Think-Making Labs
MelaninMovementNYC
MelaninMovementNYC is an arts youth ensemble and internship tied to TRPNYC. Led by Johnnie Cruise Mercer and Torian Ugworji. MelaninMovementNYC uses art as a launching pad to dig into personal history, collective philosophy, and entrepreneurship. With partnerships that bridge state-lines (there are students involved in NY, PA, Washington DC, and VA) MelaninMovementNYC is set up as an educational lab space for young thinkers to practice collaboration, surrender to the magic of reflection, and embrace the gift of artistic service.
A curricular space held for makers to be in process, the roots of this philosophy forward school of thought are held by the study of history, the development of theory, and the importance of building a practice. Each lab beckons its makers to work with tradition, skill, and community in order to build or participate in socially active “woke” work.
All labs are rooted in curriculum, allowing for structured ways to build intellectual, economic and cultural bridges.
Prophecy Camp
A program curated to develop both creative and independent living skills, Prophecy Arts Camp provides young artists with hands-on experience creating self-reflective art collaboratively. The camp focuses on teaching history, and uplifts the development of critical thinkers. With creative entrepreneurship as a value, the camp offers three branches of artistic study for young artists ages 13-18; Movement & Embodiment Practices, Visual & Media Art, and Technology & Music: A Community Praxis. Each branch of study includes technique/skill development, composition/creation labs, and an ensemble led by an artistic director.
To support a healthy career in the arts, the young artists also dive headfirst into important social-culture-based topics, including taxes, branding, and community-driven success.
The camp concludes with a community performance showcasing the work of the young artists who participated, and a new collaboratively crafted work by the camp’s annual Artist in Residence.
Next year, the trial year, the camp will welcome young dance and theater artists from across the Richmond, VA area to dive into a weekend of movement workshops, and collaborative making opportunities! Young artists will get a chance to take an Embodied Forms Workshop (a process forward voice and movement class tied to methods of rhythm, reflex, and release), a Creative Research Lab (a multidisciplinary making lab offering young artists a chance to develop their own work inspired by select archives), and an opportunity to work hands on with the camp’s annual HubArtists (Artists in Residence) in a Creative Lab to develop a community driven work. Look out for more information on our next camp this summer!
Open Space
OPEN SPACE is a workshop series hosting a shifting roster of BIPOC artists in class, creation, conversation, and community. The series invites artists to occupy space together, focusing heavily on black embodiment, being, reflection, and philosophy. Open Space is open to all individuals, but primarily caters to those in the BIPOC community.
Open Showing: an informal showing of work curated to provide artists with a chance to receive feedback and bring together community members they would like to share their work with
Open Class: a space focused on physical, and mental practice
Open Jam: a space focused on finding freedom, this is sometimes movement, it could be vocal, or theater based, maybe it’s just being in space together without form
Open Convo: a curated space designed to have deep conversation and reflection, an invited artist(s) leads the conversation over refreshments
Past Open Space Sessions have included artists Alicia Morales, Brooke Rucker, Malcolm X Betts, Kyle Marshall.