ARAD is delighted to welcome Tianqi Liao as our new Social Media Coordinator. Learn more about Tianqi, her goals for her new role, and what she does outside of TC.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from? What was your undergraduate degree focused on?

I was born in Hangzhou, China and I spent my childhood there until I was 10; after that, I attended a boarding school in England for seven years. When I was studying for my A-Levels, I wanted to deepen my interest in English Literature, but later decided to study Journalism at New York University. During that time, I took a lot of courses related to visual storytelling. I’ve been in New York City ever since.

What previous experiences have led you to your current role?

After my undergraduate studies, I joined the Bronx Documentary Center as an intern before moving into the development department. Throughout my time as the Development and Communications Coordinator, I’ve been helping with non-profit fundraising, annual photo auctions, and photojournalism-based exhibitions. Previously, I was also the Manager of Photography and Video at Art in Odd Places, which is an arts festival that aims to present visual and performance art in unexpected public spaces. Besides these experiences, I’ve also worked at the Center for Architecture, which focuses on informing the public about the role of design through exhibitions and public programs.

How have those experiences informed your current professional path?

Whether it was developing digital strategies for fundraising campaigns or documenting artist performances and maintaining digital archives, all these professional learning experiences were instrumental in shaping my career path. In combination with my previous academic background, everything seemed to coalesce and I was determined to pursue arts administration in a more systematic way. Now as I prepare to begin my MA program, I am looking forward to taking courses that might add to my knowledge of branding and marketing for museums, galleries, and other arts organizations.

What are you looking forward to in taking on this role?

As a new student, I think this role provides a good opportunity to connect with both groups of past and current students. For past students of ARAD, I want to leverage the potential of our alumni network and highlight their achievements and milestones. At the same time, I look forward to using my previous experiences in digital content creation and audience engagement to bring our program to more people’s attention.

What do you do outside of your time at TC?

I’m always down to explore new exhibits throughout the city, especially ones involving photography as a medium. I also practice photography myself and take on personal projects that combine conceptual and documentary styles. When I’m not working, you are likely to find me snuggling with my cats.

Tianqi Liao will begin her pursuit of her M.A. in Arts Administration at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Fall. She graduated from New York University with double majors in Journalism and Media, Culture & Communications. She has worked with various arts and cultural organizations such as the Bronx Documentary Center, Art in Odd Places, and the Center for Architecture.