary artist with a primary focus on producing performance art & theatre. They are the Facilities/Production Manager for The Museum of Human Achievement, and have been Set Designer/ Lead Fabricator for a wide variety of projects. They co-produced/artistically directed ‘Roaming Gender’ - a touring documentary series, creating a platform for queer and trans people to share their stories and build community across the country. In their work, they center and prioritize queer artists and collaboration.
Tor’s our space, tools and equipment expert, fixing and building things all around MoHA. Contact them about our studio spaces, facilities, inventory, live event production, and volunteering at MoHA.
Sarah Corpron is an arts administration super-nerd and Grants and Development Manager at MoHA. She has worked within the arts sector for over 18 years, supporting multi-disciplinary and live, community-minded projects. When she isn’t researching and applying for grants, Sarah is also the Business Manager and co-owner of a family dental office in Austin, TX. Previously, Sarah was a Cultural Funding Specialist with the City of Austin where she guided artists and organizations through the process of government funding application and worked to redesign and relaunch new, racial equity-centered cultural funding programs. Prior to moving to Austin, TX, Sarah was the Director of Business Services at NYFA; overseeing operations for Fiscal Sponsorship, NYFA Coaching, and other programs. She was also the Programs Director at VAE in Raleigh, NC; managing programs for emerging artists and organizing the annual open-source creativity festival, SPARKcon. Sarah completed her Masters of Arts Administration through Goucher College. In addition to gardening and hiking, Sarah loves talking grants strategies and arts admin with anyone who is willing!
Sarah handles grants and development at MoHA. If you hear about any funding opportunities that might be a good fit, send them her way!
Eriane Austria is a multidisciplinary creative and the Programs Administrator at the Museum of Human Achievement, where she draws on her interdisciplinary background in research, creative technologies, and art to support MoHA in their backend operations. Previously, she has performed academic research in cognitive neuroscience at Dell Med; developed games as artist, programmer, designer, and/or producer; and took on several leadership roles in operations and outreach for a variety of organizations in college. Outside of work, she supports Slipper Assembly, a local community of Asian creatives, with marketing and logistics. Overall, she is a polymath through and through with a love for art-making (painting, mixed media, game dev), exercise, science, and learning more about people. Eriane earned her Bachelors degrees in Neuroscience and Arts & Entertainment Technologies at the University of Texas at Austin and wrote her Polymathic Scholars honors thesis on Digital Globalization and Intersectionality.
Eriane manages data and communications and supports MoHA’s programs, grant efforts, and operations. Email her about MoHA’s newsletters, website, and social media.
Board
Financials
MoHA Tax ID: 30-0999640
