Conversations with the Inspiring Angela Astle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Astle.

Angela, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am the proud creator and producer of Athena Project, a local nonprofit that empowers women through the arts. I made my New York directorial debut Spring 2008 with Retro Productions’ Mill Fire (nominated for five NYITA awards). One year later, I was the Director of Flux Theatre Ensemble’s critically acclaimed Pretty Theft, written by Adam Szymkowicz, which received a very favorable New York Times review. In New York, I directed numerous never-produced-before plays at Manhattan Theatre Source, The Workshop Theatre, Peter Jay Sharp Theatre/Playwrights Horizons, and Off-Broadway at Theatre 80. I also have directed and produced three shows in three different festivals in New York in addition to working as a Venue Manager and Script Reader for the New York International Fringe Festival (2007 & 2008). Upon returning to Denver in Spring of 2010, and learning of the under-representation of women in the arts (especially in leadership positions), I began talking to other female artists about creating a female-focused arts festival and Athena Project was born.

Having a passion for theatre, my favorite Denver directing credits include A View From the Bridge (Edge Theatre), The Laramie Project (Evergreen Players), and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Edge Theatre) for which I won an Edgy and Marlowe Best Director award. In addition, I have produced two other festivals celebrating the work of local playwrights and numerous staged readings. I have actually enjoyed developing new plays for over 12 years now! I am an alumni of University of Colorado at Denver with a degree in Business and Theatre and a proud member of the 2009 Lincoln Center Directors Lab. I am also a mom of two beautiful and smart children, Brooklyn (age 9) and Jonathan (age 5) and the wife of Jason Astle, the most supportive husband ever for 14 years!

Athena Project was founded in 2012, for over five years, Athena Project has produced an annual month-long arts festival featuring visual arts, theatre, music, and dance created by women. The organization has grown to include summer art camps for girls in 6th-10th grade, and numerous invitations to provide programming for some of Denver’s most respected organizations such as TEDxMileHigh, The Women’s Foundation, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Colorado Business Committee for the Arts, among others. We create space and opportunities for women’s voices to be uplifted and for our community to come together in support of women in the arts.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it’s never smooth but that’s where you learn and grow the most! For every struggle I’ve had along the way, I believe I’ve figured out a way to take that info and harness it for the better. Funding is an ongoing challenge, and therefore, Athena Project is a predominantly volunteer organization. However, with volunteering, people experience burn out in a real way. Because I truly care about every person that passes through the organization, it’s hard to “lose folks” to other projects/organizations/life’s passions. There’s never enough time to get it all done!

I would say my most recent “tough lesson” has to do with capacity. No matter how effective we are with planning and time management, we all get the same 24 hours in a day. I’ve learned that it’s not just about saying “no” to things–as that can be fairly easy when you don’t really want to do something obvious. It’s trickier when you’re not sure if you want to or have time to but feel the pull that you NEED to. What you end up saying “yes” to means that “no” will have to happen along the way, whether intentional or not. Capacity is a real issue for women especially who tend to want to be supportive and helpful in so many ways. As a leader, I’m learning that my job is to make it ok for them to say no and help them be more realistic with what they say yes to. All while trying to balance the demands of growing the organization and the demands of my own personal life too.

What should we know about Athena Project? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
People ultimately tell me it’s hard to say no to me because my passion is authentic. I value communication, loyalty, and a good work ethic. I also believe that arts creates empathy in other humans and it is why I love all of the art forms. Sometimes art can get through and connect to a person’s soul more than a lecture or reading about data and I love that. As an organization, Athena Project creates a community for women to come together and that their voices matter. We treat each other and those who attend our events with the utmost respect. I love creating unique ways for artists to learn and grow from each other, but I also find it important for artists to own that they are artists. So many women have to put their art by the wayside due to other obligations (work, family, etc.) and Athena Project makes it ok to just be an artist for awhile!

It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
I love the NonprofitAF blog that a dear friend of mine introduced me to. He talks about how difficult running a nonprofit is and I appreciate his authenticity. I also love connecting with fellow women leaders of other organizations. Empathy, advice, and understanding are all ways that I feel uplifted and compelled to keep going. Other than those, I WISH I could carve out more time to read/listen than I do! Even my “drive time” is filled with phone calls and moving projects forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.AthenaProjectArts.org
• Phone: 303-219-0882
• Email: info@athenaprojectarts.org
• Instagram: @athenaprojectarts
• Facebook: @athenaprojectarts
• Twitter: @AthenaProjArts

Image Credit:
Charlotte Bassin

Getting in touch: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.