We’re pleased to share the news that Zion Douglass and Briana Griffin have joined Rhizome in the positions of Program Assistant and Community Designer, respectively. These roles are part of a staff expansion supported by two major gifts given on the occasion of our 25th anniversary: the Endless Nameless gift from artist Rafaël Rozendaal, and a major “change capital” grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. 

As Program Assistant, Zion will provide support for our artistic program, which includes events, publishing, artist commissions, exhibitions, and archival accessions. Zion brings valuable experience to Rhizome as a cultural worker and independent curator whose practice explores experimental aesthetics in cinema and performance, the embodied qualities of digital technology, and Black, queer world-building practices.

In the newly formed Community Designer role, Briana will research the communities around rhizome.org, Conifer, ArtBase, and other small exhibition and project sites to better integrate and present Rhizome's various digital offerings. Briana will also guide us through a momentous rhizome.org website redesign led by Mindy Seu and Laura Coombs. With past work ranging from organizing a week-long Web Art Jam with artist communities on Discord to a diverse portfolio of physical and interface design research including award winning digital experiences, Briana brings professional design experience and a passion for community building to the role.

With these new hires, we begin an exciting chapter for the organization, with a better capacity to fulfill our mission and champion the cause of digital art. Welcome Zion and Briana!