What is Jubilee Arts?

Jubilee Arts began as an effort to make peace and justice themes come alive through the arts in churches throughout the United States.  It has now expanded beyond churches to include artists working for liberation, healing and transformation in their own communities. 

In 2004, an interfaith group of young artists, primarily of Anabaptist heritage, came together to explore social and spiritual questions through improvisational theatre and dance forms. The group began by training in two theater and movement forms -- Playback Theatre and Contact Improvisation. Over eighteen months additional forms were included: Theatre of the Oppressed and InterPlay. These comprised the backbone of performances, workshops and worship service pieces led by the troupe.

In 2005, the "Jubilee Troupe" launched a four-month cross-country tour that generated further curiosity about the potential for such art forms to enable social and spiritual transformation.  We met many isolated folks who'd had no previous exposure to such interactive arts and no ways of getting more involved.

JubileeArts.net is an attempt to connect both artists and the isolated curious.  In this regard, it serves an expanding network of arts and artists beyond the initial group and forms of the Jubilee Troupe.  And it serves an expanding audience of "spect-actors" who are in training, learning or just plain curious.

The liberating, healing and transformational qualities of these forms come from their method, often setting them apart from other more traditional art forms. Unique characteristics include:

Participation: Methods to bring the audience into the creative process.

Embodiment: Use of the body to hold stories, feelings, questions and responses.

Improvisation: Structures accessing both artists' and audiences' in-the-moment resources.

Storytelling: Accessing narrative as the building blocks of shared meaning.

Many Western art forms have begun incorporating these qualities -- from hands-on museums to visual artists using interactive "performance art," a hopeful and empowering trend.

The aforementioned improvisational forms have simply refined these principles, ritualized a practice and developed something distinct. Most importantly, they have worked intentionally to transform social and personal realities toward a free, healthy and just society. Thanks for joining us this far!