Reflections from our director, Lynn Neuman
Some years back at a climate convening, the president of the Sierra Club shared his personal opinion that catastrophic climate change would encroach upon us in a generation and a half with severe consequences to food and water access, impacting the earth’s population significantly. Prior, I had thought that I would not still be on this earth to experience that extreme of a transformation, but my thinking shifted and my work at the intersection of the arts, environment and civic action became more urgent. This year brought record heat, drought and wildfires, intense rain and flooding, all effects of climate change and my thinking shifted once again. We are in it.
The divisive nature of national and global politics, and much of society, is an impediment to these challenges. I believe artists, and the creative practices we employ, can shepherd in the cultural shifts needed to work across sectors and potentially perceived divides, leading to resilient societies that respect, honor and recognize the value of all things. This is the core of the work we are doing at Artichoke Dance Company through performances and educational programming, bringing people together in physical and creative conversations to envision and work toward a cooperative and sustainable society.
As we enter the holiday season, if you have the means to do so, please consider making a contribution to our timely and important work.
Aidan Feldman, Rachel Calabrese, Emily Arden Jones and Sawyer Newsome perform along the Gowanus Canal in Immersive Performance Tours of Gowanus.
Here are few of the things we accomplished this past year:
City Center and Alvin Ailey Dance Center performances in New York
Earth week residency at Texas A&M working with students, faculty and staff on arts and sustainability initiatives
Created and premiered Water…We Waiting For?
Offered 3 Ambassador eco-arts activism training program modules, 2 online and the first in-person summer intensive
Presented a series of Immersive Performance Tours in Gowanus
Hosted Global Water Dances NYC engaging artists and activists
Featured performance at Randall’s Island Waterfront Festival
Environmental Justice workshops at Stage the Change conference
Thoughts from Artichoke Ambassadors
Here’s how your support helps:
$75 sponsors a dancer in a rehearsal
$150 provides a partial ambassador scholarship in an online module
$300 supports a community conversation building bridges
$650 enables a full ambassador scholarship at the in-person intensive
$1250 supports an ambassador in our new year-long program
$2500 sponsors an outdoor public performance
20% of our budget comes from individual donations. We rely on your contributions to continue evolving and expanding and I am grateful for your support.
Lynn Neuman, Director
Director Lynn Neuman hosting a community conversation on organizing across sectors to build community power and solidarity and achieve community benefits and equity.