The Commute Project
The Commute Project is dedicated to international exchange of artistry. It promotes means for artists and arts companies to connect and travel to share work. In a time where independent artists and smaller/midsize artist driven organizations are finding boarders, touring and international artistic exchange more inaccessible. Commute innovates means to:
1) share artistic presentation initiatives
2) develop collaborative creation residencies
3) share space and time for art training and pedagogical interchange.
History
In November, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana, Artistic Director Gerry Trentham’s work Yellow Scale was featured at the inaugural OPEN Indy festival and his two-week workshop series culminated in a Commute community performance work that allowed performers of all ages and back grounds to access the stage space in performance. The engagement between the artists from both countries was very rich and the project successfully launched OPEN INDY’s first festival. As a result, two works were very successfully premiered and OPEN Indy is now fully engaged as a binational biannual presenter.
Next in Buenos Aires in January 2020, an evolution of the project took hold as Trentham met with local artists to envision an expansion of the project and a longer-term engagement with that community. They discovered together mutual need and the inception of a larger vision took hold for the project.
“The Commute Project creates an ecotone between culture, form and perspective encouraging participants to create, perform or learn in the space between ecologies.
I am interested with others in understanding how we arrive to a new place consciously without need to conquer, claim or collect. Commute is a “many way” exchange. The quality of my arrival to a new place maters, and my exchange in that new place must give. Sharing practice, process and production opportunities in inter change that serves the varied needs of those involved, builds respect for difference, tours to grow new audience and ultimately refines artistic practice and art, are the primary drives behind the project.” - Gerry Trentham
For more information please contact us here.
