Fertile Ground Festival Announces GROW Grant Award Winners

Fertile Ground, a program of the Portland Area Theatre Alliance, awards GROW Grants to seven projects in the 2024 Festival of New Works. This year's Festival will return in-person from April 12 to 21 under the new leadership of Festival Director Tamara Carroll. 

The GROW Grant program was created to reduce barriers to participation for producers from traditionally underrepresented communities and promote diverse representation in the Festival. This year's GROW Grants were made possible through the generous contributions of Krista Garver & Katie Leonard, and Prosper Portland. Awardees were determined by an independent, diverse panel composed of nine of local artists.

The entire Festival lineup will be announced when Festival passes go on sale Feb. 15. To become a GROW Grant sponsor, reach out to the director at fertileground@portlandtheatre.com.

FERTILE GROUND 2024 GROW AWARD RECIPIENTS

$625 – PlayWrite YouthWorks Showcase, produced by PlayWrite, Inc.

This showcase features 5-10 short plays written by PlayWrite high school students and performed by local professional actors. The showcase will be free, with a suggested donation of $20. It is meant to inspire youth to participate in theatre and administrators to bring the program to their schools.

$550 – Finding Bigfoot, produced by Amber Ball

Finding Bigfoot is a coming of age story following a band of cuzzins journey to their traditional homelands in southern Oregon. Fueled by joy, intergenerational trauma and Energy Drinks. This band of cuzzins traverse time, familial wounds and Bigfoot?

$500 – Far From Home, produced by Olga Kravtsova and Julia Rahmanzaei

This collection of short works depicts two stories. One portrays the tale of a young woman who faced a ban on acting in Iran while immigrating to the U.S. The other story shows an immigrant man preparing all his life for the American Dream, and ultimately surrendering to destiny as told by his daughter.

$500 – Faena, produced by PDX Playwrights & CoHo Theatre

The story of arrogant matador Víctor and the murderous bull Floripondio provides a posthumanist perspective on bullfighting. An English-speaking narrator guides the audience through grotesque scenes in Spanish, exploring the ethics of veganism, murder, cultural relativism, capitalism and sex. 

$300 – Elijah And The Sacred Song, produced by Rogue Pack Theatre

In a dystopian future, the warrior Destiny and her younger brother Elijah discover a magical guitar book that holds the secret to overthrowing Ahriman, the wicked god of metal music. When he scatters the book's pieces, the duo must navigate dangerous lands and harness the might of music and martial arts. 

$300 – Ten-Minute Tapestry: AAPI Writers' Showcase, produced by Theatre Diaspora

This dynamic collection of short plays aims to transcend traditional storytelling, offering a tapestry of narratives that delve into the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences and identities. It will also feature a tapestry made by local AAPI community members.

$225 – GORE, produced by PATHWAYS (Artists Repertory Theatre & Advance Gender Equity in the Arts)

PATHWAYS is a two-year mentorship program for emerging gender-diverse BIPOC theatre artists in Portland, leading them to a “pathway” to professional work. This year's cohort is crafting a devised work that can investigates the untold stories of immigrant cannery laborers in Astoria, Oreg.

While there were many projects the GROW Panel wanted to support, Chair Samson Syharath said it was important to select projects that best represent the spirit of the grant.

“I have been on the GROW Panel for a few years now,” Syharath said. “While the rubric and scoring have evolved over the years, I think it's a great opportunity to shine the spotlight on unique projects that we don't want to be overlooked.”

PROCESS

Interested producers submitted project concepts and detailed plans addressing how they intend to create work that focuses on four tenants: representation, GROWness, originality and grant impact. The concept of GROWness refers to how participation in the festival will help a project to grow, representing a meaningful step in the lifespan of this new work.

The GROW Panel, first established in 2021, adjudicated applications for the GROW Grant. It is composed of local artists whose identities encompass a spectrum of underrepresented voices, along with Fertile Ground and PATA representatives.

“The impact of the GROW Panel since has had such a major effect on the festival, bringing these stories and artists to the forefront to shine,” Syharath said. “ It's definitely brought my attention to the stories of those who are often overshadowed in the press or mainstream media but are integral to our culture.”

Members of the panel include: Samson Syharath (chair), James Dixon, Ki Logan Starnes, Tess Raunig, Tracy Cameron Francis, Michael Cavazos, Jane Comer, Heath Hyun Houghton, Tyharra Cozier and Sarah Andrews. Learn more about the panelists on our Instagram or Facebook.

ABOUT FERTILE GROUND

Fertile Ground 2024 is a 10-day, city-wide festival highlighting new work from Portland's creative community and offering dozens of “acts of creation” for audiences to experience. Fertile Ground is uncurated – the content of each festival is shaped by community participation, demonstrating that Portland is fertile ground for creativity, innovation and daring acts of performance.

Fertile Ground was launched in 2009 to provide a platform for local theatre companies to showcase their commitment to new work. Projects can range from fully staged world premieres, to theatrical workshops and play readings, to ensemble, multidisciplinary and collaboration-driven work, to a variety of dance, comedy, film events and more.

Unlike a typical fringe festival, Fertile Ground features the new work of our LOCAL artists, performers, and companies, ensuring that the artistic and financial benefits of the festival stay in Portland. The festival works toward creating an inclusive, welcoming festival platform shared by intersectional identities and underrepresented voices across race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and sexual orientation, and physical or intellectual ability.

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