is a community arts organization focused on providing outlets that support and engage emerging creative talents within the visual and performing arts. Through collaborations with underrepresented artists and partnerships with educators, activists and community leaders, DOPE SWAN works to strengthen the connections between art, livelihood and community.STAFF
Raquel Wilson, Curatorial Director
Sallomé Hralima, Community Liaison
Sarah Kolker, Programs Administrator, community art projects
Lichiban aka Licsi Szatmari, Curator, visual & music events
DOPE SWAN has worked with a diverse selection of creative talents that represent a vast mixture of mediums. Specializing in tailoring services to fit the needs of the individual artist, DOPE SWAN is focused on helping our artists market themselves while meeting their professional goals.
Visual Arts
Akintola Hanif, documentary photojournalist & filmmaker
kolks, mixed media artist
Lichiban Szatmari, painter & illustrator
Lorenyetta Strickland, fine arts photographer
Toofly, painter & illustrator
Raquel Wilson, curator & art director
Jamel Shabazz, photographer
Younity, female artist collective
Performing Arts
Liza Garza, spoken word artist & vocalist
Grow, emcee & spoken word artist
Jyvonne Haskins, cellist
Sallomé Hralima, live performance artist
Amir Sulaiman, spoken word artist & emcee
Artists we have worked with in the past:
Peter Hadar, singer & songwriter
DOPE SWAN is dedicated to ensuring strong ties between the community and it’s artists by creating programs that not only enhance our member artists, but provide insight and direction for our communities.
Brooklyn, Stand Up!
Documenting the Brooklyn Renaissance
Brooklyn, Stand Up! will be a year-long exploration into the many ways in which Brooklyn’s self-made artists, activists and entrepreneurs cross traditionally strict professional guidelines - challenging every business model and social construct.
The project includes "A Great Day in Brooklyn ," a feature story in an international magazine, monthly arts programming, an online archive of interviews , arts exhibition, and scholarship fund for Brooklyn students wishing to pursue an education in the arts.
for colored girls
Excerpts from Ntozake Shange’s choreopoem
Just as the Obie-winning drama for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf is gearing up for a Broadway stage in August 2008, DOPE SWAN produced an an abbreviated performance in July 2008 as a “teaser” before the official opening. With young women ages 12-18 as the special guests, the production included a post-show dialogue with Sheron "Umi" Smith (author, educator, & mother of Mos Def), Julia Chance (writer, fashionista), Kevicha Echols (educator, psychologist), and Roopa Singh (educator, journalist, poet). This production will enabled young women to witness this ground-breaking piece and discuss the issues it brings up in an intimate space with some of New York’s most influential female artists and activists.
Fight!: Being Mad & Angry Enough to Change
Stories of Ordinary Women Doing Extraordinary Things
Fight! is the story of women who grew weary of waiting for change to come to their communities and decided to impact their own lives through active participation. A mix of first and third person accounts, Fight! hopes to serve as a blueprint for other women and girls who are mad and angry about the substandard living conditions women deal with globally.
The project will include a book, art exhibit and interactive CD component. All proceeds from the project will be donated to organizations working hands on to make changes in quality of life issues affecting women and girls in the areas of education, healthcare, career training and housing. For more information, visit www.thefightproject.org
Brooklyn Museum of Art, www.brooklynmuseum.org
Fifth Element, www.myspace.com/5thel
The Green Circus, www.greencircus.org
Parallel MVMT, www.parallelmvmt.com
Partnerships for Parks, www.partnershipsforparks.org
powerHouse Arena, www.powerhousearena.com
The Re:Construction Period, www.thereconstructionperiod.org
Jamel Shabazz, www.jamelshabazz.com
So Live! Arts Movement, www.solivearts.com
Sistas' Place, www.sistasplace.org
Red Eye Studios, www.redeyebk.com
TAG:
Stop swimming with ducks™
Cessez de nager avec des canards™
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