Press Releases

Seattle, WA (August 31, 2021) — Seattle Rep today announced that it has selected its first Native Artist-in-Residence Arianne True, a local poet and folk artist. Through the Native Artist-in-Residence Program, Seattle Rep aims to highlight Native voices and educate audiences and its staff through art, discussion, and community engagement. The residency begins this September 2021.

Arianne True (Choctaw, Chickasaw) teaches and mentors with Writers in the Schools (WITS), the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate program, and the Young Writers Cohort. She has received fellowships from Jack Straw and Hugo House and is a proud alum of Hedgebrook and of the MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). The residency she will bring to Seattle Rep will include public events and a culminating multimedia event installation centering around her book of experimental poems that engage people in actively participating in the act of reading.

“Arianne’s project excited the selection committee on many levels,” Director of Arts Engagement Nabra Nelson said. “The way she approaches poetry seamlessly integrates performance and writing, and her showcase installation will bring the PONCHO Forum alive in a way that has never been seen before. Not only will her interactive installation inspire audiences and community members, but additional community engagement throughout her residency will open our eyes to experimental poetry and Native art throughout the season. Seattle Rep feels prepared and excited to support Arianne in this next stage in her artistry, and to kick off the Native Artist-in-Residence program with her vision at the forefront.”

Seattle Rep’s goals for this program are to:

• Include local Native art and artists in every season at Seattle Rep
• Begin to develop relationships with local Indigenous artists and communities through critical dialogue shaped by the work of Native artists themselves
• Make Seattle Rep available to Native artists, informed by their wants and needs
• Create a space at Seattle Rep more explicitly inviting to Native community members

Seattle Rep will be sharing status updates that follow Arianne’s project evolution on its social media channels and blog, Inside Seattle Rep. Keep up on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and/or Inside Seattle Rep

LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Seattle Rep acknowledges that it sits on the traditional land of the Coast Salish people, including the Duwamish People past and present. We honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe. This acknowledgment does not take the place of authentic relationships with Indigenous communities, but serves as a first step in honoring the land we are on.

To explore the other ways in which Seattle Rep is working to support and build relationships with Native artists, organizations, and individuals, please visit us here >>

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