“Any advice for emerging artists?”
February 06, 2020
PuSh thinks these gems of wisdom from 2020 festival artists are too good not to repost – just in time for the PuSh Industry Series, festival-hosted Pitch Session, and PuShOFF.
Colin Doyle:
“Listen as much as you can. Ask questions. If you have someone whose work you admire don’t hesitate to take them out for a coffee or pick their brains on just how they do what they do. I think mentorship is awesome, and sadly some of the arts programming that helped foster and support this is getting cut. If you can find any and all different ways to mentor with someone, do it!”
-Maker and performer, Monday Nights
Ursula Martinez
“Just make work, however you can, with whatever means you have.”
-Maker and performer, Free Admission
Kim Senklip Harvey
“Be vulnerable, it’s the only way to work courageously. Fail often in order to clarify why you create. And don’t fall for the colonial trauma porn art trap, you’re more than that and our peoples deserve the truth.”
-Director, Skyborn: A Land Reclamation Odyssey
Veda Hille
“Go in as deep as you can while you can still afford to live on very little. Listen to the work, serve the work, hone your ear and your voice. Don’t think about the audience until you’re with them, and then love them to death.”
-Writer, composer and performer, Little Volcano (photo by Stephen Drover)
Mike Bourscheid
“Work work work, be nice to other people.”
-Maker and director, Idealverein
Charles Barber
“Be unafraid. Go to great mentors. Listen to what they tell you. Remain unafraid.”
-Music director, Berlin: The Last Cabaret
Jacob Wren
“The only thing that works is persistence.”
-Maker and performer, The DJ Who Gave Too Much Information (Photo by Mathieu Chartrand)
Quelemia Sparrow
“Block out all the noise.”
-Writer and performer, Skyborn: A Land Reclamation Odyssey
Pearle Harbour
“Make the work you want to see, don’t wait for the audition. Be kind to everyone, and buy your technicians coffee.”
-Creator and performer, Agit-Pop! (Photo by Tanja-Tiziana)
Juliette Carrillo
“Who you are is important to the work. Bring it!”
-Director, Anywhere But Here
Wen Wei Wang
“Sincerity.”
-Choreographer, Flying White
Ravi Jain
“Get as much experience as you can. Always ask. Be fearless and don’t let rejection stop you.”
-Director, What You Won’t Do For Love