Building Safe and Brave Performance Spaces

The performing arts have a history of being a communal reflection on humanity.  As culture shifts, the arts have responded as safe spaces for many to process trauma and conflict. Recent theater has responded to our changing world innovatively, becoming more inclusive in the stories it tells and more sensitive about how it tells them. From rethinking revivals of the “classics” to altering choreography and lyrics, to creating inclusive spaces for performers with different body types, the world of performing arts has modeled numerous ways to register and influence the current climate. How can the arts create both safe spaces, mindful of the conflict they seek to help navigate, and brave spaces, ready to challenge norms and help audiences navigate a multi-perspective landscape?  In what ways can other fields learn and benefit from these types of culturally conscious and inclusive practices? 

Host: Dr. Paula Patterson    Q&A Moderator: Jon Herbert

Presenters

Writer, collaborator, and Theater Director Kendra Chappell

Kendra Chappell

Writer, collaborator, and Theater Director

Associate Professor, Performance Studies David Donkor

David Donkor

Associate Professor, Performance Studies
Texas A&M University

A.R.T.C. Program Founder/Director Kasey Harlin

Kasey Harlin

A.R.T.C. Program Founder/Director
Preferred Family Healthcare

Actor, Director, and Performer Advocate Geovonday Jones

Geovonday Jones

Actor, Director, and Performer Advocate