WELCOME MAT 2.0 (title TBD)

In Development for September 2024

Our upcoming immersive piece delves into the universal truth that "intolerance is intolerance," transcending cultural boundaries. Through a multifaceted approach that incorporates narratives from diverse cultural communities and historic documentation, we underscore the potential for unity in combating cultural intolerance. By inviting reflection on historical perspectives and contemporary conflicts, we challenge viewers to reconsider their responses and collectively strive for a more inclusive global community.

Artstillery mounts 1-2 original immersive productions a year throughout the region. We intentionally embed ourselves within the community and perform in different locations to engage different audiences, we choose to meet people where they are at. Artstillery also hosts year-round community programs inside our West Dallas space, and we lend our space to partner creative organizations. 

We do not outreach, we engage - we are not helicoptering into communities, putting a quick fix on a problem and then leaving. We empower everyone to walk through our doors, we have created a platform that fosters true inclusivity and equity beyond socioeconomic barriers. We do not expect to be invited to the table, we ask to be included and take time to make connections.

Building the narrative with community stories -

Artstillery provides individuals from marginalized groups with a space and platform to make their voices heard. We do this by working directly with community members by helping them share their own narratives. These interviews are incorporated into an immersive production, also known as an immersive experience. The community narratives we collect are weaved with research, original written pieces by our team, historical documentation and current events to create one original script. This script is our baseline for the immersive productions we create. 

This work results in -

1. Artstillery interviews community members based on a theme. We document by recording these narratives on film.
2. The community narratives we collect are weaved with research, original written pieces by our team, historical documentation and current events to create one original script.
3. A solid script is written and shared with our production team.
4. The script is then used for creating the multidisciplinary performance|experience. 
5. In our work, the location where the production occurs is just as important as the script. 
6. Elements of storytelling, projection mapping, live music, puppetry, gong wash healing meditation and mixed-media are woven to create the final experience.
7. Our production times typically run 1 hour and 50 minutes. 
8. Audience members will walk through our performances over several location sites, or be situated in one location where they are welcome to walk around, or view the production from any seat of their choice. 
9. Post show discussions occur every evening as community members share their experience working with Artstillery or our directors share the process of creating the work and uplift community partners in our description. Audience members stay to re-examine what they just witnessed and speak to the Artstillery team and community.
10. There is a Narrative Therapy which occurs naturally through storytelling. As it offers the space to reflect upon and move past traumas, the ability to relish in the beauty of moments passed, and ignites a desire to unite with ourselves and community to create change for the better.

A Narrative sample:

“When you’re taken, you don’t know what’s gonna happen, it's a war-zone and nobody cares about anything at that point.” Syrian refugee Aya Almzayen, 17