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Groundbreakers, Visionaries, Innovators
We are definitely leaders and we are definitely groundbreakers. For the past 20 years, as an organization created and managed by artists, our focus has been on the work itself. We have never really "tooted our own horn" in that it simply hasn't been our style.
Of late, we realize, it is important to communicate exactly WHAT we have managed to achieve in order to foster a greater awareness and appreciation for the gifts we bring to our community.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, our activity in our home town has made the lives of dancers and choreographers more easeful, whether they realize it or not, we know. Breaking ground opens up sacred space energetically for the community as do the intentions we set, to make the path easier and more abundant for others.
We don't embrace the negative aspects of competition, or rivalry, but rather, flow from an awareness of abundance and work at being truly happy for the success of all in our community.
SOME OF OUR 1sts on the SB contemporary dance scene
1st dance company in the community to welcome artists from OUTSIDE of Santa Barbara and welcome them into the community to perform. (2000)
1st in the community to tour California (2008)
1st in the community to tour internationally (2008)
1st in the community to be accepted into a NYC dance festival and tour to NY (2010)
1st in the community to launch an international dance festival (2011)
1st in the community to co-produce an international dance festival in another country and provide opportunity for 2 Santa Barbara choreographers and one NY choreographer (2012)
1st director to receive an indy Award in the category of dance (2011)
A sprinkling of Onlys
Only contemporary company to provide creative and performing opportunities on a local, regional, and national level with peeps from ALL walks of life, levels, and ages.
Only contemporary dance company that has reached out to mentor, and support, and be of guidance to others going as far to channel resources to the community for rehearsal space, costuming, surprise funding.
Only contemporary dance company to host regional, national, and international master classes from boutique dance companies/artists.
Only contemporary dance company to reach out and volunteer to help out other communities.
Only organization that reaches out to multiple mediums of expression.
Only arts organization with expressed values of community building, conflict resolution, peacemaking, social change, and shifting the paradigm in how the arts organize with the intention to create MORE for EVERYONE.
Only local organization that produces works in other cities/countries creating bridges of opportunity for local artists to these other places.
Numbers
We have served more artists than any other professional dance company in way of number of performances, in way of performing opportunities, more master classes, have donated more volunteer hours, and have performed more locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally than any other local dance company (all genres.)
FAQ's
HOW DID YOU MEET?
Core organizers met in 2011 at SonneBlauma’s inaugural ADaPT Festival - an international festival drawing over 100 artists from 5 countries, 23 different cities, with 22 happenings of dance, physical theater, emerging genres over the course of 22 days. The Kellys hailing from Santa Barbara, Mojca Majcen from Celje, Slovenia, and Trina Mannino from Brooklyn, NY.
HOW IS YOUR ORGANIZATION STRUCTURED?
In 2012 we shed respective hierarchical structures to embrace a collaborative/co-creative platform to form ArtBark International building on extensive production, outreach, and art making practices integrating the fresh eyes/heart of one emerging creative. We embrace principles of conscious leadership and are fluid with regard to being the vision tender (as opposed to director) engaging project to project actively engaged year round. We work as a community to manifest our art adventures within a fresh paradigm for arts creation/organization/sharing that is circular, inclusive, and non-competitive.
VALUES
We allow our values to evolve as we evolve and are presently playing with the concept of “through us” style of leadership.
WHAT IS YOUR COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE?
A base of over 150 projects, award winning artistry, local, national, international exposure: 20 years as Stephen Kelly Music + 15 years as SonneBlauma Danscz Theatre + 10 years of Mojca Majcen’s professional european engagements
+ fresh perspective of emerging Brooklyn based artist Trina Mannino = A LOT of know how, savvy, and ability.
YOU LIVE IN DIFFERENT CITIES - HOW DO YOU MAKE IT WORK?
Ideas for projects are fleshed out and we hold “Skype meetings” to flesh out the bones of what seems to want to flow through us. We conduct creative research in respective cities and keep the energy moving through sharing our research via Skype, youtube, drop box, email, wesendit. We gather for intensive creative residencies and share the creations with the community in studio showing format and co-productions with other artists/organizations, or, at events produced by others.
WHERE DO YOUR RESOURCES COME FROM?
Artists contribute of their own resources, we have a few angel patrons that support us year to year, we organize with other artists/organizations collaboratively which draws in their angels. We have recently set the intention to develop a product line to fund our Artcations, playcations, kreatkations to be together and are seeking avenues of support outside of the traditional 501 (c) 3 format.
In a Nutshell
We seek to be the change we wish to see in the world harnessing our life work as creative innovators and visionaries to build mutual understanding and tolerance through the arts fostering a more harmonious and balanced world. When the arts thrive, hearts thrive and communities prosper.
Our values grow and evolve as we grow and evolve.
Founded in 2012 by Mojca Majcen, Stephen Kelly, and Misa Kelly, the collective builds on the work of 18 years as SonneBlauma Danscz & 25 years of Stephen Kelly Music collectively manifesting over 150 projects. Since its founding the collective has added Trina Mannino to its group of core collaborators who manages the East Coast activities.
ArtBark is a California based 501 (c) 3 with organizational activity occurring in Santa Barbara County as well as Ledyard, CT in conjunction with the Dragons Egg residency center and Brooklyn, New York. The group, since 2012, has enjoyed over 50 happenings of dance, physical theater, installation art, and experimental genres in theaters and alternative spaces in California, Austria, Slovenia, France, New York and Connecticut.
They have produced international festivals, studio showings, initiated new modes of collaborative production, hosted world renowned master classes in dance, theater, and improvisation. They endeavors have given opportunities to hundreds of fellow creatives. Additionally they have enjoyed an active presence within multiple social media platforms. In the process of this endeavors, they have engaged with over 1.5 million people - offline and online. As a community they embrace principles of conscious leadership.