Ep. 169: Sarah Athanas

Southcoast Artists Index

Welcome, Sarah Athanas, the Co-Founder and Chief Community Builder at Groundwork. Sarah grew up on Cape Cod and studied Art as an undergrad at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her concentration was primarily in video and installation art. Upon graduation, Sarah pivoted towards pursuing documentary filmmaking.

Sarah Athanas later directed, edited and produced the documentary Tracking Patagonia while living in Coyhaique, Chile. To fund the post-production of the film, she accepted a job in marketing for a language and travel company that eventually landed her in Buenos Aires for three years. There, the city’s vibrant social life and cultural offerings inspired her to found Groundwork, a coworking space, upon her return to the United States. Groundwork is now in its 9th year of operation in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and opened a second location one year ago in nearby Fall River, Massachusetts. Both locations also support local artists by offering commission-free, public gallery space.

The Artists Index co-founder and host, Ron Fortier, talks to Sarah Athanas about her background, passions, and continuing journey. The Artists Index uses Zoom to accommodate our guests’ schedules and to allow them to remain in the comfort of their homes, especially for those who no longer live in the South Coast of Massachusetts. Our home base and studio is at Spectrum Marketing Group in Howland Place in New Bedford

The In-Focus Podcasts are up close and personal conversations with the makers, performers, supporters, and cultural impresarios of the remarkable creative community of South Coast Massachusetts including New Bedford, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Westport, and beyond.