OneBeat 13 Kinship and Gathering celebrates the spirit of kinship in our practices and lives. Focusing on both physical and conceptual spaces that serve as sanctuaries for connection and belonging, this residency invites fellows to uncover the threads that weave us together, recognizing the inherent strength and beauty found in the tapestry of community. Fellows will collaborate with guest artists and local partners throughout the New England region who are dedicated to building both physical and conceptual spaces of gathering and connectivity, thereby contributing to resilient communities and creative economies that strengthen the region.
During the residency, fellows will collaborate on new music and participate in professional development workshops and masterclasses in response to the program’s theme. Guest artists for the OneBeat 13 residency include composer, multi-instrumentalist, singer and poet Ben LaMar Gay and Grammy-nominated performer and producer Shahzad Ismaily, both of whom will lead fellows in creative exercises and masterclasses.
OneBeat 13 marks the first ever OneBeat global music program in the New England region, paving the way for exciting new collaborations and partnerships, including a new residency partnership with the Avaloch Farm Music Institute in Boscawen, New Hampshire. Avaloch Farm Music Institute (AFMI) is a residential arts center in New Hampshire which serves as a cultural hub for the northern New England community through revitalizing and enriching the artistic landscape with curated public performances, artistic partnerships and educational opportunities. OneBeat 13 establishes new partnerships throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts with The Bombyx Center for Art and Equity in Florence, Massachusetts, 317 Main Community Music Center in Yarmouth, Maine, The Chocolate Church Arts Center in Bath, Maine, The Word Barn in Exeter, New Hampshire, and Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
The OneBeat 13 residency will be held at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute from April 22 to May 5, 2024. Following the residency, fellows will tour to Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine where they will engage with diverse arts organizations, schools, and cultural centers to lead youth workshops, community gatherings, and discussions. From the vibrant bustle of a college campus to the intimate gathering of a neighborhood barn, fellows will explore the stories surrounding these community hubs and dive deeper into the simple but central human need to gather.
Following the residency, the OneBeat 13 tour kicks off in Florence, Massachusetts with a performance at Bombyx on May 5th, a multifaceted space that serves as a performance venue, art exhibition space, community center, synagogue, and church. Fellows will then visit classes and speak with students at Dartmouth College in Hanover, and continue east to a performance at The Word Barn in Exeter, New Hampshire on May 8th. The tour will culminate in Maine, with a final show at the Chocolate Church in Bath, ME on May 10th, and a community contra dance, potluck, and gathering at 317 Main in Yarmouth on May 11th.
OneBeat is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, & produced by Bang on a Can’s Found Sound Nation.