Press

“Through bodily movement, spoken or visually projected text, sound, music, and audience participation, the site-specific project digs deep into what’s called colonial botany. Shanks explained: “a haunted botany draws upon histories of European empires that have colonized communities around the world, where they could exploit certain plants by propagation and maritime trade. I’m interested in how performance art can illuminate that past and connect physical traces of it to our present.” Think the nutmeg in your kitchen, once more valuable than gold.”

“Today, MAP is honored to announce a $1.4 million investment in 55 extraordinary new projects. 

MAP does not merely steward resources into the hands of artists. MAP rethinks received ways of doing and being. We believe in the livelihood and lifeblood of artists. We believe artists make the world more vibrant, sustainable, and just, said poet and MAP Fund board member, Ama Codjoe. We are thrilled to support such an incredible group of artists, thinkers, and makers and await the ripples their work will have in our world.

Through this year’s process, each grantee receives $20,000 in project development funds and $5,000 in general operating funds to advance their bold ideas. From Hawaii to Puerto Rico to Maine, creative teams will generate dance, music, and theater works that organize their communities around abolition, fight for environmental justice, explore practices for mutual care, and more.”