Celebrating 50+ years of SIM

SIM celebrated its 50th year along with MassArt’s 150th in 2023 

Group photo of SIM students that participating in Nick Cave's Joy Parade in Boston in 2019.
Group photo of SIM students that participating in Nick Cave’s Joy Parade in Boston in 2019. 

SIM was founded in 1969 by Harris Barron, with its first cohort of students in 1970. For 50 years, SIM has continued to be at the forefront of artistic experimentation – with play, collaboration, live events, and social intervention at its core.

Below are some of the ways we celebrated –

SIMBIG50 Catalog  – It’s published!  Find out more at this link >> massartsim.org/simbig50catalog/

SIM Archive >>  massartsim.org/sim-archive 

Harris and Ros Barron Immersive Experience Design Studio Naming Dedication – occurred on April 29 2023 – we enjoyed a wonderful event with Ros Barron and Family in attendance!

SIM Alumni Panel during SIM Major Studio Class time – Socially Engaged Practice and Pedagogy – occurred April 16, 2020 >>  simbig50-alumni-panel-series

There are always ways to support SIM’s fundraising efforts that fund our scholarships and new initiatives >>  FIND OUT HOW TO DONATE TO SIM!!

SIM alum Amy Cotton teching a show in the projection booth in the Longwood Theater. During her time at MassArt, Cotton was a participant in the ZONE production of Kandinsky’s Yellow Sound at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC.
Amy Cotton (SIM ‘74) teching a show in the projection booth in the Longwood Theater during the Master Magician and Friends performance event in 1973. During her time at MassArt, Cotton was a participant in the ZONE production of Kandinsky’s Yellow Sound at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC. Image credit: Photo by Dave Armstrong (SIM ‘73).

We are please to share that the Harris Barron, A.K.A. “Eagle Air” Fellowship has been established at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (Deer Isle, Maine) by Ros Barron. The fellowship provides tuition, room & board, and a travel stipend for a two-week workshop. Haystack was one of Harris Barron’s favorite places and a refuge for many MassArtists.


The SIMBIG50 Party!

We had a fabulous virtual party in April of 2021 celebrating our 50th birthday that didn’t really feel virtual. Come back to this page for updates and followups about how to celebrate SIM’s 50th birthday!      

SIMBIG50 Virtual Event credits:

  • Executive Producers – Max Azanow, Nita Sturiale
  • SIMBIG50 Video Director and Editor – Duncan Wilder Johnson
  • Virtual Event Producer – Monica Chiang
  • Virtual Event MC – Zayde Buti
  • Virtual After Party Host – Kara Stokowski
  • Alumni Relations – Darlene Gillan, Megan Cronin
  • SIMBIG50 Program Designer – Naomi Gabizon
  • Video Closed Captioning – Maddie Hluska
  • Catalog Curators and Editors – Sam Toabe, Evan Smith, Nita Sturiale
  • Catalog Designer – Mary Yang (Open Rehearsal)
  • SIM Archive Research and Development – Nita Sturiale, Danielle Sangalang, Alison Beaudette, Brooke Scibelli, Noah Roscoe, Dyllan Nguyen
  • SIM Archive Website Developer – Dana Moser
  • SIM Timeline Developer – Nicky Enriquez, Nita Sturiale
  • SIM Faculty – Elaine Buckholtz, Juan Obando, Dana Moser, Nita Sturiale
  • SIM Staff – Max Azanow, Eric Freeman, Elizabeth Mezzacappa

Special thanks:

  • Ros Barron
  • Kym Pinder
  • All the Adjunct and Visiting Faculty that have brought their energy and unique gifts and perspectives to our students over the years
  • Our Alumni that have been interviewed and/or sent archival materials to the SIM Archive!
zine thumbnail
Poster Front!

Download and PRINT, FOLD, KEEP
the SIMBIG50 Program Zine.
Designed by Naomi Gabizon (SIM’ 21)
download the complete .pdf file

SIMBIG50 Program Zine pages

Please be sure and join our Alumni snail-mail and email lists. We are working closely with MassArt’s awesome Alumni Relations team to keep in contact with you!
Here is a direct link to join the SIM Alum and friends mailing list

And/or join our SIM ALUMNI private Facebook group for updates – https://www.facebook.com/groups/StudioforInterrelatedMedia

If you have any questions feel free to contact Nita Sturiale (SIM ‘90) nsturiale@massart.edu