Long Wharf Theatre Announces Artistic Congress Held Across New Haven In Partnership With Yale Schwarzman Center

Long Wharf Theatre has announced its Artistic Congress, which will be a three-day convening dedicated to leaders, artists and civic-minded community members to discuss the vital importance of bringing people together across sectors to preserve democracy.

The Congress will be held in partnership with and take place at Yale Schwarzman Center from October 25th through the 27th where the esteemed voices of Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel (Dawnland Voices, Mohegan), Madeleine Hutchins (Dawnland Voices, Mohegan), Stephanie Ybarra (Mellon Foundation) and Jennifer Harrison Newman (Yale Schwarzman Center) will be elevated alongside panels and keynote speakers to be announced at a later date.

While the Congress's home base will be Yale Schwarzman Center, Friday and Sunday programming will take place around downtown New Haven, allowing visitors to get a glimpse into the unique walkable city—listed among the New York Time's “52 Places to Go” in 2023—and its academic and urban gems.

"As leaders in the arts, we hold a profound responsibility to illuminate the human experience through our craft. Theater is essential to democracy, reflecting society's complexities, injustices and aspirations,” said Jacob Padron, Long Wharf Theatre's Artistic Director. “Facilitating dialogue among industry leaders is not just an opportunity, but a duty to ensure that the future of theater remains a beacon of artistic expression and a catalyst for social change."

"Creating a safe space for political advocacy in theater is essential; it allows voices to be heard, stories to be told, and change to be inspired, fostering a community in which diverse perspectives can flourish and spark meaningful dialogue,” says Rachel Fine, Executive Director of the Yale Schwarzman Center's Executive Director. “I am honored to collaborate with Long Wharf Theatre in continuing to center New Haven as a hub for political engagement, culture, and the arts.”

In recent years, Long Wharf Theatre has charted its own way forward in the industry, implementing an innovative new model bringing performances to venues across the New Haven region. With each piece of programming and community engagement, Long Wharf Theatre centers its belief that theater is for everyone. Likewise, Yale Schwarzman Center is a commons where art, culinary and wellness experiences converge to build bridges, nurture creativity and foster kinship and belonging.

Collectively, the unique community approaches of these cultural institutions has centered New Haven as a cultural destination, as the Artistic Congress exemplifies a historic meeting of the minds at one of the world's most prestigious universities. Long Wharf Theatre and Yale Schwarzman Center are partnering with major stakeholders in its home city for the Artistic Congress because the theatre is centered on the belief that community-driven initiatives are what truly uphold democracy. New Haven is where people go to convene, learn and explore the arts–making it the perfect place for such a momentous occasion. To commemorate the Congress, the New Haven Hotel will be sponsoring the event and making it so that Congress guests can explore all that New Haven has to offer at a discounted rate. 

The Artistic Congress will be an opportunity to gather creative advocates and spearhead change in this critical moment for the industry. A highlight of the Congress will be Civic Scores, co-designed and co-facilitated by Michael Rohd, in partnership with Long Wharf Theatre. Michael will collaborate with three local artists who will each utilize their own creative practice to build opportunities for a public exchange that supports democracy and discourse. Each artist will work with a community partner to design a dialogue about a specific civic issue, offering an alternative approach to a standard public forum or community meeting. Participants in the Congress will participate in these scores and explore together how artists can help move key conversations forward to expand our collective civic imagination.

The event will include panels, workshops and keynotes focused on uplifting indigenous voices and the evolution of regional theatre. A welcome reception, dedicated networking opportunities and artistic performances will set a precedent for community-based activism in the arts on a national scale. In addition, Yale Schwarzman Center's Dome will host a staged reading of this dry spell, Keegon Schuett's 2024 Yale Drama Series Prize winning play, which was selected for the prestigious award by award-winning playwright and Yale School of Drama alum Jeremy O. Harris. 

Please see a few examples of panels and topics below: 

• Interdependent Self-Interest curated by Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel and Madeleine Hutchins 

  • While we typically think of selfishness and generosity as opposites, when we recognize our interdependence with others—humans, plants, animals, fungi, and other entities—we see that what is in our best interest also serves the whole ecosystem. Art helps us see these interconnections and thus make better decisions regarding where to put our energy in our existing social and political systems.

• Evolution and Regrowth of the American Regional Theatre 

  • Peter Zeisler, founder of the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis said: “Perhaps the most stunning thing of all—and one of which we need to constantly remind ourselves—is that the not-for-profit professional theatre was created with no precedents, no role models. It was learning to fly by the seats of many pairs of pants; textbooks didn't exist. Has there ever been such a radical change in the form and structure of the theatre in such a short period of time?” We are now in another wave of radical change for the American Regional Theatre - a change that will affect the cultural landscape, the vibrancy and the connectivity of our communities. Where did we come from and how do we evolve from here?

• Arts & - Artful lives fostering dignity, and imagination in thriving communities

  • Moderated by Jennifer Harrison Newman, Yale Schwarzman Center's Associate Artistic Director, This conversation will bring together dynamic thought leaders from theology, public health, urban planning and the visual and performing arts to share their experiences using the arts and culture to build cohesion, wellness, and belonging in their communities. Join this conversation to learn more about this growing field and the implications of centering arts, culture, as critical elements of healthy communities. Panelists include, Nisha Sajnani, PhD, RDT-BCT, Director of the Program in Drama Therapy and Theatre & Health Lab at NYU Steinhardt, Judy Lichtman, Director of the Humanities, Arts and Public Health Practice at Yale (HAPPY) Initiative and Ra Joy, Chief of Staff, Office of the Chief of Staff at National Endowment for the Arts.

Weekend passes will be available for $126, and single keynote tickets will be available at a later date. Tickets and more information about the event can be found at https://longwharf.org/shows-events/artistic-congress/. 

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