ArtBark International, an outgrowth of SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre and Stephen Kelly music, has a long history of being at the forefront of change keeping abreast of the ever shifting landscape of the arts. One of the key factors has been operating in a spirit of collaboration and co-operation being of service to others as they strive to create excellent art and share it with the world.
Alma Karlin Project
West Coast, East Coast, and European ArtBarkers are presently developing an evening length work slated to premiere in Europe in 2015.
Nicole McKenzie Improv Group
ArtBark International has been of support to this recently formed collective both in providing opportunity to perform, helping out organizationally, as well as providing creative resources and procuring performing opportunities at other venues.
The Hive
ArtBark International is playing a key role in development of a new performing opportunity for performing artists residing in California (San Diego to Santa Cruz). Spearheaded by Maria Rendina Frantz of Motion Theatre Dance Company the project is a continuation of the continued shift in the paradigm in how the arts organize with participating artists contributing to the production process and production cost.
Nancy Evans Doede
Nancy is the Artistic Director of Nancy Evans Dance Theatre. Based in Sierra Madre, CA in residence at Porticos Art Space of Pasadena she schleps it up to Santa Barbara and Misa to Pasadena to collaborate. The two have a new duet in the works.
Misa and Jo
Misa and Jo, satisfied with their opportunity to share their work Unzipped in Austria, New York, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara are beginning to carve out a new duet which will also be moved forwards at their upcoming Dragon's Egg Residency.
NECTAR
Time permitting, ArtBarkers contribute to helping maintain this performance resource by helping busy mom Cybil Gilbertson out with productions by helping maintain the YouTube channel, email account, website, recruit volunteers, and help out the day of with stage managing, sound, video projection, and support with set up and strike, and video documentation. We've also helped out with creation of programs and promotion of events. In 2012 NECTAR and ArtBark collaborated with producing the portion of the Affinity Festvial produced at Yoga Soup.
Fishbon
We're excited to be of assistance to the Fishbon community this season in way of offering free grant writing support. Fishbon has provided free space for multiple projects, and each time ArtBark engages with this community they do what they can to contribute to their space. In 2011 ArtBark donated a dance floor and proceeds taken in at the door for the ADaPT Festival, in 2013 additionally drapery for the Pescadrome's "Tall Room."
Giving Energy! DANCEWorks
It is a tradition with artists in our group to give of their energy to this wonderful project. In 2015 ArtBarkers Melissa and Noah Block, Hylla Fischer, and Chris Rawhles volunteered their time and energy to participate in Mark Dendy's work performed at the Lobero Theater. Fun!
1st Thursdays!
We love bringing the community together and expanding audiences. ArtBark had its second go at a 1st Thursdays event bringing dance and music outside on the corner of Canon Perdido and State Street on May 1st. The Downtown Organization loved us so much they invited us back again!