About Us
The Standby Program
Media Creation & Preservation Services for Artists & Organizations
THE STANDBY PROGRAM, INC. is a non-profit media arts service organization founded in 1983. Standby’s mission is to foster the creation and preservation of media artwork by democratizing access to media technology, providing technical consultation, and creating resources to advance the development of the time-based media field.
Staff
Maria Elena Venuto
Executive Director
Maria Elena Venuto , Executive Director, joined the Standby Program in 1993 and oversaw the development of new programs and services. Maria has worked in the media arts since 1986 as an artist, video editor, and technical specialist. She earned a BA and MA at the Department of Media Studies at the University at Buffalo.
maria@standby.org
Bill Seery
Director of Preservation Services
Bill Seery, Director of Preservation Services, has over 30 years of experience in sound design, editing, and mixing for film, video, radio, and multimedia. For the past 25 years, he has been active in the conservation and restoration of time-based media, including audio and moving-image materials, as well as installation art.
preservation@standby.org
Maurice Schechter
Consultant
Maurice Schecther , Consultant, is affiliated with the Standby lab and provides technical consultation and time-based media conservation services. Maurice was the Chief Engineer at DuArt in New York for over 20 years. He has worked with the Guggenheim Museum and Red Bull Arts, among others.
Board of Directors
Ardele Lister
President
Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University, Department of Art & Design
Among the first group of artists to create work using the post-production tools Standby made accessible in the mid-1980s. (http://ardelelister.com/)
Janine Jackson
Vice President
Program Director of FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting) & Host of the radio program CounterSpin and a contributor to FAIR’s magazine Extra!
She writes about media coverage of labor and economics, racism in the media, and media regulation.
Marshall Reese
Treasurer
Artist & Video Editor. Part of the artist duo Ligorano.
Reese, known for their art installations, videos, and sculptures. Marshall previously worked as a video editor at Standby.
Rachel Melman
Secretary
Supervisor, Media Ingest and Governance, Paramount
A time-based media professional who formerly served on Standby’s staff as Program Coordinator.
Debby Silverfine
Board Member
Executive Director, Voelker Orth Museum
A former Deputy Director at NYSCA and a long-time advocate for the preservation of media art.
Internships and Fellowship
Standby offers internships and fellowships to those seeking hands-on experience in time-based media preservation. Contact us for more at maria@standby.org
Funders
THE STANDBY PROGRAM is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. This project is supported in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Standby’s preservation activities are supported by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and NYSCA/Wave Farm: Media Arts Assistance Fund (MAAF).
