Carolyn Tennant

Carolyn Tennant is a media artist, independent curator, and archivist who lives in Troy with her partner, J.T. and their daughter, Matilda. At The Sanctuary for Independent Media, where she has worked since Fall 2021, she employs an extensive background in arts administration and archive management to her roles as Administrative Coordinator and Archivist. In addition to helping out with the day-to-day management of the organization, she is organizing its extensive collection of documentation from nearly 20 years of activities. Her work is driven by a commitment to creating greater public access to ensure the organization’s legacy. 

From 2006-2017, Carolyn served as Media Arts Director at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, a multi-disciplinary art space in Buffalo, New York, where in addition to curating, she developed the organization’s digital archive. She relocated to the Capital Region in 2017 to pursue a PhD in Electronic Art from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. An interdisciplinary maker, her projects live in the realm of experimental nonfiction, and employ a range of media such as film, video, and immersive installation. In 2006, she received her MFA in media study from the University at Buffalo. There, her research investigated the history of early video art, and the collaborations between engineers and artists, with a focus on the work done at the Experimental Television Center in Central New York—where she was born and raised.