GOOD TALK WITH JENNIFER WEIR

Jennifer Weir is the Executive Director of TaikoArts Midwest, Artistic Director of Enso Daiko, and has been actively performing, creating, producing, and teaching taiko drumming for over 25 years. She is the producer and featured artist of the FINDING HER BEAT documentary film. She also produced and directed the HERbeat concert featured in the film. She is the recipient of past grants from the MN State Arts Board, Jerome Foundation, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, American Composers Forum, and Taiko Community Alliance. She has led leadership workshops for the Shannon Institute with the Wilder Foundation, and has presented at TedxUMN and the BushConnect Conference. She also has extensive background as a theater director and dramaturg, and workshop leader.

Expertise
My expertise is as a director, producer, and arts leader. I excel at creating space for artists, bringing good ideas to fruition, and bringing talented people together. I am a queer Korean adoptee, raised in North Dakota, who has ended up becoming a leader in the art of Japanese drumming in MN. I have had an interesting life journey, have founded a nonprofit arts organization, and can speak to how to develop a strong arts organization, how to direct collaborative projects, and how art, identity, and communinty intersect. I am a strong advocate for gender equity and Asian American pride and representation.

Speaking History
TEDx UMN (University of MN)
BushConnect Conference, MN
Shannon Institute (Leadership seminars, frequent guest presenter)