A project of HERE
MADE HERE is a documentary series and website focusing on performing artists based in New York City. A collage of intimate interviews, performances and behind-the-scenes footage, MADE HERE mirrors the rich diversity of the artists and communities they serve. The website has more than doubled initial projections, with over 23,000 unique visitors from 77 countries.
The first season was launched in May 2010, and by the end of September, had released 15 short episodes featuring 40 artists and covering five major issues: Creative Real Estate, Day & Night Jobs, Family Balance, Activism and Technology. Season Two rolled out from March through July 2011 with 28 additional artists and three episodes each month on: Identity, Creative Practice, Money, Lifework, and Home. Season Three will be from April through June 2013 with 25 additional artists and three episodes each month on: Art & Commerce, Criticism, and Health. The website provides a platform for audiences to offer feedback on the episodes, artists to share and discover resources, and communities to engage on the issues. In addition, each issue is accompanied by a monthly live screening and panel event. MADE HERE is supported by a 2009 Rockefeller Cultural Innovation Fund award with renewed funding for Seasons Three and Four. Additional support was provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the New Generations Program administered by Theatre Communications Group.
HERE has been a premier arts organization in NYC and a leader in the field of new, hybrid performance work since 1993. Under the leadership of Founding Artistic Director Kristin Marting and Producing Director Kim Whitener, HERE has served over 12,000 emerging to mid-career artists developing work that does not fit a conventional programming agenda. Work presented at HERE has garnered 14 OBIE awards, including the 2009 Ross Wetzsteon Award, an OBIE grant for artistic achievement, five Drama Desk nominations, four NY Innovative Theatre Awards, an Edwin Booth Award and a Pulitzer Prize nomination. HERE proudly supports artists at all stages in their careers through full productions, artist residency programs, festivals and subsidized performance and rehearsal space. Work at HERE is curated based on the strength and uniqueness of the artist’s vision. HERE’s Artist Residency Program (HARP) provides development, commissions and full production for 15-18 artists over one-to-three years. HERE is located at 145 Sixth Avenue, one block below Spring Street. For more info, http://visit www.here.org.
Kristin Marting is Co-Founder and Artistic Director of HERE and a director of hybrid work based in NYC. At HERE, she cultivates artists and programs all events for two performance spaces for an annual audience of 30,000. Under her leadership, HERE has garnered 16 OBIE awards, 2 OBIE grants for artistic achievement, an Edwin Booth Award, five Drama Desk nominations, two Berrilla Kerr Awards, four NY Innovative Theatre Awards and a Pulitzer Prize nomination. She was recently named a nytheatre.com Person of the Year and honored with a BAX10 Award. She lectures at various universities and serves on grant panels for various agencies. She graduated from NYU with honors in 1988.
Kim Whitener joined HERE as Producing Director in February 2007. She works in partnership with Artistic Director Kristin Marting to co-curate and co-produce HERE’s performance programs and activities. HERE supports the work of mid-career artists working in hybrid forms through commissions, developmental activities, and fully produced works as part of the HERE Artist Residency Program (HARP), and presents Visiting Artist works through its presenting programs. Ms. Whitener has also been an independent producer working with a diverse range of artists in the contemporary theater, dance-theater, and multi-media worlds, including The Builders Association, Big Dance Theater, Martha Clarke, among others. Previously, Ms. Whitener was Managing Director of The Wooster Group.
Tanya Selvaratnam is a producer, writer, theater artist, and activist. Since 2008, she has also been the Communications and Special Projects Officer for the Rubell Family Collection. Recent film productions include Mickalene Thomas’s HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, Catherine Gund’s WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE?, Chiara Clemente’s OUR CITY DREAMS and the Webby Award-winning BEGINNINGS. As a theater artist, Tanya has performed around the world in shows by The Wooster Group, The Builders Association, Jay Scheib and many others; appeared in films and video installations by Carrie Mae Weems, John Malpede, Sharon Hayes, Andrea Geyer, David Michalek, and Jennifer Reeves; been a fellow at Yaddo and Blue Mountain Center; and a guest actor at New Dramatists, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, Voice & Vision Theater, and the Institute on Arts and Civic Dialogue. As an activist, she has worked with the World Health Organization, Ms. Foundation, NGO Forum on Women, Third Wave Foundation, and Groundswell Community Mural Project. Her book, THE BIG LIE, is forthcoming from Prometheus Books in Winter 2014. about.me/tselvar
contact: tanya@here.org
Chiara Clemente is a film director who explores identity, cultural contrast, and the creative process. In 2000 she directed her first art documentary for RAI in Italy. Chiara continued to film and collaborate with artists, and in 2005, she started making her first feature documentary, Our City Dreams, following five women artists (Nancy Spero, Marina Abramovic, Kiki Smith, Ghada Amer and Swoon) who live and work in New York City. Critically-acclaimed, Our City Dreams premiered at New York City’s Film Forum in February 2009, screened in more than 30 cities worldwide, and was broadcast on the Sundance Channel. Since making her feature Chiara has directed for Saatchi and Saatchi, T Magazine of The New York Times, Levi’s, Apple, Wieden + Kennedy and Persol. Most recently she has created and directed two seasons of Beginnings, an original short film series for the Sundance Channel, which won a Webby Award in 2012. www.chiaraclemente.com
Russell Greene is a New York film editor of seven feature films as well as numerous commercials, short films and promotional videos. His most recent films include Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction (Venice Film Festival and SXSW) and Ordinary Miracles: New York’s Photo League. In addition to editing, he also wrote and directed the short film Easy Street, winner of six awards for Best Short Film on the 2012 festival circuit. He served as First Assistant Editor on several additional films including the Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning The Betrayal and the Sundance Award-winning Patti Smith: Dream of Life. He is currently editing a feature doc on the legendary Coney Island restaurant Nathan’s Famous. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.
Heather Greene is a New York-based producer that works in Feature and Documentary Film, Television, and Live Events. She has been a part of numerous and varied projects such as the live shows and film projects of Fischerspooner and Vanessa Beecroft, Vice’s “Guide To Travel”, the television series "How's Your News?”, the Sundance web series "Beginnings", and documentary features “Of All The Things” and “What’s On Your Plate?” to name just a few. Heather lives with her husband and two sons in Brooklyn, NY.
Karina is a New York-based producer and filmmaker, whose projects include an original web series, an interactive online documentary series, promos, how-to videos, and event videography. She has produced, shot, and edited videos for Howcast.com, Downtown Community Television, 13 Playwrights Inc., EmcArts, art.party.theater.company, and is the Associate Producer of "Flag Football," a feature documentary about the journey of four teams in the National Gay Flag Football League to Gay Bowl X. Currently, Karina is the Online Cultural Producer at EmcArts, Inc. Prior to joining EmcArts, she was a producer for Season One of the documentary series "MADE HERE: Performing Artists on Work and Life" for HERE, where she also served as General Manager/Associate Producer from 2008 to 2011. Prior to HERE, Karina served as General Manager for 13 Playwrights, Inc., Management Associate for Liz McCann/Tony Awards Productions, and Producing Assistant for Carole Shorenstein Hays Productions. Karina has an MFA in Theater Management and Producing from Columbia University, where she wrote her thesis on the strategic use of online tools and technologies for arts organizations. She holds a BA from Harvard College.
SEASONS THREE AND FOUR ONLY
Camera: Omar Mullick
Assistant Camera: Jorge Arzac
Sound Mixer: Richard Levengood, Joshua Tucker, Coleman Wenner
Assistant Editor: Erin Taylor Kennedy
Trailer and Graphics: Alex Meillier and Tanya Ager Meillier
Website Manager: Trevor Martin
Research & Outreach Associate: Kelsey Ryan
Theme Song: Sxip Shirey
SEASON TWO ONLY
Assistant Producer: Erin Taylor Kennedy
Camera: Frank Stanley
Sound Mixer: David Pruger, Jarett Livingston
Assistant Editor: Erin Taylor Kennedy
Website Manager: Matthew de Leon
Research & Outreach Associate: Cassie Wagler
Theme Song: Reggie Watts
Additional Music: Moby
SEASON ONE ONLY
Camera: Miklos Buk, Theo Stanley
Sound Mixer: David Pruger, Michael Reilly, Christopher Reifeiss
Assistant Editor: Cat Tyc, Kelly Bray
Production Interns: Debby Brand, Brian Bauman
Theme Song: Reggie Watts
Additional Music: Moby
Art Direction & Design
Open
New York, NY
Design & Production
Rich Watts
Brooklyn, NY
SEASON THREE: Joey Arias, Arthur Aviles, Eisa Davis, Mohammed Fairouz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill T Jones, Cherry Jones, Mia Katigbak, Lisa Kron, Ethan Lipton, Carolina Penafiel, Charles Rice-Gonzalez, Sxip Shirey, Elizabeth Streb, Clyde Vanletin, Reggie Watts
SEASON TWO: Jen Abrams, Kahlil Almustafa, Thomas Bradshaw, John Collins, Brendan Coyle, Amanda Curtis, Dana Edell, Oskar Eustis, Miguel Gutierrez, Joan Jonas, Aaron Landsman, Elizabeth LeCompte, Young Jean Lee, Kate D. Levin, Sheila Lewandowski, Abby Marcus, Qui Nguyen, Brian Rogers, Mildred Ruiz-Sapp, Steven Sapp, Betty Shamieh, Black-Eyed Susan, Chandra Thomas, Basil Twist, Kate Valk, Reggie Watts, Natasha Williams, Caroline Woolard
SEASON ONE: Moe Angelos, Arthur Aviles, Jess Barbagallo, Anne Bogart, Wally Cardona, Hai-Ting Chinn, Ping Chong, Gabri Christa, Chinese Theatre Works, Toni Dove, Yehuda Duenyas, James Tigger! Ferguson, Kuang-Yu Fong, Ximena Garnica, Roselee Goldberg, Ain Gordon, David Gordon, Miranda Hardy, Mikéah Ernest Jennings, Melanie Joseph, Ben Kerrick, Mari Kimura, Peter Ksander, Taylor Mac, Kristin Marting, Jennifer Miller, Paul D. Miller, Shige Moriya, Julie Atlas Muz, Erin Orr, Vernon Reid, Laine Rettmer, Charles Rice-Gonzalez, Rokafella, Elizabeth Streb, Valda Setterfield, Xiaojun Song, Charlie Todd, Kate Valk, Marianne Weems, Jennifer Wright Cook, Ying Zhang
A.R.T./New York
Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance
Brooklyn Arts Council
Brooklyn Arts Exchange
The Chocolate Factory
Council on the Arts & Humanities for Staten Island
The Field
Harlem Arts Alliance
LaGuardia Performing Arts Center
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council
New York Theater Workshop
Joe's Pub
Queens Council on the Arts
Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
Anne Bogart
Thomas Bradshaw
Una Chaudhuri
Boo Froebel
Elinor Fuchs
Roselee Goldberg
Frank Hentschker
Jay Scheib
Mac Wellman
MADE HERE needs your support so we can continue capturing the lives of performing artists. Every donation helps us expand the project to more issues, episodes, artists, contributors, and audiences.
For questions or information on corporate sponsorship, contact info@madehereproject.org.
MADE HERE is supported by a 2009 Rockefeller Cultural Innovation Fund award.
Welcome to the first issue of Season 2! MADE HERE explores the importance of identity in the performing arts. We hear about how many made the decision to be an artist and when they first realized they were one. We hear about how some deal with the labels that are projected onto them and how they address labels in their own work. Finally, we hear about how institutions shape their identity and how artists form their identity either with or without institutional support.
The three episodes for this issue are: Artist, Labels, and Institutions.
Click for relevant news, organizations, and research.
Do you consider yourself an artist? If so, how important is that identity to you? Have labels helped you define who you are? Do you feel limited by the labels others assign to you?
Submit a resourceHow does one decide she or he is an artist? For some, it is a natural progression from a creative and expressive childhood, while for others it is a deliberate decision to pursue one’s passion, regardless of the risks. Identifying as an artist is a personal decision, and what that identity means is unique to each individual.
How technology can be used in the arts as a marketing strategy to diversify audiences.
Whither the Political Theatre?An article from Culturebot.org about whether, these days, theatre is failing to be politically active.
A recorded interview by the Association for Theatre in Higher Education with African American playwright Suzan-Lori Parks.
Black Theatre is Blighted by its Ghetto MentalityAn article in the Evening Standard by Lindsay Johns discussing whether black theatre in Britain needs to diversity itself.
‘Can We Tell It Like It Really Happened?’: On Race and ‘The Scottsboro Boys’Reflections on the racial politics of the Broadway play “The Scottsboro Boys,” which closed in December 2010 amidst protests and low box office numbers.
A Free Man of Color’s Jeffrey Wright on Why Some White Playwrights Have Trouble Tackling RaceA New York Magazine interview with actor Jeffrey Wright on addressing racial issues in theatre, and his latest role in ‘A Free Man of Color.’
Is theatre run by posh people for posh people?From The Guardian blog, a look at a heated conversation taking place in the blogosphere on class and contemporary theatre.
Mexican? American? Call Her WriterTanya Saracho’s success writing plays about Latino culture has earned her acclaim and opportunities to explore wider themes for more diverse audiences.
New Gay Theatre is more about love stories than politicsNew York Times article on how new plays feature gay characters and relationships, but avoid social politics.
Bohemian Soul Mates in ObscurityReview of Patti Smith’s memoir "Just Kids" – the story of Smith’s early years as an artist and her relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe.
Taking Her Art Seriously, Not HerselfJudi Dench’s new autobiography "and furthermore" discusses the actress’ longevity and dedication to her craft.
Black? White? Asian? More Young Americans Choose All of the AboveFrom the New York Times RACE REMIXED series: a rise in a multiracial identity among young Americans.
Black and White and Married in the Deep South: A Shifting ImageFrom the New York Times RACE REMIXED series: a increase in interracial couples and mixed-race families living in the Deep South.
Counting by Race Can Throw Off Some NumbersFrom the New York Times RACE REMIXED series: difficulty and inconsistency in using race to determine funding and resources.
Is Theatre Elitist?A blog in the Guardian about whether experimental theatre is failing to appeal to 'regular' people.
Theatre, cultural identity and the criticCultural identity, funding, and the role of the critic in Welsh theatre.
Should theatre critics be more diverse?From the Guardian blog, a new initiative in England to create more diversity among theatre critics.
Professional dance company and school in New York City. Ballet Hispanico showcases the work of Hispanic choreographers, performs Hispanic dance, and educates and trains young people in its own school and the NYC public schools.
viBe theatre experienceviBe Theater Experience (viBe) is a non-profit performing arts/education organization that empowers teenage girls through the creation and production of original performances.
BRAVA! Theatre is a multicultural, feminist performing arts center located in San Fransisco.
Guerilla GirlsFeminist activists and artists who use performance and culture jamming to advocate for the equality of women and people of color in the arts.
League of Professional Theatre WomenA not-for-profit organization that seeks to promote visibility and increase opportunities for women in theatre.
New GeorgesAn award winning downtown venue producing plays by women.
Split BritchesSplit Britches is a Lesbian Feminist Theatre Company. Since 1980 they have 'transformed the landscape of queer performance with their vaudevillian satirical gender-bending performance.'
WOW CafeNYC based WOW Cafe started as an international women's theatre festival in 1980 and continues to produce performances written and directed by women.
NYC up and OUT!A resource for GLBT arts and culture events in New York City.
Asian American Arts AllianceSupport and funding for Asian American artists in New York City.
Asian American Arts CentreNew York City based organization that promotes and documents Asian American arts through education, archiving, and exhibitions.
Ma-Yi Theatre CompanyThe Ma-Yi Theatre Company produces new work by Asian American playwrights.
National Asian American Theatre CompanyNAATCO produces work by Asian-American playwrights, and work featuring predominately Asian-American casts.
American Indian Arts Inc.New York City based AMERINDA supports American Indian visual, performing and literary artists.
Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Education CenterClemente Soto Velez is a Latino and Puerto Rican cultural arts center on Lower East Side. They are home to sixteen performing arts and educational groups -- including multiple theatre and dance companies.
National Alliance of Latino Arts and CultureBased in San Antonio, TX, The National Alliance of Latino Arts and Culture is an advocacy organization for Latino artists.
Repertorio EspanolNew York City based Repertorio Espanol produces plays in Spanish from Latin American, Spanish and Hispanic-American playwrights.
Alvin Ailey DanceAlvin Ailey is a professional modern dance company and school in New York City. They are internationally renowned and maintain a special focus on African-American dance expression.
Blackout Arts CollectiveWith seven chapters nation-wide, the Blackout Arts Collective works to empower communities of color through the arts.
Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (BAAD!)BAAD! is a workshop and performance space located in the South Bronx. It highlights new work by a diverse group of artists and performers.
The PointThe Point is a Community Center in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx. They have extensive performing arts programming for youth -- including classes in theatre, dance and circus arts.
Los Angeles Poverty DepartmentSince 1985 the Los Angeles Poverty Department has been creating performances about the experiences of people living in poverty in Los Angeles’ Skid Row.
QuestFestA theatre festival in Washington D.C. that presents the best in international visual theatre.
A discussion of diversity from 20 leaders across the field of theatre.
National Guidance Research FormA selection of data on representation of individuals working in the arts, including the performing arts.
An interactive online resource on the artists and history of the Harlem Renaissance. Great for use in the classroom.
Report on the Status of Women: A Limited Engagement?A report on the status of women in theatre based on a three-year study from the Theatre Program of the New York State Council on the Arts. Statistic, historical, anecdotal, and analytical data, plus recommendations for how to support women in the field.
What did you think about the episodes?
“in creating art one get’s the benefit of being looked at, but also the responsability of telling the truth” Someone much smarter than me said that.
In the short story Hellscreen, it shows what someone is willing to do to tell that truth as he sees it. It ends up killing him. I don’t think you have to die to tell the truth, but its personal toll can have ramifications far beyond one’s expectations; even to the disolution of the self. Creating art is about more than not being paid well. What “truth” is… is seemingly undefinable.
Am just getting through the new videos. Wonderful and so inspiring. This angle: the daily life of an artist. No one gets to see the difficulty, the hard work, they things given up for art. And to get a glimpse at the intimate parts of their lives is such a privilege.
About labels and identity: Young Jean Lee’s comment was really gratifying and made me think that a label can be something one earns. It can reflect an amount of discipline and focus in one’s work that leads to a title. Playwright. Choreographer. Whatever it is, which is not to say that it cannot be a blend or a new term, but that it can have weight and purpose and structure.
Love the trailer for the madehere project. Looking forward to more…so important a contribution to history.
I have been loading up on watching made here and am totally addicted. It’s so reassuring to hear others talk of the same things that you deal with and encouraging to see the ways different people live as artists.
I watched the latest Made Here series. I love the new categorization themes—identity, labels… such a great idea.
You did not work on it, or can’t do it.I work in the US for 5 years and back and work in a world class Ads agency in Thailand. I have seen and works on a lot of stuff. I agree Thai peolpe and AE care too much about stylize. I make me sick everyday I hear their comment. They have not idea about design fundamental. Totally opposite when I work in the US, they strongly care about design principle no matter what projects are. All Typography are well structure, never let any un-editing work out to clint hand, because it show how civilize they are as a real professional not a student work.
An Arts ThinkTank: This is exactly what an Arts Council shloud be. I’m sure you’ve noticed how often the Fraser Institute is cited on various issues. Do we ever here from the BC Arts Council? A Vancouver City Arts Council could be a powerful voice, but only if it’s made up of fearless, intelligent, and energetic advocates for the arts in all economic and social sectors.
How beautiful that you caeutrpd history and beauty of the island. I remember loving Hanappepe and want to get back there soon. Meanwhile, am overjoyed with the opportunity to hang out withCherise et al. Cheers for the beautiful photos.
Funny week. When I checked in last week, I meenointd feeling disconnected, so I was glad to see this week being about connection. I didn’t think that this week’s exercises were that useful, but I do have to say that I am feeling much more connected again, and much more positive about my creative pursuits. Weird.
Fiction writer and journalist Susan Kirschbaum answers the question: “Are people encouraged to be artists in our society?”
Dancer John Bielecki answers the question: “Are people encouraged to be artists in our society?”
Journalist entrepreneur Claude Grunitzky discusses the role of artists in our society.
Ceallaigh Pender works in sculpture and other visual and performing arts. She answers the question: “Are people encouraged to be artists in our society?”
Children clothing designer Tanya Minhas answers the question “Are artists supported in our society?”
Lynn Lobell is the Managing Director of the Queens Council on the Arts. Here she discusses artist identity and institutional support.