IN VIA PUBLICA
PERFORMANCE & PUBLIC ASSEMBLY
Length: all day
A one-day conference on performing arts in public space. For artists, producers, programmers, funders, researchers, and public sector and private development professionals.
In Via Publica calls civic actors from the arts and culture, public administration, private development, and the academy to convene and ask: what many vital roles poetics must play in public spaces in the US today—from restoring safety and play to contested and conflicted environments to enriching shared spaces with consumption-free beauty and wonder to fostering social cohesion across differences to bolstering democratic participation and engagement. Together, we will shed light on the unique impacts that are made possible when new creations by performing artists making work for public spaces are centered within professional performing arts presenting practices; democratic and civic engagement endeavors; city branding/tourism campaigns; and creative placemaking efforts. Consistent with its holistic vision, the conference will take place on the campus of LaGuardia Community College; include an outdoor free performance by DTE Festival Artists Duo Sencirk; and conclude with the official launch of CUNY Stages, a consortium of venues at CUNY campuses across all boroughs. The Segal Center will publish a written report with findings from the Symposium. In Via Publica is offered in collaboration with Wikler Arts, with the support of Villa Albertine.
The schedule for In Via Publica is as follows:
9:00-11:30am
Opening, Welcome, & Panel Discussions, Little Theater
Hear from pioneering artists, curators, and civic leaders from across New York City, the US, and the world as they share their insights into the Symposium's core questions: How are performing artists responding to the challenges and opportunities of creating for public space today? How are communities welcoming these artists and their unique statements, what kinds of partnerships and structures are welcoming them, and what impact are these projects having?
12:00-1:00pm
Déjeuner arts de la rue. – 5th floor
A special lunch hour devoted to exploring France’s decades-long investment in street arts, from creation centers to commissioning networks to festivals.
1:00-2:30pm
Small Group Discussions – 5th floor
Join artists, leaders from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, faculty, and students to explore the Symposium’s core questions from a multitude of perspectives.
2:30-3:30pm
Outdoor Performance - Cobblestone Area
Featured outdoor performance by Duo Sencirk by Cirque SenCirk (Senegal).
4:00-5:00pm
Call to Action – Little Theatre
Report-out from brainstorm sessions by small group facilitators; imagining next steps together.
5:00-7:00pm
Reception & Launch of CUNY Stages – Courtyard & Poolside
The City University of New York welcomes audiences and students alike to performing arts events in venues at their campuses in all five boroughs. Join us for an end-of-day reception toasting CUNY Stages, a consortium fostering collaboration between CUNY venues, which will offer expansive artist support and inclusive audience development.
7:00pm
Sencirk Performance, North American premiere of Ancrage, Mainstage Theater (Optional)
Sencirk, Senegal’s premier contemporary circus company, makes its US debut with the celebrated work Ancrage, a wordless acrobatic work about an unlikely friendship. Presented by the Down to Earth Festival in collaboration with LPAC, at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center’s Mainstage theatre.
