Exhibition catalog for A Necessary SHIFT, organized by Michelle Levy, Lauren Bierly, Claire Barliant, which was on view at the EFA Project Space Gallery from November 15 - December 21, 2013.

Artists: Sean Carroll, Paul Clay, Jonathan Durham, Francis Estrada, Chantel Foretich, Howard Halle, Elizabeth Hamby, Amber Hawk Swanson, Felicity Hogan, Gisela Insuaste, Jamie Kim, Theresa Marchetta, Naomi Miller, Karen Ostrom, Douglas Paulson, Hatuey Ramos-Fermín, Sebastien Sanz de Santamaria, Ellen Uzane Schneiderman, Roddy Schrock, Todd Shalom, Carolyn Sickles, Chad Stayrook, Rachel Vera Steinberg, David Terry, Sarah Walko, Beatrice Wolert.

A Necessary SHIFT was an exhibition and series of events that celebrated and highlighted EFA's Residency for Arts-Workers as Artists, which was entering its fourth year at the time. With the launch of this exhibition, we launched the official name for the residency: SHIFT residency, and highlighted the activities and progress of the artists who have been selected to participate since 2010.

SHIFT residency begins to recognize and nourish the particular art-world subset of artists who work for arts organizations, offering New York City based artist/arts workers a catalytic opportunity for artistic development and experimentation through space, time, counseling, and community, while thinking about how their dual roles support each other. From an intensive studio session in August, to a year of follow up meetings, residents are encouraged to reflect on their art practice and arts professionals career as a symbiotic, balanced system. Each individual brings administrative resources, artistic skills, personal struggles and victories to the experience. With each different group, underlying themes reoccur and evolve through the framework of shared knowledge and passion for the art community as seen from both the front and back-end.