Call for Artmonks

Are you an Artmonk? We are looking for 2-3 more artists to join us for our upcoming Summer Art Monastic Laboratory!

Looking for collaborative theater makers, dancers, physical-theater performers, musicians, and writers.

What

The Art Monastic Laboratory is an intensive development period in which invited artists live together in collaboration to create and perform a new piece of work. The Art Monastic Laboratory program includes daily technique work as part of Catalyst Training, rehearsal, daily meditation, shared spiritual practices, communal living, and light farming. We are interested in experimenting with the creative process and collaborative artmaking with a high standard for artistic quality of the final product. We value diversity, openness to new ideas and experiences, compassionate communication, and respect for self and others.

The working title of the piece is “Bootstraps.” As a part of white, American folklore there is this phrase about (and sometimes admiration for) someone who can “pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and create a better life for themselves.” We will be looking at how this type of cultural mythology perpetuates harmful systems of privilege and capitalism. We will also be asking questions about how values like this can accelerate the fragmentation of our communities. The process will include an examination of how we define “success,” and an exploration into the underbelly of “rugged individualism”–that cultural doctrine of prioritizing personal success above all.

Additionally, we will continue developing Catalyst Training (catalystmovement.org), a curriculum for devised performers focusing on physical, vocal, and theatrical development. Collaborators will be involved in this ongoing research/training project in addition to daily rehearsals for the new show.

We’ll begin the Lab with the Art Monastery’s version of the ancient monastic practice called “tangaryo” – an ancient Zen Buddhist tradition. For us, this will entail the first few days of the Lab held in complete silence and an invitation to long, self-regulated sessions of sitting meditation.

For a sense of the rhythms of the rest of the summer, you can take a look at last year’s daily schedule on the Summer Lab page.

Who

Artists with open minds and hearts to collaboratively finish building a new interdisciplinary performance. A community of diverse representation in age, gender, race, ethnicity, heritage, religion, etc.

Specifically: performers with experience in contemporary dance-theater or physical theater, bonus points for experienced singers. Also looking for composers with experience in music for live theater, especially those with an interest in Americana. Also playwrights and dramaturgs with experience in the devising process.

Where

Living quarters in a 19th-century farmhouse, situated on six acres of land along the banks of the Connecticut River. The farmhouse is just a few miles outside of Springfield, VT, 4 hours from Brooklyn, 2.5 hours from Boston, and 3.5 hours from Montreal.
Rehearsals take place in a renovated barn/dance studio on the property.

When

June 20th to August 30th. Performances expected the last two weeks.
Artists participate in training, rehearsal, contemplative practice, shared meals, community activities, and communal chores 5 days a week. Saturdays and Sundays are free except during performance weekends.

Cost

All summer Artmonks will share the cost of food and housing: $105/week. This comes to a total of $1,050 for the 10-week program (includes a shared bedroom, food, coffee/teas, alcohol, internet, shared car/gas for local trips, washer/dryer, utilities, and good wifi).

For more information, please e-mail neva@artmonastery.org.