Today we’d like to introduce you to Philli (Steven) Irvin.
Hi Philli (Steven), it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Intro To Success – it for short is a grassroots organization founded by Northside native Philli Irvin, aka me. The mission of ITS is to bridge resources and educational opportunities for creatives and makers. The purpose is to provide resources, funding, and space for young Black and Brown artists to thrive. This journey started in 2015 when my dear friend and frequent collaborator Blu Bone introduced me to the “Youthprise Change Fellowship” program. This program helped me take this big idea for a collective artist center and break it down into what they called an MVP (minimum viable project). My MVP was a collaborative project with Blu called Kids Next Door.
At the end of the fellowship (2016), everyone was awarded a grant to complete a project, and that was the first official ITS FEST project – ITS GALLERY. Since then, the vision has grown and become more clear. Every year since then, with the help of my beautiful peers & community, we have been prototyping a system for black and brown artists within community engagement, fabrication, and education spaces.
From 2016 – 2018 we were mainly focused on how to create a system for gathering in meaningful ways through intentional activities and also how to bridge resources for artists (Community Engagement)
2019 & 2021 – We started to bring fabrication into the mix. That’s when we started prototyping a system for realizing large-scale ideas. (Fabrication)
This year 2022 – we focused on creating a framework for artists to learn & explore by bridging resources with Public Functionary, which has a facility space for music production, fabrication(woodworking), and photo/video production. This year’s festival and programming is the next step towards our long-term goal to create The ITS FACTORY , a space that will serve as a creative workshop in the Northside community. We will be transforming a warehouse into the database of Minneapolis by creating a framework that explores our community’s lost history and current story. (Education)
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
HAHAHA hell no! I promise I won’t rant, but there have been plenty of challenges. Or, as I have been calling them, opportunities 😉 Because each challenge creates room for growth. One of the struggles has been communicating ideas. With the vision for ITS being very big-picture, I struggled for years to get people to understand what I was trying to build. At some points, I wasn’t even all the way sure what it was that I was building. I just knew the big picture but didn’t know a lot of the details of how it might work. Or even how to do it. But when I realized people didn’t understand the vision, it positioned me to sit with my ideas and what was on my heart and write things out. And seek a deeper understanding for myself.
Another big challenge was leading a team of people. Again, written and spoken communication was not my strong suit, but it had to be done from this ITS process; it’s tough to lead a team. It requires a great deal of grace, patience, active communication, delegation, and a long list of things 17-year-old me didn’t have much of. Things in those areas are still tough sometimes, but you know I’m growing.
And my last mini-rant freakin infrastructure! It’s difficult to build something while you have school; everything costs money and other living things. I feel like I haven’t had the resources or opportunity to step back and build the things we need internally as a team to keep things going. Sometimes it feels like the ground underneath my feet is constantly moving. Also, the funds to pay the core team responsible for the programming & structure of ITS. Like, we don’t even have a website 😭🤧. It reminds me to use what I have access to, but I think it’s far overdue that we get what we need to move at a sustainable pace.
As you know, we’re big fans of Intro To Success (ITS). For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
The Only Large-Scale, Black Owned, Youth-Led Arts Education & Cultural Programming in Minnesota. ITS FEST/FACTORY has spent the last six years developing and providing artistic gathering experiences. That provides cultural and spiritual healing for participants and community members on both small and large-scale levels through the annual. ITS projects in Minneapolis neighborhoods, such as Freedom Square on Broadway, Lucy Laney Middle School, and New Rules, shared events, and workspace on Lowry. The intent of past and present ITS artistic experiences and events, such as ITS PROM in 2018 and ITS WORLD in 2019, are to nurture and develop healing within the local BIPOC community by providing: space for authentic, peaceful, and joyful connection; examples of resourcefulness and empowerment; inspiration and a sense of belonging; and opportunities for MN creatives and BIPOC to be seen and heard.
We hold the clear intention to purchase an ITS FACTORY warehouse facility to serve as a studio and production space for utilitarian skill-based making through 3D design. In 2023 we are launching ITS AGENCY. Committed to protecting BIPOC freelancers, ITS AGENCY grants large organizations access to multidisciplinary marketing and advertising practices while building authentic human relationships within our community. This exchange is both socially conscious and mutually beneficial. Our services include media strategies, public art, and events. When we talk about building a creative ecosystem in Minneapolis, no organization involves the community in every working thread, from design to realization to how ideas are experienced. We also understand as the world continues to become more digital, the need for physical space and programming increases. Brand-wise I am most proud of the scale or the work and impact we have been able to make as black youth! Last year alone, we were able to raise and redistribute $77,100 directly to black and brown creatives and their ideas. Another thing is this is something that has touched so many lives. ITS FEST is where a lot of people have made their closest friends. ITS was their introduction to the arts community and their first big paid art gig. What sets us apart is our focus on relationships. In the current state of the world, so many things disconnect us from ourselves and each other. ITS is an opposing force that draws us closer to each other (and ourselves) in meaningful, love-centered ways.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love that we have so much nature! I hope it stays that way. Our city has a kind-hearted nature to it. In other cities, especially major cities, there isn’t much access to nature. A culture is a bit distant, insecure in some ways, and stiff. But I believe there are many who aren’t operating that way, and many people also desire to shift that way of being.
I also realized our culture is dishonest, but I don’t believe it comes from ill will. I believe it comes from a lack of investigation into our practices – tied to Minnesota’s larger culture/systematic practices. Many people claim they are into their practice for the community, but their actions are mainly self-serving. This is okay, but it becomes an issue when someone focusing on themselves wants to be “a part” of a community effort like ITS because people who are mainly serving themselves will only look to take but not contribute. Or only give to a certain extent. I wish I could talk this point through, not just type it. But I like to think of it in the context of trees. If you and I say we are working for our children’s future, that could be true and awesome. But if my work is Forrest preservation so my children can have clean air for the future and your work is deforestation so your children can have firewood – you will walk away with what you needed, and every tree I plant will be uprooted. Both works can be good, but they are opposing forces in the same ecosystem. And that is the issue that I’ve been running into in MN. Haha, I hope you get what I’m saying.
Okay, last rant point – Many people want to be in the spotlight. Many want to perform, but who is willing to clean up or set up the stage? You know. But I am grateful for the many willing to help and towards our efforts in building an ecosystem for black and brown futures.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/itsfest.mn
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsfest.mn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ITSFEST.MN
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQQ1Zmt2mzo&t=1s
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsfactory
Image Credits
All photos can be used for publication. Please credit: “Photos courtesy of ITS FEST / Photographer: Awa Mally” for photos except the black and white team photo. That was taken by the photographer below. For the photos in the TEAM PHOTO please credit: “Photos courtesy Photographer: Rhianna Hajduch”
