About Fieldwork

Everyone in the group, including the facilitator, will show work without qualifying the work verbally before it is shown.  It may be a group work,  solo work, a study, a sketch, finished, unfinished, or anything in between.  It does not have to be the same work or medium each week, but it can be if the artist wants to develop one particular work.

Everyone will show their work first - then feedback will be given . The goal is to give honest, immediate, specific feedback about your experience of each piece. The core of Fieldwork is to reflect back to the artist what you saw (and to refrain from speaking to what you do not see). The Fieldwork method focuses on feedback that is non-corrective and non-suggestive because this parameter has proven to help artists move forward with their work without short-circuiting their creative role or ability to problem solve.

What is the purpose?

Primarily, Fieldwork supports the development of new work. At each meeting artists show works and exchange feedback with their peers using the Fieldwork format, which was designed by artists.  The groups are multidisciplinary and have included artists working in all mediums of visual and performing art including dance, graphic design, music, theatre, poetry, film, landscape architecture, jewelry design, and stand-up comedy.  Workshops are open to artists of all levels and all disciplines.  Artists are intentionally not segregated by creative discipline or experience level because feedback from a diverse audience is valuable information to an artist and we value cross-disciplinary exposure to cultivate a broad range of feedback dialogue.  

 

* Get feedback on your artwork

* Meet like-minded artists

1. *Work toward a deadline
   

2. *Become a more savvy, articulate viewer of art
   

3. *Connect with potential creative collaborators
   

4. *Engage with an active, practicing art community
   

5. *Exhibition/performance opportunities
   

What exactly does the facilitator do?

Facilitators are not teachers, but peer artists who are familiar with the Fieldwork method and act as guides in the Fieldwork process. They ensure the environment is supportive and challenging, and that each artist gets their fair share of stage time and feedback. Facilitators customarily participate in the workshop by showing work and giving/receiving feedback to encourage their process as artists and to eliminate feelings of hierarchy within the group.

How are the workshops structured?

Field Workshops in Salt Lake City are held throughout the year at various venues.  Sessions are held on Monday nights from 6:30 pm  to 9:00 pm.  We have a standard 8-week workshop series, which culminates with a public exhibition/performance opportunity that is optional for participants.  DTC also offers single-session workshops, the occasional 3-week mini-workshop, and drop-in sessions are available during the summer.  Workshops often fill, early online registration is recommended.  Upcoming workshop listings here...

Field Showings are an informal but focused public presentation of the works created during the Field Workshops.  These are casual “open studio” showings that provide and opportunity to introduce artists and their process to the public. Visual and performing works are showcased.  Field Showings are free to the public.  We give a brief demonstration of the Fieldwork method to the audience.  This is a unique opportunity for the pubic to observe works in-the-making, which fosters a deepened understanding the creative process and allows more direct conversation between artist and audience.    

The goals of Fieldwork:

*Provide artists with a safe place to present their work and receive feedback in terms that are constructive, challenging, and nurturing.

*Re-energize artists in relationship to their work by having other artists respond to their work, providing a new perspective.

*Break through the isolation of working as an independent artist by joining other artists who are in a similar process of development.

*Participate in an on-going deadline structure to facilitate productivity.

*Develop artists’ abilities to articulate clearly what they perceive in others’ works.

Questions?

If you have any questions about Field Workshops or how you might present your work in a workshop setting, just get in touch with us at:

programs@dancetheatrecoalition.org

phone: 801-860-4474