Worcester Cultural Coalition awards three residencies at JMAC

WORCESTER — Three presenters have been selected by the Worcester Cultural Coalition and the Jean McDonough Arts Center for month-long residences at the JMAC this summer.

In an announcement, the Worcester Cultural Coalition said Woo Tap by Michael Skrzek will present "Worcester On Tap" June 13 to July 10; Darren Cole and Missy Whiteman will present "The Coyote Way X: Expanded Cinema" July 18 to Aug. 14; and Queer the Scene will present "Club QTS" Aug. 22 to Sept. 17.

The residences are funded as part of a $545,000 award by The Barr Foundation of Boston to the Worcester Cultural Coalition to support the arts community, with an emphasis on uplifting historically marginalized and underrepresented groups. In particular, the JMAC has received funding to expand equitable use.

Month-long residencies provide for all venue space rental and staffing costs, up to $15,000 in discretionary funds and exclusive use of JMAC for the final week of each residency, at no charge.

"Worcester On Tap" will include a tap-history display in the PopUp, free tap workshops, company rehearsals, and a culminating one-night performance. Beginner workshops will  focus on tap fitness, rhythm foundations and soft-shoe. Experienced workshops will focus on jazz tap, improv, time steps and musicality. The closing "Worcester On Tap" performance will include local craft brew on tap.

Darren Cole and Missy Whiteman, presenters of "The Coyote Way X: Expanded Cinema," described their project as a “new life that rises up through the cracks of the broken sidewalks, built on ancestral ground, deepened in cellular memory and star knowledge." 

"Club QTS" will be a "safe, inclusive and immersive experience that combines learning opportunities with creative expression through the lens of queer culture," according to the presenters. Queer the Scene will host weekly workshops in the PopUp followed by social nights in the BrickBox — all focused on different cultural themes every week. 

Queer the Scene said, "We have been building up to an opportunity like this since our inception through our community partnerships. It is our time to showcase the vision of Queer the Scene with the support of the JMAC – one of our partners from the beginning.”

Hank von Hellion, managing director of the JMAC’s PopUp, said, “Facilitating the growth of organizations this diverse requires more than the type of value signaling many of these folks have sadly come to expect from outside agencies, so we’re excited to be able to provide a real opportunity, with real money, and real access to our amazing JMAC facility."

WCC said over a dozen applications were reviewed and evaluated.

Month-Long Residencies are just one of the JMAC’s Barr Initiatives. Applications for a second round of One-Day Sponsorships are available at JMACWorcester.org/BarrOneDay and due July 15 for Fall/Winter events. Other components of the Barr accessibility initiative include rental subsidies of the BrickBox Theater for eligible presenters. For more information, visit JMACWorcester.org/BarrInitiative.