UFTR [Fall 2005]

UP FROM THE

ROOTS

JOURNAL FALL 2005

SPECIAL ANNUAL MEETING EDITION

ALSO: HURRICANE KATRINA RESPONSE

Up from the ROOTSJournal Fall 2005

CAROLYN MORRISExecutive Director

CARLTON TURNERRegional Development Director

OFFICERS

STEPHEN CLAPP, [email protected]

KATHY RANDELS, [email protected]

JESSICA ROBINSON, [email protected]

ADRIENNE CLANCY, [email protected]

REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

Alabama, Georgia, South CarolinaOMARI FOX

[email protected]

FloridaDENISE DELGADO

[email protected]

Kentucky, North Carolina, TennesseeMARQUEZ RHYNE

[email protected]

NAYO [email protected]

Louisiana, MississippiMAURICE TURNER

[email protected]

NICK SLIEmondobizarropresents.org

Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, West Virginia

CAROL [email protected]

DENISE MENDEL [email protected]

JESSICA [email protected]

SatelliteS.T. SHIMI

[email protected]

TRINA [email protected]

THERON [email protected]

Journal StaffRODGER FRENCH

Editor

CARLTON TURNER Graphic Design

WALTON PRESSPrinter

PHOTO CREDITSREBECCA MEYERS

LISA MOUNTCARLTON TURNER

ALTERNATE ROOTS1083 Austin Ave NEAtlanta, GA 30307

404-577-1079404-577-7991 fax

[email protected]

I remember some years ago watching a television news report about disastrousflash flooding in Appalachia. An old lady in West Virginia whose home and possessionshad been washed away was beside herself with grief because she had lost “all my pret-ty little things.” It broke my heart.

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, I find myself contemplating whatI have that is most important to me, what things I would truly miss if they were sweptaway. Assuming that family, friends and pets made it through, the answer seems clear:I’d miss my art.

Each of us values our art, whether we make it, buy it or receive it as a gift. Thestuff we watch, listen to, hang on our walls and strategically place in the path of oncom-ing dust defines the spaces we inhabit and how we choose to represent ourselves toothers. And though some of it might be replaceable, much of our art is individuallyunique - be it daring, refined or just plain cheesy - and does not exist anywhere else.

The hurricanes and their aftermath have displaced hundreds of thousands ofpeople. They need necessities: food, clothing, shelter, medicine, employment andschools. But I believe that art is also a necessity; and further on up the road, these folksare going to get art back into their lives.

One of the first things we do when we move into a new place is hang the fami-ly photographs on the walls. That simple act gives us a connection to something deep-er than simply the daily struggle to get by. As Ben Cameron, Executive Director ofTheatre Communications Group puts it: “Art is the core genetic material of human com-munication. The arts are our family photographs.”

This issue of UP From the ROOTS has two foci. First, we offer the StudioReports from our (very successful) 29th Annual Meeting. The studios generated lots ofutterly useful information and great ideas that we’d like to share with our readers. Weare particularly excited about some possible new collaborations deserving of our atten-tion.

The second focus is “Arts in the Face of Catastrophe.” Resources & Responses,if you will. Since so many of the people displaced by these disasters are artists andmusicians - most lamentably from the great city of New Orleans - we have included asection of resources specifically by and for the arts community. We encourage our read-ers to keep us informed on other important resources, as they become known. We arein for a long haul and networking is more important now than ever.

In this issue you will also find a number of artists’ responses, collected in a thor-oughly unsystematic manner, to disasters past and present. I hope that these vignetteswill inspire our readers to share their own perceptions on this very important issue: Whatroles can and should artists assume in the face of catastrophe?

On a personal note, I’d like to offer my best wishes and all the grace I can muster to thevictims of catastrophes, natural and man-made, everywhere.

Rodger FrenchEditor, Up from the ROOTS Journal

From the Editor

Nathan E. Cummings FoundationFord Foundation

The Shubert Foundation

Alternate ROOTS would like to thank the following organizations for their generous support.

2

Generally, when disaster strikes, individuals and organizations aregood about providing services to those whose lives have been impacted.One of the things I've observed, however, regarding some of the devastat-ing events I have been alive to witness, is that over time interest in the wellbeing of those impacted tapers off; attention dies down, while those mostaffected are left to forge ahead in rebuilding their lives.

Another phenomenon I have witnessed is how the arts are the lastthing considered in terms of their power to heal and rebuild communities.But there is something very different about the Katrina catastrophe, some-thing that has us all reaching out in every direction toward aiding andassisting those in need. 9/11 brought together America's military might,while the devastation of New Orleans is speaking to America's lack of strength in the face of natural calamity as wellas its hidden racism.

Katrina has presented us with an opportunity to address issues of oppression and inequality. The truth is wedon't have the answers to the questions of what we should do - we are faced with a totally new situation. If we are ableto think in terms of uplifting oppressions, we will be better able to think through processes to get to solutions that arejust and fair.

The only thing I believe many of us are clear on is that once we get on the right page, the next page and thenext will be self-revealing. What are our roles as artist and cultural workers? To question, to probe, to shine the lighton the tough issues and ask hard the questions: What might our world be? What might justice look like?

If we can do this with and for the people who need to make decisions about their lives, we will be serving thosein need. We will in effect be lifting the veil, hopefully enabling people to think differently about some the importantissues affecting us at this time of devastation.

We must be in service to those in need at this time. As artists and cultural organizers, we should strive to bringtogether those who need to be brought together and use our creativity to assist them in their recovery.

The hurricane and its aftermath in the Gulf Region and New Orleans are unparalleled and unimaginable. I can-not recall a time where we have seen an entire American city practically destroyed by natural forces and the majorityof its citizens displaced. As a Southeastern community arts organization with members, friends, family members andcolleagues in the affected region, Alternate ROOTS is committed to bringing all the resources at our command to assistin the rebuilding process.

Carolyn MorrisExecutive Director

From the desk of the Executive Director

Editor’s Remarks.......................................................................2

From the desk of the Executive Director....................................3

Studio Report: Gathering Around the Digital Campfire..............5Jeff Mather & Eleanor Brownfield

Studio Report: Across the Oceans.............................................6Lela Lombardo

Beyond Comforting the Afflicted................................................7Caryn James

Studio Report: Dream of a Red Fringe Dress............................8Lela Lombardo

Studio Report: Strategic Planning for Artists..............................9Brooks Emmanuel

Studio Report: Professional Development for Artists...............10Lela Lombardo

Studio Report: Professional Development for Artists Working at theIntersection of Arts & Activism...........................12Brooks Emmanuel

Flag on the Play.......................................................................13Sheila Kerrigan

Radio Marigny.........................................................................13Rueters News Service

An Open Letter to Alternate ROOTS........................................14Jose Torres Tama

Interview with Wynton Marsalis...............................................15

Burning Man Defies Katrina.....................................................15Mark Morford

Hurricane Katrina Resources for Artists...................................16

The Hurricane Monologues.....................................................19Thomas B. Harrison

Not of the Moment...................................................................20Alice Lovelace

Keef’s Korner...........................................................................22

ROOTS’ Response to Katrina..................................................23

3

R. Meyers

Studio Report: Gathering Around the Digital CampfireFacilitator: Center for Digital Storytelling(www.storycenter.org)Reported by Jeff Mather

As a visual artist, I create work that usually relieson non-verbal ways of telling stories. My collaborationswith performing artists, especially other ROOTers, haveincreasingly nudged me out of my comfort zone. This pastAugust, a team of digital technology specialists from out-side of ROOTS pulled me entirely out of that comfort zoneand put me on a steep learning curve every afternoon atthe Annual Meeting.

First-person narratives are often a central featureof performances seen at the Alternate ROOTS AnnualMeeting. This year a new way for these stories to be toldwas offered. A team of four people from the Center forDigital Storytelling (CDS) in California came with a mobilecomputer lab to coach a dozen artists through a process oflearning how to use digital technology to create threeminute-long video pieces. Joe Lambert led a highly skilledand knowledgeable team that included Kate Magruder,Kelly Marks and Erica Cooperrider. They taught us how tomake use of a range of programs to record and manipulatesound and images to concisely tell a personal story.

Beyond helping us to learn to navigate the tools ofspecific software, I found that the CDS folks also broughta specific approach to coaching the writing and editing ofthe stories that the artists wanted to tell. Their emphasis ison helpingpeople findtheir authen-tic first-per-son voice totell the storyof a person-al experi-ence. Byputting digi-tal technolo-gy in theservice ofsuch “small” personal stories,they are working to democratizethese technologies. They alsochallenged us to be concise;and that is always a good disci-pline to practice.

These digital story-telling videos were to be aboutthree minutes-long, give or take.The first part of each afternoonsession was open to everyonewho simply wanted to learn howto use the computer softwaretools. The second part of eachsession was focused on the artists who were going to cre-ate digital videos at the meeting. Joe began the processwith this focus group by leading us through a story circle

session. As often happens in Alternate ROOTS story cir-cles, things can quickly become quite emotional. I wasn’tsure that I had a personal story to tell that would have thedepth or emotional impact that I heard in the stories ofsome of the other artists in the group.

I wrestled with this challenge for a couple of days.Joe and Erica were very good coaches, gently encourag-ing me through this crucial part of the process. I was readyto jump ahead to developing the visual ideas for my piece,but since they asked people to begin with the narrative

text, I had to work a whileto get ready. (“Hard work,that’s what I do…though itmay not look like work toyou…”)

I decided that itwould be a good experi-ment for me to revisitsomething that I had cre-ated for the stage manyyears ago. I chose toexcavate the originalsource material that I hadpreviously used to createan entirely non-verbalvisual piece. This time, Iwould explore the samevivid childhood memorythrough writing and thennarrating the text. I knewwhat I needed to do and Iwas very satisfied with thepiece that I wound upmaking.

The process of layering our narration with music,still images and video clips led to many unexpected dis-coveries - as any journey into a new mode of expressionwill. On the final night of the meeting, eleven artists haddigital story videos that were projected as part of the clos-ing ceremonies. The digital campfire had been lit and wasaglow.

[Jeff Mather and Eleanor Brownfield are long-time mem-bers of Alternate ROOTS.]

Reflection on the “Digital Camp Fire”By Eleanor Brownfield

I sincerely enjoyed the “Digital Camp Fire.” It was great to see the individ-ual stories and how beautifully the technology worked for such a range of expres-sions. But it made me really uncomfortable that our whole meeting was centeredon a kind of art-making which is inherently elitist: not everyone has equal access.Within the context of our time at Lutheridge, only a few people had any chance atall to interact and participate with the wonderful CDS Team. In our larger world,too, the digital divide is still a reality, even among members of Alternate ROOTS.

5

R. Meyers

R. Meyers

“Across the Oceans” was facilitated by TheronSchmidt, as his collaborator Rajni Shah was unable to trav-el to the U.S. because of visa problems.

The premise of the studio was a conversationabout international work to explore the possibilities of col-laborating with artists in other countries as well as learningabout the proposed partnership to foster just such relation-ships between Pride of Place UK and Alternate ROOTS.

GoalsTo open, Theron asked the participants to introduce

themselves, their disciplines and state why we were inter-ested in international collaborations:- To connect with artists in other cultures and explore theirartistic language.- To connect with communities in other countries as an edu-cational opportunity and a forum for dialogue.- Address issues of social, cultural and political concern.- Break down barriers of cultural estrangement in worldcommunities.- Bring awareness to American audiences about issues thatmay lie beyond their understanding.- Make alternate voices of American people be heard in theworld.

Theron also spoke about Rajni Shah’s fellowshipwith Farnhammaltings, a community art organization basedin suburban London that provides resources and creativeopportunities for the Farnham community and artists whoshare the space and collaborate. Their production compa-ny Third Space produces and funds productions for theatreand belongs to Pride of Place, a coalition of companies thatorganize rural touring of art and produce a theatre festivalcalled “Pride of Place.”

After watching a video about Pride of Place, animpromptu discussion about art presentations in rural envi-ronments came up. We spoke about “what is appropriate”for rural settings, and the possibility of an Alternate ROOTScompany performing at Pride of Place. Theron also broughtup the idea of exploring similarities between the U.S. andthe U.K. in regard to race relations and the segregation ofethnic communities.

ExampleThe Future is on the Table, initiated by Jean–Marie

Mauclet and Gwylene Gallimard in 2001, is now in its thirdphase and involves 58 three-legged stools, which seats arecut from a single sheet of marine plywood painted with amap of the world. The stools have been sent in small batch-

es to community art practitioners in different parts of theworld, including Montreal, London, Capetown, Mumbai,Besancon (France), Nigeria and Pennsylvania. Recipientsof these gifts are invited to engage in a dialogue exploringthe themes of SHELTER and WATER in any way they feelinspired to, utilizing the chairs in the process. Gwylene andJean-Marie stay in touch with the recipients and in 2005 willstart gathering the material for a regrouping of the stoolsand/or the material that was created and inspired by thisproject.

This example spurred a discussion of multi-discipli-nary collaborations involving performing arts and visualarts. Much to my surprise, Jean-Marie shared his perceiveddifficulty of seeing visual arts represented at ROOTS argu-ing that “visual art is very different than performing art; it isnot loud or dramatic.” Participants had varying feedback onthis subject and through this dialogue we began to explorepossibilities for interdisciplinary collaborations.

CollaborationsWe shared and discussed different ideas about

international collaborations with ROOTS artists. Projectscould involve varying formats and elements best suited forthe venue and premise of the collaboration. Sometimes oneROOTS artist could be paired with another artist fromabroad, but at other times two or more artists, possibly fromdifferent disciplines, could collaborate with a group of artistsor community activists from across the ocean. Theseengagements could involve local communities, non-profes-sionals, social service organizations or students and mightencompass:- Performing and teaching workshops to facilitate communi-ty-based residencies in order to get to know and engagethe local community.- Creating process-based and/or site-specific work.- Addressing racism and exploring the parallels betweenthe U.S. and the U.K., or other communities respectively.- Identifying areas in the world that could benefit from inter-national collaborations.- Addressing issues that are of importance to the respectivelocal communities, e.g. HIV/ Aids in Africa, creating workand developing applicable tools for social and environmen-tal transformation.

Collaborative Formats- Possibility of linking these collaborations with collegeexchanges; ROOTS companies could serve in training andmentoring capacity for US college students seeking to gainexperience in community based work, as well as mentoring

Alternate ROOTS 29th Annual Meeting Studio Report6

respective local activists in how to incorporate creativemeasures for the advancement of their local communityactivism.- Exchange students from both U.S. and overseas schoolsworking with non-professional communities under the direc-tion of ROOTS artists.- Ensemble-based exchanges.- One-on-one formalized exchanges.- Interdisciplinary exchanges and collaborations.

ExampleFronteras Desviadas / Deviant Borders: Performed

at this year’s Annual Meeting, this production is the culmi-nation of a six-month artistic exchange supported byCultural Contact (U.S.-Mexico Foundation for Culture)between New WORLD Theater’s Artistic Director, AndreaAssaf and Mujeres en Ritual’s Artistic Director Dora Arreola.

The creative process investigated the exploitationof women’s bodies in transnational factories and sexualtourism in the Tijuana-San Diego region, home of the mostfrequently crossed border in the world. The choreographyincludes traditional dances from Mexico, in combinationwith physical experimentation and contemporary dance.The text is bilingual, and includes poetry created from com-munity workshops with women in the Tijuana, Tecate andSan Diego areas.

Through the collision of diverse cultural elementsand political realities, Fronteras Desviadas / DeviantBorders offers a journey to “the other side” of sexuality,deviance, and culture.

Proposal for a New ROOTS WorkgroupThe participants of Across the Oceans propose a

Roots Workgroup on International Collaborations toresearch and share funding opportunities, contacts, strate-gies and experiences. In order to make such a Workgroup

viable ands o m e t h i n gwe all wouldfeel inspiredto continueto explore,we engagedin some cre-ative brain-storming:- Articulatethe benefitsto ROOTS of exchanging information about community artspartnerships with groups in other countries in order to con-tribute to ROOTS’ understanding of globalization.- Avoid cultural tourism; develop tools connected withROOTS mission, for example, applying RSC (Resourcesfor Social Change) practices on an international scale.- Create an art project with the outcome of Workgroupresearch; make a script out of it and perform it.

Communications Strategies- A world map indicating already existing contacts andareas of interest for the future.- Finding ways of implementing communication tools: newwebsite addition for members; fundraising chat room; freephone via internet; skype; voip.- Database with artists, their disciplines, interests andresources to link up locations with artists.- An information exchange for funding, festivals and otheropportunities as well as information on different issuesaffecting communities abroad.- A website, possibly a gotour.com of “The Field,” listingspecs, feedback and general info on venues for performers.- A mechanism for reflections and documentation.

"Beyond Comforting the Afflicted"By Caryn James

New York Times (excerpt) - Sept. 12, 2005

[Review of "A Knock at the Door..." an exhibit exploring the impact of the Patriot Act on artists.]

And while the "A Knock at the Door..." is clearly more political than its organizers say - questioning thePatriot Act is inherently anti-Bush - there is nothing apolitical surrounding the arts at ground zero anymore, from

victims' family groups that are lobbying against the International Freedom Center to Gov. George E. Pataki'sannouncement in June that he wants an "absolute guarantee" that art at the site will not offend 9/11 families. Artin a straitjacket is no art at all. In this politicized atmosphere, "A Knock at the Door..." lands like a rejoinder tothe governor, even though it was in the works before he made that comment.

Besides, there are as many victims' families as there were victims. The Lower Manhattan CulturalCouncil - a nonprofit group that presents performances, funnels grant money and offers artists

studio space - lost a resident artist, who was in one of the towers on 9/11. It does nothingto honor the memory of the victims to assume they would have us speak in a sin-

gle voice now. If we're not careful - or rather if we're too careful - 9/11will become no more than a Hallmark holiday.

Alternate ROOTS 29th Annual Meeting Studio Report

Resource organizations in the UKwww.visitingarts.org.uk

www.creativecommunities.org.ukwww.prideofplace.org.ukwww.artscouncil.org.uk

www.newworknetwork.org.ukwww.chisenhaledancespace.co.uk

www.thecpr.org.ukwww.farnhammaltings.co.uk

www.rajnishah.com

7

R. Meyers R. MeyersC. Turner

The three-day studio “Dream of a Red FringeDress” gave participants an opportunity to be part of theMiami-based First Person Project’s long-term perform-ance/video project. This work is co-created through com-munity participation and incorporates mambo and salsadance, movement, visual arts, creative writing and videodocumentation.

The workshop “invited women into a conversationabout validation, representation, cultural ideals of beautyand media imagery of women in popular culture.” However,not just women felt attracted to this subject matter. The dayI attended the group started with four women and oneman.

To begin, participants were seated in a circle andasked to introduce themselves and share an experiencethey have had with social dance. I was immediatelybrought back to the days when I used to go salsa dancingat this makeshift-fabulous-hole-in-the-wall club, to pair upwith perfect strangers for a night of anonymous sensuality.I remember looking out for the dancers I had the best“ritmo” with, while dreading to dance with others whopolitely asked, but lacked the “Azucar” if you will. Thosewere the days.

Then Shirley led a guided meditation. At this point,seated in a circle, we were invited to share in a time-test-ed ritual that, Shirley informed us, was inspired byArtspring’s creative expression workshops for incarceratedwomen and girls, spearheaded by longtime ROOTer,Leslie Neil. In this ritual we pass a cowry shell (formerlyused in Africa only by royalty and as a currency) in our cir-cle, one by one recalling our female lineage (ancestors)and offering as an essence of the day a quality they bringto the circle at this time.

The workshop continued with a physical warm-upin order to prepare everybody for the dance combinationwe were about to learn. We did isolations and free flowmovements from head to legs, moving in the space by our-selves and then in interaction with others.

We came together in a circle and explored theclave, the musical root of the workshop. We clapped andspoke about mambo, femininity, sensuality and a child-likepower. Gabrielle explained about the African roots ofmambo, how it is danced low to the ground, the way it iscounted and how in salsa the African rhythms meet the

European melodic structures and the tradition of dancing inpairs.

We begin to learn the dance combination slowlyand without music. Forward right, forward left, side right,side left, don’t forget the arms, in a circle on 4 counts,reverse, now the same thing backwards right, then left.Now showgirl’s chasse, step our right, step our left, forwardshimmy - ah yes, that was a word used in class - back-wards shimmy, turn around, now show your curves, sexy,sexy, pivot, pivot and...

“Esther Williams” to the right and “Esther Williams”to the left and… ah, yes, from the top. Now we are danc-ing with mambo playing from the boom box, Shirley andDenise clapping the clave while Starr is sitting in on thecongas playing along. Time goes fast so we move on to thevisual arts aspect of this studio. Denise is facilitating thispart. She has different colors of water-based paint, scis-sors, rolls of brown paper, pencils, erasers and markers.We are charged to trace our body silhouettes by pairingup: one person laying on a body-sized piece of paper andthe other marking the outlines of our body.

I was pretty happy with the way my body cameout, but my face had no visible profile and so I had to drawthat myself, and that is where the trouble began. I am col-oring my body outline; the whole room now is very quiet.Nobody is talking with the exception of the occasional “canyou pass me the scissors” or “are you done with the tape?”Mambo is playing in the background and everybody isengaged in the creation of their self-portrait.

I go to the bathroom and discover my tired face inthe mirror - it is, after all, a ROOTS meeting and sleep isnot on the agenda - and here I am a glass-noodle coloredghost looking back at me and I am not feeling the love. I goback to my painting, the woman without a facial outline,and I am increasingly in the funk that I guess is the wholepoint of this workshop.

Validation, representation, ideals of cultural beau-ty… but the woman still has no face. I try to trace it myself;I can’t believe I am this ugly. I erase it and have one of thewomen in the class take another shot at tracing it. I don’twant to offend her artistic inclinations, but I have to eraseher attempt right away. The woman on the paper has noface, it doesn’t work; she has a head wrap by now, but thatface!

Alternate ROOTS 29th Annual Meeting Studio Report8

So now I learn that our studio facilitators want to use our self-portraits as the back-drop for the culminating performance. No Way!!! I ask if I can decapitate the woman, sinceall but her face came out OK. The facilitators don’t like the idea too much, but I am thinking,“What happened to my artistic choices here?” I make it through; our time is up. We roll up thepaper, clean up the paints; I walk away from the woman without a face and just forget abouther.

The next time I saw her was when we were packing up to leave Lutheridge at theend of my first ROOTS week. She wasn’t nearly as ugly as I remembered her. I guess shemust have gotten some sleep. Oh well, I’m still glad they didn’t use her as a backdrop for theperformance. So here’s to the process that this Red Fringe Dream project is all about. Getwith ya’ stuff and sho’ me what ya’ working with.

True story! My mother, in an art class many years ago, painted a portrait of a woman- without a face.

Planning is imagination put on paper - all those dreams and ideas codified in a form where you canlook back at it. Real planning involves a date. Strategic planning is making one choice from your array ofchoices that will have the maximum impact: you don’t want to throw ten balls to knock down one pin; youwant to throw the one ball that will have the catalytic effect and knock down all the pins. Or, if you prefer,like chess: plan two or three steps ahead.

Exercise: “Personal Strategic Planning – The Big Picture”

ValuesWhat’s important to me in how I work and what my work achieves? Who or what do I serve? Find out who you

are and live in that way.Allies, Mentors and Role Models

Whom do I trust to help me? Whom can I ask for advice and guidance? Who’s doing what I want to bedoing?20 Years from Now

How do I want to be living? What impact do I want my work to be having?

Exercise: “Personal Strategic Planning– The Next Three to Five Years”

Practical VisionWhat do I want to see in place in my life

in 3-5 years? Obstacles and Contradictions

What is blocking me from achieving thatvision?Actions and Solutions

What innovative, practical actions willdeal with the obstacles and move me toward myvision? Know the difference between what’surgent and what’s important.Launch Efforts

What’s the first thing to do?

C. Turner

Alternate ROOTS 29th Annual Meeting Studio Report 9

This studio by Theresa and Michael was arrangedaround the most pressing questions of conflict or challengefaced by some of the participants in running their own artbusiness. All studio participants were asked to introducethemselves, state their disciplines and describe some ofthe challenges they face in regard to the management andadministration of their professional engagements.Participants were asked to give an example of an issuethey have faced in regard to touring or any other aspect oftheir arts administration and/or production.

Broad Issues- Taking work versus seeking work.- Balancing teaching engagements with the need anddesire to do one’s own original work, which in its inceptionstages may not yet pay the bills.- Being able to negotiate preferable contract conditions,including artist fees, cancellation provisions and non-refundable down payments for advanced reservations.- Soliciting representation through agents and/or makingcontacts with presenters and presenting organizations.- Working with colleges and universities.

Specific Issues- Difficulties faced when a presenter/ promoter cancels anengagement prior to performance date; contractual claus-es, precautions.- To what extend is it worthwhile to solicit work via propos-als as opposed to already existing contacts? Seek workversus take work.- Funding for residencies by co-presenting with communitypartners; how to be creative in finding new funding sources.- How to put a package together to show ALL the aspectsof your work.- How to prevent pit falls like having a creative phase andproducing original work, but then getting overwhelmed withresidency/teaching engagements and paying the bills,resulting in the neglect of one’s own work.-How to get your name in the system as a presenter, for

artists to want to be presented by you.- How to expand one’s presenting base.- How to generate more touring opportunities, consideringhow long it takes to develop a relationship with presenters.- While some still have no agent, self-booking can be moreeconomical.- Large cast shows are more expensive, but some feel thatsolo shows, while low budget, are out of style.

Reaching AudiencesThe bases on which relationships between artists,

presenters and audience are built include the criteria thatdefines your work. Through the following questions you cancloser define who your audience is:- Who cares about my performance?- Who is it for?- Who benefits from seeing this work?- Maybe it is about the esthetic; like modern dance e.g.

To reach a possible audience, there are more thanjust the conventional methods (getting an agent, forinstance) that one may consider:- Sometimes people with whom we are in contact in ourcommunities can assist in finding performance opportuni-ties. For example: Grandma pitches your presentation to alocal community center, school or arts organization.- Sometimes there could be a direct contact with the publicthat could provide a lead (though this is an approach thatTheresa does not necessarily recommend).- Contact with ROOTS is a very helpful tool in fosteringconnections, as artist-to-artist contacts are sometimes themost important.- It is helpful to try and find an agent, although this may notnecessarily be one person to exclusively handle all yourbookings, but rather different people who work as inde-pendent agents on a project-to-project basis.

PromotionTo understand what your needs are in terms of the

venue that may be of use for you, presenters, agents orbooking contacts need to know certain information aboutyour presentation. A promo package, that should be sub-mitted pre-performance, should contain:- Information about your show (content, theme, history,genre).- A photo, to convey an idea of stylistic sensibilities.- A “throw away” or “one sheet” offering information in ashort stat-like format, including information about yourpresentation, target audience, ideal venue size and techni-cal needs.- Your information has to look great.

These brochures can be done in your office.Create a check-off list to make sure it contains all the infor-mation the presenter needs to know. Post performance,you should leave a press kit for future reference and refer-rals.


Studio Report: Professional Development for ArtistsFacilitators: Theresa Holden and Michael Holden (www.holdenarts.org)Reported by Lela Lombardo

R. MeyersMichael and Theresa Holden and studioparticipants at the ROOTS Annual Meeting

10

Talking to PresentersThe most efficient way of getting in touch with a lot

of presenters at the same time is through booking confer-ences. Most booking conferences are membership organi-zations with fees ranging from $200 -$300 for one artist peryear. These include:- Western Arts Alliance (www.westarts.org).- International Performance Art for Youth(www.ipayweb.org).- Association of Performing Arts Presenters (www.artspre-senters.org). As a member of arts organizations likeAlternate ROOTS you can become a member of APAP fora reduced fee of about $95.00. Access the website formore information.

Non-member booking conferences:- Performing Arts Exchange (PAE), sponsored by SouthernArts Federation and Mid Atlantic Arts Federation(www.southarts.org).- Mid West Arts Conference, sponsored by Arts Midwest(www.artsmidwest.org).

Other important conferences:- National Performance Network (www.npnweb.org) - ROOTS Annual Meeting (www.alternateroots.org).

Conferences give you an opportunity to see whatkinds of artists are with what kinds of presenters. But bearin mind that conferences are expensive and it may takenumerous visits before your group is able to make the nec-essary personal contact with presenters in order make asufficient impact and thus obtain bookings.

Striking the BalanceThis talking point became a major focus in this stu-

dio, as several artists expressed the conflict between hav-ing to make ends meet, while often finding their own workon the back burner. How does an artist find that balancewhere the bills get paid and the spirit stays satisfied?

Define what your own goals are! As single artists itis very challenging, but most important to take the time todefine who you are and what you are doing. Define it, knowit, re-define it and address it. Write a mission statement forone year, two years and three years to see what your short

and long-term goals are. This will help you identify whatwork to do and what work not to take. A mission statementalso creates a template and language in terms of:- Why do I want to do this?- What do I want to say?- Who is my audience?- What need am I serving with my art?

Every year or so you should rewrite you missionstatement, and review it as a guide. By creating an artist’sstatement you will deepen a presenter’s knowledge of yourwork. This language will also assist you in grant writing..Producing New Work

Touring brings another benefit: making connec-tions and fostering relationships. Touring artists make con-tacts and find partners in doing so. You may be surprisedto find out how many people will “hold hands with you onthat.”

Finding an out-of-town partner is challenging, butcommissions or co-commissions in direct artist/presentercontacts have become more popular in the last 5 years.Many presenters like the idea of being discoverers andcurators of new collaborative work.

Story Round Feedback- Do the budget and say “this is what my organizationneeds.” You can negotiate a lesser fee with presentersbased on a closer location or a smaller cast if applicable.- Be pro-active about your fees and be clear about them innegotiating contracts. Don’t be afraid of money and talkingabout it.- Protect yourself with a pre-performance cancellationclause in your contract. Ask for a non-refundable deposit atcontract signing and/or a three-months advance notice forcancellations.- Be specific about how many weeks of the year you wantto spend with residencies, studies and gigs. “Tie a dollarsign to it.” Have the courage to turn down work.- Be able to let go of specific work. Negotiate more moneyto let go of other projects that may not serve you anymore.


All photos by R. Meyers

11

Studio Report: Professional Development for ArtistsWorking at the Intersection of Arts & ActivismReported by Brooks Emmanuel

Grant Writing for ArtistsFacilitated by M.K. WEGMAN (www.npnweb.org)

Finding a SourceMatch yourself with funding organizations that are

interested in the same things that you are. Write a 1 or 2page preliminary Case Statement as the foundation ofyour grant proposal:- Who is going to be involved – directors, choreographers,dancers, etc.- What you want to do.- Why it’s important, whose needs it’s going to meet, onwhat audience will it have an impact.- Timeline covering the scope of the project- How much it should cost if you’re going to do it right.

Writing the ProposalRead everything the org has on how to get a grant

from them. When you write a grant, you are responding totheir Request for Proposals (RFP).- Make sure what you want to do is in line with what theywant to do with their money. Otherwise, you’re wastingyour time.- Understand the requirements. Most RFPs now have aspecific “Eligibility Requirements” section. Most grantsrequire you to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. If, as an independ-ent artist, you are not a 501(c)(3), there are orgs that arewho will serve as your Fiscal Agent.- Find out when the deadlines are: Postmark Deadline;Received-By Deadline.- Read the philosophical part of the RFP; reflect backwhat you want to do in the language that they’ve used.Real-world example of what an RFP asks for: 5-10 pagesdescribing “Objectives,” “Structure,” “Context,”“Importance” and “Projected Concrete Outcomes.” Youcan fit your “Who, What, When Where, Why” into this for-mat by substituting the section headings that they’ve givenyou.- If you’re writing proposal for a partnership, make surethat you demonstrate to them that you already have a

relationship with that partner.- You may be asked to write a “Letter of Intent,” thatserves as a way to weed people out early without makingthem go through the entire proposal-writing process.

Classic Mistakes- Don’t assume that people know what you’re talkingabout, including assuming they know the credentials ofwell-known people you’re working with. To guard againstthis, get someone who is not familiar with your work toread your proposal.- Budget: Everything you talk about in your narrativeshould be listed in your budget. If the org focuses onartists, make sure Artists’ Fees are appropriately high. Ingeneral, charge what you think artists are worth; that’s theonly way we’re going to change the system and showwhat artists should be paid. Most orgs don’t like paying forAdministrative costs (including personnel), so that shouldbe no more than 20% of your total budget. If one line inyour budget is disproportionately high, write a budget noteexplaining it.- Ethics: Make sure that you never list someone in yourproposal without getting permission and agreement. Thishas been an issue with white orgs adding people of colorto their proposals to try to make them look better.- Writing Style: Be formal but not stiff; clarity is moreimportant than style.If, however, you are a good writer and can give it somepunch, go for it.Sometimes a quote or brief paragraph-length story at thebeginning can be useful, but keep it generally straightfor-ward third-person.

Relationship BuildingMost orgs will talk to you beforehand if you have

questions about whether your project is appropriate. Justcall and ask them. (The same is true for wanting to findout how to improve future proposals if you are rejected.) Ifyou do get a grant, be sure to call afterwards to thankthem. This is important because the staff members canbecome your advocates; the person you deal with on aday-to-day basis doesn’t make the decisions, and thatallows them to be your advocate in dealing with those whodo.

Alternate ROOTS 29th Annual Meeting Studio ReportAll photos by R. Meyers

12

Flag on the PlayBy Sheila Kerrigan (www.collaborativecreativity.com)

I’ve been thinking about this year’s Annual Meeting in light of the approximately twen-ty I’ve attended. It seems obvious to me at this time that no matter how many “UprootingRacism” workshops we conduct, there will, I hope, always be new people coming in. Some ofthem will be conscious and aware of racism and other oppressions, and some will be as blindto racism as the average “well-meaning old white person” (that would be me) who has grown up clue-less in the USA. Some of these newcomers (and probably some oldcomers) will say or do or performthings that will offend our anti-racist sensibilities, as has happened at many meetings in the past, including 2005.

The response of the people present at the meeting is as important to me as the offense. I would like to respondwith a WILL (remember the W’s the Resources for Social Change group posted on our foreheads in 2004? They stoodfor the WILL to stand up and oppose racism whenever we perceive it). I would also like to respond with peaceful commu-nication, with information about how the racist incident affects me and where it connects in our history, and with love andan open heart; not with accusations, shaming, blaming, finger-pointing and a superior-than-thou attitude. Mostly I wouldlike to be able to respond immediately, not at four in the morning a day later. (I’m a little slow sometimes.)

In the interest of facilitating immediate responses to perceived racism or oppression, I’d like to suggest a devicethat my old theater company (TOUCH Mime Theater) invented to handle situations that needed immediate attention. Wehad a figurative FLAG ON THE PLAY, just like football referees. Anybody in the group could declare a “flag on the play”and interrupt whatever was going on to deal immediately with a problem. We would stop the work, and the person who“threw” the flag on the play would explain the issue. We’d circle up to work on it, talk about it and tease out the issue untileveryone felt it was resolved as far as we could resolve it. Then we’d get back to whatever the work was.

In TOUCH, we rarely used the flag on the play, but it helped to know that we could. I’m thinking it might come inhandy next time someone feels racism happening in our ROOTS family. It would be part of our family norm to interrupt ameeting or a showing of work or a studio or a meal where racism appears. That would be a good thing to me. The expla-nation could go into our guidelines for group living that every attendee gets in the info folder.

I’m interested in any responses y’all might have to this idea. Thanks.

[Sheila Kerrigan is a director, a teacher and the author of The Performer’s Guide to the Collaborative Process. 919-929-1624; [email protected].]

"Radio Marigny" (excerpt) Reuters News Service - Sept. 10, 2005

[From ROOTer and New Orleans denizen M.K. Wegman: "So thisis my house. Those of you who know Kenny Claiborne (left) willlove this. He has opened up the doors to 'The Shack,' set up histurntable and CD player upstairs, and has cranked it up to 10.'Radio Marigny' is on the air! I kid you not. The members of the82nd Airborne are loving it. He's not only spinning music, he'shooked up the microphone and is also 'broadcasting' communitynews, etc."]

As you round a corner in the club land district of Marigny, the silenceof New Orleans is suddenly interrupted by blasting rock and bossa nova. From a rickety wooden home, musicianKenny Claiborne and bartender Joshua Nascimento are trying to breathe a bit of life back into a city devastatedby Hurricane Katrina by turning their balcony into what they call "Radio Marigny."

Using power from a generator and the biggest speakers they could find, they have been broadcasting whatevertheir few remaining neighbors request or they themselves want to hear to drown out the roar of helicopters andmilitary trucks that has replaced New Orleans' more usual sounds of jazz."It was kind of quiet; it really neededsome music. All I heard was helicopters and trucks," said Nascimento.

Claiborne and his neighbors sweep the streets, distribute ice to those who need it and try their best to keep alivethe neighborhood where many of them were born. "We're not Nero. We're not partying while Rome burns," said

Claiborne. "It's not like we're saying they can't evacuate us. We're just like a little heartbeat."

Rue

ters

13

Sept. 23, 2005My Dear ROOTS Colleagues and Executive Committee,

Thank you for your interest in trying to develop support forthe ROOTS artists in Louisiana who are displaced andunemployed due to the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. Ibelieve this to be a noble and heartfelt cause by theROOTS leadership. In trying to figure out how to contributeto the general disaster relief for all of us who are practical-ly “in exile” from our homes and the lives that we once ledwithin our communities, your actions exemplify the supportof a true family of artists.

As an artist who experienced firsthand the social break-down in New Orleans after the storm, I want to be an activevoice on this calamity, but even with all my inherent will andperseverance, I can honestly say that I go through deepperiods of mourningeveryday. It is notuncommon for me tobegin to break downin tears when I comeacross another storyof injustice and bla-tant racism inKatrina’s aftermath.

I do not have theindifference of heartto not be affected bywhat I read, especial-ly in the face of what Iwitnessed. I managedto escape the chaos,not with the support ofFEMA’s invisible“armies of compas-sion,” but on a pirated school bus in a scenario that was aHollywood South version of “Hotel Rwanda.”

I am deeply disturbed about the conditions, making newsthrough independent media sources, concerning manyevacuees and how FEMA authorities and even the RedCross are treating them as “detainees” under militarystrategies that are less than humane in their supposed “aid”to people who have lost everything.

I am simply not made of this heartless indifference thatseems to be the modus operandi by government officialsacting in the interest of big business and the overt corrup-tion and hypocrisy that they subscribe to in maintainingtheir power and control. Already Halliburton andBlackwater, the insidious corporate duo that brought yourespectively the Iraq reconstruction mess and the ubiqui-tous prison abuse of Muslim civilians, are positioned in

New Orleans to receive no-bid contracts for rebuilding andto provide private security forces for the wealthy propertyowners of the uptown area.

Thus, I mourn for my beloved city of New Orleans that iscurrently under military siege and has been unnecessarilytransformed into a war zone of “martial law,” practices engi-neered by homeland security sadists eager to implementtheir post-9/11 tactics. I mourn for my communities andartist colleagues who are displaced, some of whom I havenot heard from and others who have lost all or parts of theirhomes and studios. I mourn for the state of this multiracialsocial experiment called the United States, this country thatI am having trouble believing in, sequestered by a roguegovernment that has the blood of its citizenry on its handsonce more.

I am sometimesgripped by an infinitepain and deepdepression that crip-ples me into inactionand makes me ques-tion any efforts Iengage in as uselessacts of futility in thewake of such a cor-rupt beast that thissystem - which favorscapital and privateproperty over people- has become. I amnot saying this to beoverly dramatic. I amsimply stating how Ifeel about this houseof cards that has

been exposed for all its fragility by the winds of Katrina.

It has become very difficult for me to believe in the socialagreements that we seem to collectively adhere to in ourdesperate need for the creation of a democracy and civilsociety. Katrina’s winds blew down the house of cards thatwas a fragile New Orleans, a city whose social ills ofextreme disparities across race, class and economics arenot much different than any other urban metropolis in thiscountry.

Think of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and even Atlantaand you do not have to look very far out of your windows tosee the same racial and economical dichotomies in place.Perhaps all it would take in your communities is a naturalstorm like Katrina to expose the social lies that we are liv-ing under with an administration that continues to forge anextreme polarized legacy: corporate welfare and tax cuts

An Open Letter to Alternate ROOTSBy Jose Torres Tama (www.torrestama.com)

R. Meyers

14

for the rich and unfet-tered, brutal capitalismfor the working class andpoor.

I am desperately trying tobelieve in this nation, myfriends, and frankly, the

only thing that has kept me going is the kindness and out-reach that many of you have expressed. I may add thatthe love of my partner and family are also much neededblessings that keep me sane and help me focus on theactivism that I need to undertake to continue forward.

With all of this said, I am encouraged that ROOTS isdeveloping more specific plans to support projects toassist displaced artists and communities. I understandthat these efforts are still in the process of being defined,and I am grateful that you are considering direct inputfrom those of us who are currently displaced and are our-selves traumatized by this experience.

For my part, I am very interested in figuring out ways tomanage some kind of community art projects with anyevacuees who are experiencing the trauma of loss anddisplacement after Katrina. If your community can use theservices of a Latino performance and visual artist withsomething to say about the real-estate-of-things, theimmigrant experience and life as an evacuee, I am opento all possibilities and look forward to your suggestions.

Un abrazo para todos/a hug to you all. Ashe y gracias.

[Jose Torres Tama is a multidisciplinary artist working inthe visual arts, bilingual poetry/literature and performanceart. Based in New Orleans, he tours nationally/interna-tionally presenting his solos and lectures on performanceart for social change. He has received a LouisianaTheater Fellowship and an award from the NEA, and his“Youth Performance Projects” that cultivate the voices ofmarginalized Latino and African American teens havebeen profiled on NPR.]

Interview with Wynton Marsalis (excerpt)

"Tavis Smiley" - Sept. 8, 2005

Smiley: Are you concerned that the culture thatwe've come to appreciate New Orleans as, is lostforever?

Marsalis: No, I'm not concerned about thatbecause New Orleans people love being NewOrleans people. And wherever they go, they'll bringtheir culture with them. And also, our city will berepaired, and we're gonna come back. That's whatwe are. New Orleans burned down in the 1700s.Four fifths of the city was lost. It comes back. Wehad yellow fever. We've had many epidemics.We've had floods. We've had hurricanes, never tothis magnitude. This is just gonna test our fortitudea little more, and it's gonna allow us to show theworld how resilient we are.

We're blues people. You know, we absorbthe pain, but we come back. You know, we acceptdeath in New Orleans. It's our way of life. We playdirges. We play hymns. We bury people aboveground. We're always close to death. So, you know,this is an unbelievable tragedy. It's gonna leave acertain type of scar on our psyche, but we're gonnacover that scar over with something with so muchsoul and depth that we're gonna astound people.We will definitely be back, just because that's whatwe are about. We are about coming back.

Smiley: Is this the ultimate quintessential exampleof what it means to be blues people?

Marsalis: What we're gonna see is the quintessen-tial - this is the quintessential example of the blues.

"Burning Man Defies Katrina" (excerpt)

By Mark MorfordSan Francisco Gate - Sept. 7, 2005

Let us argue... that, in the wake of any national disaster or mounting death toll, it is exactly those thingsthat celebrate life that we turn to because they offer salve and balm and resurrection of spirit.

Look at it this way: Katrina slammed us all in one direction, toward pathos and melancholy and empti-ness, the sense that we are but fragile and unbalanced things, ever teetering on the edge of the abyss,confused and scared and not nearly as secure or socially healthy as we like to think. And then we haveevents like Burning Man to help, in some small way, to slam us right back, toward heat and celebrationand energy, toward survival, toward frustration and laughter and raw bleating life. What value, that?

15

Actors Fund of Americawww.actorsfund.org

If you are a professional in the entertainment industry inneed of emergency assistance due to Hurricane Katrina, pleasecall The Actors’ Fund at 800-221-7303. Please identify where youare calling from and ask to have an intake worker paged. If youcall and get the voicemail system, dial extension 119.

Alternate ROOTS: Focused Fundingwww.alternateroots.org

Focused Funding will provide support to ROOTS artistsand artists from the affected areas who are organizing work-shops for members of displaced Gulf Coast communities toaddress trauma, feed the soul, and support efforts for channelinganger and desperation into constructive self-determinationthrough community arts projects with shelters, evacuee centers,and community organizations.

Community Artists Relief ResourcesContribute information at alternateroots.org (i.e., oppor-

tunities for jobs, residencies, housing, supplies and otherresources for displaced artists). If you are or know of an artistwho has been displaced by the hurricane, you can submit yourneeds through this page as well.

Information: 404-577-1079.

American Art Therapy Associationwww.arttherapy.org

The AATA is an organization of professionals dedicatedto the belief that the creative process involved in art making ishealing and life enhancing. Its mission is to serve its membersand the general public by providing standards of professionalcompetence, and developing and promoting knowledge in, andof, the field of art therapy.

Information: 1-888-290-0878.

American Federation of Musicians: Gulf Coast Relief Fundwww.afm.org

To assisted AFM members impacted by HurricaneKatrina. Information: Sahid Fawaz, 212-869-1330, ext. 229;[email protected].

American Federation of Television and Radio Artists(AFTRA)www.aftra.org

For AFTRA members located in the affected states,please contact the Miami office for more information on availableassistance: 954-920-2476; [email protected].

Americans for the Arts: Emergency Relief Fundww3.artsusa.org/get_involved/emergency_relief_fund

One hundred percent of all funds raised are distributeddirectly to local arts agencies and other cultural relief efforts.Local arts agencies may use relief funds to assist with theirown recovery as well as to provide needed services and fundingto local nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists. Awardstypically range from $1,000 to $5,000, but may be more at thediscretion of the Emergency Relief Fund Committee. Funds areallocated as they become available.

Applications may be submitted online or by fax at 202-

371-0424. If you are limited to phone access, you may apply bytelephone: 866-471-2787 and ask for the Americans for the ArtsEmergency Relief Fund. Applications may be handwritten.Applicants do not need to be a member of Americans for the Arts.

Craft Emergency Relief Fund: Disaster Relief Grantwww.craftemergency.org/programs/relief/offer

The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) offersDisaster Relief Grants of up to $1,000 for craft artists who havebeen seriously injured or whose homes or studios have beenseverely damaged by a significant, widespread disaster. To beconsidered for this grant, the applicant is required to completethe Quick Loan application. CERF will determine whether a loanor a grant offer or a combination of the two will be made. Priorityfor grants will be given to those most severely affected by the dis-aster.

Information: 802-229-2306; [email protected].

Jazz at Lincoln Center: Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Fundwww.jalc.org

Administered through the Baton Rouge AreaFoundation (www.braf.org), a non-profit community foundation,to benefit the musicians, music industry related enterprises andother individuals and entities from the areas in Greater NewOrleans who were impacted by Hurricane Katrina and to provideother general hurricane relief.

Information: Mary Fiance Fuss, 212-258-9829;[email protected].

Louisiana Division of the Arts: Artist Relocation Formwww.crt.state.la.us/arts

The Division of the Arts will be regularly updating ourarts community on the relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts forLouisiana’s arts industry. A special update will be sent out every48 –72 hours with archives located on our homepage.

The Artist Relocation Form can be used to track our dis-placed native artists around the state and nationally and also toconnect our arts infrastructure to the resources – both financialand technical assistance information – they will need until suchtime as we can return to our homes and work across SoutheastLouisiana. This form will also be available to our local and region-al arts councils throughout Louisiana. Available in pdf format.Return via fax: 225-342-8173 or email: [email protected].


Louisiana Partnership for the Arts: Katrina Displacement Contact Databasewww.lparts.org/KatrinaInfo1.cfm

The purpose of this database is to provide the best cur-rent contact information available for Louisiana arts organiza-tions that have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina.


Mississippi Arts Commission: Katrina Blogwww.arts.state.ms.us

The Mississippi Arts Commission is gathering newsfrom around the state of damage to artistic, heritage and culturaltreasures, as well as that incurred by artists and arts organiza-tions. The Commission also is gathering information on funding

HURRICANE KATRINA

16

RESOURCES FOR ARTISTSJackson, MS 39201


National Endowment for the Humanities: Emergency Grantswww.neh.gov

The National Endowment for the Humanities will makeavailable at least $1 million for emergency grants to libraries,museums, colleges, universities, and other cultural and historicalinstitutions in Gulf Coast areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

NEH is also contacting the executive directors of thestate humanities councils in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisianato offer $30,000 emergency grants to help the Endowment’sstate affiliates begin the process of assessing local damages andrecovering cultural resources in their respective states.


New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic (NOMC) Emergency Fundwww.wwoz.org/clinic

The New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic (NOMC) is an inno-vative not-for-profit occupational medicine and wellness partner-ship offering comprehensive health care to musicians. Dedicatedon May 2, 1998, NOMC became the first such health initiative inthe United States, addressing the health care needs of musiciansand their families. To date our dedicated consortium of serviceproviders has treated more than 1000 local musicians.

This Emergency Fund goes directly to sustain ourNOMC-in-Exile operations until January 2006 and to providedirect assistance to musicians (from purchasing gasoline toschool uniforms for their children and everything in between.)Donations may be sent to:SWLAHEC c/o New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic 103 Independence Blvd Lafayette, La. 70506Information: Kathy Richard; 337-989-0001; [email protected].

New Orleans Networkwww.neworleansnetwork.org

For those of us in exile from the region or are still there try-ing to survive, we hope this site can be used for: finding peoplewe love and meeting fellow citizens; assessing what our commu-nities need wherever we may have landed; collecting our stories,pictures, and art; starting conversations about the issues con-nected to this disaster; organizing the exile communities of dis-placed people from the New Orleans region; finding ways toreconnect us all, whether we have access to computers or not.

We hope this site will provide you with an overview of thecurrent situation, provide perspectives and voices straight out ofNOLA, and connect you to opportunities to donate your time,energy, and resources directly into the New Orleans grassroots.

Information: Shana Sassoon, 713-857-4694; [email protected].

NOLAgigs.org (Logan Kleinwaks)www.NOLAgigs.org

I have just opened a free website to connect venuesacross the country with New Orleans musicians displaced byHurricane Katrina. The site is essentially a searchable databaseof gigs being offered to the musicians by the venues. If you know

venues that might be interested in hiring a musician displaced byHurricane Katrina, please encourage them to log on and add tothe database. The more gigs there are in the database, the moreuseful it can be to the musicians (and aid organizations helpingthem).

NOLAgigs.org is completely free to use, does not havecommercial advertising, and I do not benefit financially from it. Itis simply my way of trying to help the musicians and music cul-ture of New Orleans.

Information: [email protected].

Recording Academy: MusiCares Hurricane Relief Fundwww.grammy.com/musicares

This program is a $1 Million dollar commitment of char-itable funds to be distributed to musicians and other music indus-try people directly affected by this disaster. Hurricane ReliefAssistance may include funds for basic living expenses, medicalexpenses, musical instrument and recording equipment replace-ment, relocation costs, school supplies for students, cell phoneservice, insurance payments and more. Applicants may also bereferred to other resources, as needed.

Eligibility: Five years professional experience in themusic industry and loss of livelihood or housing due to effects ofHurricane Katrina.


Screen Actors Guild Foundationwww.sagfoundation.org

Emergency assistance available to qualified members:323-549-6773.

Society of Singers (SOS)www.singers.org

SOS helps singers who have financial needs resultingfrom personal, medical or family crises. Charitable grants may beprovided for basic needs including rent, utilities, medical/dentalexpenses, substance abuse rehab, psychotherapy andHIV/AIDS treatment. Grants are always paid directly to creditors.Any individual who has derived his or her primary income as aprofessional singer for five years or more may qualify for servic-es.


Southern Arts Federation: Emergency Relief Fundwww.southarts.org

The Southern Arts Federation has established anEmergency Relief Fund to assist arts organizations and artistsresiding in Gulf Coast communities most devastated byHurricane Katrina. Distribution and decisions on the use of fundswill be made by state arts agencies. Donations may be made bycheck or credit card. Please make checks out to: Southern ArtsFederation Emergency Relief Fund. All donations are tax-deductible.

Download the donation form: www.southarts.org/down-load/EmergencyReliefFund.pdf and fax to 404-873-2148.


Tipitina’s Foundation: Artist Reliefwww.tipitinas.com

Dedicated to the cultural reconstruction of New Orleans,

17

Reactions from New Orleans Visual ArtistsNew York Times - Sept. 13, 2005

we are currently finding housing, gigs, instruments and possible financial assistance for any and all New Orleans and South Louisianamusicians and their families. We raise funds through donations and nationwide benefit concerts to meet the challenges facing us inthe coming weeks and months.

We are also developing an ever-expanding database of people throughout the country who are ready and willing to give ourartists a temporary home or other support. If you are a New Orleans artist or someone who would like to help a New Orleans artist,please register online at: www.tipsevents.com/foundation/advance/relief. Mail donations to:Tipitina’s Foundation 1251 North Ardenwood Drive Baton Rouge, LA 70806

WWOZ in Exile90.7 FM - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Stationwww.wwoz.org

Programming news, emergency information links and an extensive list of New Orleans musicians and bands who are safe.Contact page: www.wwoz.org/contact.php

"We're all going tohave to refer to before

Katrina and after. So many ofus drew on the city, its energy

and its people."

Ron Bechetpainter

"We're a strong, nurturing com-munity; we'll continue to survive. The

imagery has to change; it's inevitable. I wasalways interested in the street life, the poor

and what is at the root of that lifestyle. Now myconcern is that New Orleans will become a middle-class city. The whole landscape of American art is

in the process of upheaval. Between 9/11 andKatrina, I am seeing artists dealing with history.When I was at school we were concerned pri-

marily with form. Now that's all changed."

Willie Burchpainter

"It's a fragile time.I know I should be work-

ing, but I can't. I want to dosomething that takes me away

from it all. But I don't knowwhat that is."

Lori Lockwoodpainter

"The art communityis looking for direction; we

are not going to be defeated."

Arthur Rogergallery owner

continued from previous page

18

"The Hurricane Monologues" (excerpt)

By Thomas B. HarrisonMobile Register - Sept. 11, 2005

["The Hurricane Monologues" is a 90-minute multi-disci-plinary theatrical presentation featuring actors deliveringfirst-person accounts of surviving Hurricane Ivan inSeptember 2004. Presented by Pensacola Opera andPensacola Little Theatre.]

Timothy Kennedy, community outreach and educationdirector for Pensacola Opera, says the intensely personalaccounts have transformed rehearsals into a kind ofshared therapy. "We are delving into the thoughts of peo-ple who write these stories. Since these are real peoplewho will be attending our performance, we have a truesense of respect for their text, their words. We want to betrue to their emotions and ideas, what they thought wasimportant about their story." Perhaps some of the storieswere not the best written, but, said Kennedy, "it was thatperson's experience and they are giving it to us. I sawthat as a gift."

Photos by L. Mount

Photos by R. Meyers

19

“Not of the Moment”A narrative response inspired by Rodger French© Alice Lovelace, 2005

In this day of parable and hymn, there is no room for dancers. Planetary doors stand locked by politicians who holdadvance reservations on the day of earthly destruction. So no, they would not fund the levy, not the school nor theteacher, there were no buses, and no they did not care for the elder or ill. Not even the dancers would be saved, forart was jettisoned to make room for golden idols, and temples to gold.

In this age of lent and sacrifices, you are the manna on their altar. It is your paintings, your photographs, your sculp-tures they burn. Those encapsulated memories, those images that never please those who take all pleasure untothemselves—leave the artist drunk on fumes of oil, of funeral pyres.

In this millennium of empires on earth, heavenly dynasties in the sky the global rulers stalk any actor, any writerwho dares create graven images that belie the lie told long and sure by the power brokers from land to land. Theyinsist, Let them eat the bloated bodies, the fouled reputations of the poor, the stagnant air of a sickening senselessselfishness floating in a brew of flood water and oil.

No cries of art can reach the empire seeking soul, the imperial heart. To Halliburton goes the spoil, while artists toilto lay bare the plan of the elite to escape at the Rapture then outsource the Earth. In the face of shattered levies,we witnessed suffering and shame, but not of the moments making.

How many people died of starvation before the hurricane? How many homeless slept under our bridges, below oursight line? How many children, elders died for want of medical care? Whose situation went unattended by brightlights and news reporters? Whose cries cannot be heard in the den of the holy trinity where prayers of one worldglobal control are offered at altars of oil, information, and land? The voice and pen of art are moot in the land ofmedia where the people are not invited to partake of the banquet.

Pass me my paints, my pencils. Pass me the clay, and canvas. Let me sing you a new Blues for a new day is here,and a new art is rising. In the face of the flood we stand naked exposing a deep persistent poverty in the heart ofAmerica; bear witness to the crucifixion of art, of memory—this cultural starving of the American South.

We have stopped swallowing excuses—

Every day on this planet is filled with disaster.Every nation shoulders its share of the pain.Every people pay homage to stale old masters,headmasters, grandmasters who for every reasondrain us of our laughter. This is their feeding season.It is a time for art to stake its claim to the human psychefor any key to these days of man-made catastrophe.

Let us salvage every pain, every death, and every slander.Let us render of this pain all the dreams that were slain. Let us make of this a prescription—to remedy the ills of our soul, to suffocate past shame and suffering.Let us give rise to a new art—stunningly simple, simply prophetic, prophecy imprinted on the face of theold.

“How can wealth persuade poverty to use its political freedom to keep wealthin power? Here lies the whole art of Conservative politics in the 20th century.”

Aneurin Bevan, In Place of Fear, 1952

20

KEITH KNIGHT is a cartoonist and rapper based in San Francisco. His two weekly comic strips, “the K Chronicles” and “(th)ink”, appear in publications nationwide.

Keep an eye out for Beginner’s Guide to Community Based Arts, a collaboration with ROOTS member Mat Schwarzman and others. His fifth collection of comics, “The Passion of the Keef” (Manic D Press), is available at www.kchronicles.com.

Founded in 1976, Alternate ROOTS is dedicated to providing Southeastern artists working in all disciplines access to the kinds of techni-cal and administrative resources they need in order to enhancve their artistic development. By sharing information and resources with artists and presenters, ROOTS supports the creation and presentation of new work and enables artists to get that work before a broader audience. This exchange of work, skills, critical analysis, and information serves to create opportunities beyond the scope and ability of any single individual or organization.

Alternate ROOTS is an organization based in the Southeast USA whose mission is to support the creation and presentation of original art in all its forms, which is rooted in a particular community of place, tradition or spirit. As a coalition of cultural workers, we strive to be allies in the elimination of all forms of oppression. ROOTS is committed to social and economic justice and the protection of the natural world and addresses these concerns through its programs and services.

Community/Artists’ Partnership Project (C/APP) is designed to fund, document and teach community-based residency models to artists, arts presenters and community partners regionally.

Residency/Touring Program provides fee subsidies to rural, ethnically diverse and emerging presenters in support of touring activities by ROOTS members in the Southeast.

Resources for Social Change (RSC) offers professional development workshops convenes training institutes.

The Annual Meeting is a weeklong gathering of members and supporters in a retreat setting. Activities include artistic and professional training, performances, networking opportunities and training in “Uprooting Racism”.

Publications include UP from the ROOTS, a quarterly journal with a distribution to over 7,000 readers, a monthly ROOTS member bulletin, the ROOTS webbsite (www.AlternateROOTS.org) and an anthology of original Southern plays.

Regional Events are geographic clusters of ROOTS members that meet throughout the year to facilitate regional networking and alliance building as well as skill development and sharing work.

ALTERNATE ROOTS F.A.Q. (Frequently Asked Questions)

HISTORY

MISSION

PROGRAMS & RESOURCES

Alternate ROOTS 1083 Austin Ave NEAtlanta, GA 30307404-577-1079 ofc404-577-7991 [email protected]

Non-Profit OrgU.S. Postage

PAIDAtlanta, GAPermit No.

3851

www.AlternateROOTS.org

For a complete rundown of Alternate ROOTS F.A.Q., we recommend the altogether excellent ROOTS website: www.alternateroots.org

Meanwhile, here are a few items you might find useful.

UFTR [Fall 2005]

Documents

Transcript of UFTR [Fall 2005]