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April 8, 2020 | Events, Together Apart,
Introducing Together Apart: Explore New Worlds Without Leaving Home
An introduction to our new series from Artistic Director David Dower.
“Connection across difference.”
Anyone who has come into the ArtsEmerson community has run across this phrase living at the heart of our purpose and values. It’s our reason for being and it guides our whole strategy as an arts organization.
A defining feature of ArtsEmerson’s programming is the depth of the connections we foster between the artists on our stages and the many communities that comprise our audience. That’s the connection that will lead to the transformed city we seek. The artists are, as Executive Director David C. Howse likes to quote “the gatekeepers of the truth.” The audiences are the engine of the transformation itself. Communities connected — across differences of neighborhood, age, class, race, faith, and the political viewpoint— will power our progress toward a more just, equitable, resilient city.
ArtsEmerson is one conduit for that connection. We are the infrastructure. The platform. And we are here, online and on the case, with a new pathway to connection.
We’re back to complete this season with an online series that can keep us connected— audiences, artists, and staff— while we all participate in the worldwide effort to mitigate this pandemic.
Welcome to the Together Apart series, where you can continue to explore new worlds and discover your own even as our world has temporarily shrunk to the size of our living spaces. The series will continue to support connection across difference, with a range of avenues for engaging with artists from around the world— artists you have come to know through their live performances in our theaters. It’s a chance to revisit favorite performances, or maybe catch up to one you missed along the way, and to hear how these artists are doing, what they are dreaming up next, and where they see us heading as a planet. It’s an opportunity to connect with “the Davids” of ArtsEmerson and share your experience of the series and your strategies for living Together Apart. It’s also a chance to contribute to ArtsEmerson’s vision for our return to public gathering. How will we be changed? What will we need from each other? What will we offer each other?
This series is designed to carry us for as long as we need it, with additional programming to be added as we go through this process of social distancing. Drop by whenever you feel the need to connect with us. Share the links with people you think might want to connect with each other over shared experiences of art and conversation. Reach us through the Comments section here on this blog. We’ll watch for you and keep up the conversation here throughout.
To learn more about the Together Apart series, please visit our website. You can register to receive emails when our online productions and discussions are live, and learn about the full schedule of content coming up. Also, be sure to check out our blog often, as we’ll be posting more content here throughout this period in order to support and inform the upcoming series and each production.
There will be a time, soon, when we can gather again in our spaces and experience theatre in physical community. For now, we gather online, still in community and still in conversation with one another.
Thank you to the artists in our community who have offered their works and their time to make this series possible. We are grateful to be able to still spark connection across difference in this time, on whatever platform we can.
David Dower, Artistic Director
As we continue to navigate through these unfortunate circumstances, we hope you will consider making a gift to ArtsEmerson by clicking here. Your generosity will help us deliver inspired programming to the comfort of your own homes while sustaining us for the future when we can commune in our theatres once again.
The Coronavirus has caused Great separation to the Arts Anderson family and play reading book club. Which is missed badly. Hopefully we will be whole again soon!
I share your hope! Thank you for jumping in with us.