Mission Statement
The Field, founded in New York in 1986, is an artist support and service organization that provides workshops, performances, and other programs for independent performing artists in twelve cities across the country. The underlying foundation of The Field is a commitment to serve all artists, from those making their first work, to those who are experienced, supported and recognized, as well as artists from diverse cultural backgrounds and aesthetic points of view. To this end, The Field does not engage in any curatorial activity, maintaining an open, non-exclusive forum which any artist can join.
Fieldwork
Fieldwork is a structured ten week workshop during which the participants present their work-in-progress to their peers and receive feedback as the work develops. At the center of the Fieldwork process is the recognition that, at some point in the creative process, artists can find themselves without perspective, unsure of the direction in which their work should go. The observations and commentary of others can provide invaluable sight; the need for constructive information about their work is one of the most tangible reasons why artists become involved with Fieldwork. Artists can find out through this process how their work affects an audience before they put it out in front of the public. As viewers in Fieldwork, the artists heighten their ability to perceive, assimilate, and discuss performance. Fieldwork is a challenging process because artists are showing work in its most vulnerable stages. Our goal is for the workshop to treat each participant's work with the highest level of respect and interest.
San Francisco Field
Maxine Moerman brought The Field to San Francisco in the fall of 1995, and has since held many Fieldwork sessions and performances. Due to the success of these sessions, and the increased demand for more Field programs, Ms. Moerman has recently established an advisory board to assist in the planning and implementation of future Field projects. Last year, The Field's San Francisco site offered its first Guest Artist workshop for dancers and choreographers.
Guest Artist Fieldwork
In Guest Artist Fieldwork sessions, the participants receive feedback from invited members of the dance and theater communities. These sessions are especially important in establishing ties between established and emerging artists, as well as facilitating mentor/student dialogs within the community. Past guest artists have included Joanna Haigood, Steven Pelton, Margaret Jenkins, Simone Forti, Jon Weaver, Sara Shelton Mann, Joe Goode, June Watanabe, K.T. Nelson, Joanna Harris, Ellen Sebastian Chang, Kevin Killian, Sheila Balter, Grace Wolcott and Anne Galjour.