Meet: Thaly Zollinger

NYC-Based brand strategist, producer, & Curator.

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Join us as we chat with Thaly about starting Sunday Takeout, her newly-launched series, SPACES, curating events, and more.

Before we start, for those who don’t know you, can you share with us what you do and where you’re based?

I’m a brand strategist, producer, and curator….and right now, I’m in New York!

Can you share a bit more about Sunday Takeout with us?

Sunday Takeout is a platform showcasing artists of all mediums and stages through site-specific exhibitions, interviews, and marketplace.

Where did you get the inspiration to start Sunday Takeout, and how did you land on the name?

After living in LA a couple years and attending many art shows and events that felt sterile and unwelcoming and sometimes carelessly thrown together. I realized I wanted to create a third space to showcase talent that I’m excited about in an engaging environment that will actually facilitate conversation instead of hinder it. I’m particularly inspired by the intersection of art and nightlife, art and architecture. Projects like Acud Macht Neu, Les Recontres d’Arles, Light + Sound at Kraftwerk, this gallery, and countless shows/public installations/collectives I came across while I was living in Berlin in 2017/2018 really reshaped my understanding of what art can be and the different ways it can be experienced/shared/celebrated. So Sunday Takeout naturally became an outlet for me to explore and experiment with what inspires me in the arts and create something that I would actually be excited to attend.

ST: Objects of Desire

How do you decide what experiences you want to curate?

It happens so organically. It could be an artist I meet who sparks an idea for a show, a cool space that I want to repurpose into a gallery, or a medium I'm interested in...

Is there a specific type of event you haven’t hosted yet that you’re hoping to bring to life soon?

Yes! I have a long list of ideas I really want to bring to fruition and will once the timing is right. Right now, at the top of my list is doing another objects & furniture show in a home in LA. There’s a group show I’m working towards in New York and also a screening with a live score. But my philosophy will always be quality over quantity.

I don’t want to push out shows to keep up with the pressure of putting things out there. I want to be intentional about what I execute and make it right. There is already so much noise in the physical and digital world.

What’s been your ultimate goal with Sunday Takeout, and do you think you’ve seen that goal through yet?

The goal is always evolving! And I’m already so happy with what I did in a short time, with such limited resources. But I think eventually in the near future, I want to bring Sunday Takeout into a permanent space. It would be part café, part creative studio and part event space. I want it to be where people can gather to hang, exchange ideas, and use the space to realize their ideas. I’ve always loved café culture but it rarely feels like a community space anymore. I feel like that’s really missing in LA and New York. But I would never do it in those cities though - too expensive!

ST: Berlin Show

If you could pop up anywhere with ST, where would it be and why?

For now, I want to make an imprint on LA & NYC which is keeping my hands full. In terms of location, I would love to show up in historic institutions and private homes…If I'm really dreaming big, a ruin in Italy or a converted warehouse outside of Berlin. I’m really inspired by the photography festival in Arles, France, France that takes place in these beautiful centuries-old cathedrals. That is super Sunday Takeout goals.

Moving away from events for a moment, you’ve also developed a new series called SPACES that sort of continues to bridge that gap between IRL events and the Sunday Takeout community, but online. Can you share a bit more about SPACES and what you envision for it both short and long term?

SPACES is an interview series of studio visits. We'll get a peek into the minds of artists across all mediums by getting a walk through on current projects, creative process, and references. It offers an honest look into their world and creations at the present moment.

The purpose of launching SPACES is to serve as an additional platform to showcase emerging talent while cultivating the Sunday Takeout community of artists and patrons. SPACES will also be connected to a newly launched marketplace called The Sunday Market where you can purchase pieces from the featured artists and shows.

What criteria do you consider when selecting artists to feature in SPACES? Do these artists have to be new/emerging, or can they be already established creatives?

They can be at any stage, really. It’s more about liking their work, being curious about their process, feeling inspired by what they do and why, also is there a studio they work out of? Is there a story behind the space? Etc.

What do you hope individuals will take away from SPACES?

I really hope it’s used for discovery purposes. Where you will read something that sticks with you, you’ll connect with someone’s work, go to their show, and maybe invest in one of their pieces.

We are overwhelmed with so much information and demands on a daily basis. It would be awesome for people to trust my curation on SPACES and see it as a worthy use of their time.

What or who has been inspiring you lately?

Being in New York and changing up my routine, surroundings and career has been incredibly refreshing for me.

For those who may feel a bit nervous to lean into a passion project or bring their work to life, what advice would you share with them?

Agh! I have so much to say about this. There are so many people with great ideas, and they just get intimidated, I guess, and overthink their ideas to the ground. Just do it! If you feel an urge to put energy into something, don't ignore it. Stop overthinking and take the first step. Even if it means no one will see it or if there will be a super small audience…Just get something out there. Being scrappy is OK. Your idea can evolve over time and your audience will grow over time. Don't get stuck on making it perfect from the beginning. And if your project doesn’t end up working out, you will still 100% learn something from it.

Before we let you *almost* go, where can we find more of you?!

You can follow @sundaytakeout.world on IG and subscribe to the substack which is @sundaytakeoutworld.

Let’s Get Deep

What’s your theme song?

It Feels So Good - Sonique. The ultimate dance song ever! Makes me feel like I'm in some mega club early 2000s with crimped hair and space pants.

Night In or Night Out?

I have always been a night-out type of girl.

When do you feel the most you?

When the music is good and I get to dance for hours.

What’s something you’re obsessed with right now?

My friend introduced me to Corridos Tumbados, which is like modern mariachi music, and I'm definitely obsessed. I’m listening to a lot of Peso Pluma right now…

Call or Text?

Voice notes or Facetime.

When was the last time you cried?

Watching a sweet little old man blow out his birthday candles.

When was the last time you laughed?

Running around New York yesterday with an old friend.

Current favorite follow on social media?

@alimentariflaneur speaks my language.

Lastly, what’s one thing you would tell your 16-year-old self?

Ugh…16-year-old Thaly...I have a lot of things to say to her. Maybe I'd start with telling her to stop with the Brazilian blowouts, own the curly hair!