Pioneers Go East Collective, is an artist-driven arts and cultural hub inspiring a lively exchange of queer art and culture by connecting people to ideas and experiences. We empower a collective of thought-provoking, adventurous emerging artists, and we are dedicated to underrepresented multicultural artists and teaching artists and their communities in all 5 boroughs. We explore stories of vulnerability and courage for social change. Built on the social principles of inclusion, justice, and visibility, we support artists that reflect and advance these values.
Inspired by W. Whitman’s poem Pioneers, O Pioneers!, an homage to the pioneers' search for a brighter future – the collective is comprised of thought-provoking artists from diverse backgrounds who come together to share their experiences. In residence at historical institutions - including La MaMa, Judson Church, and BAM - the collective centers the voices of Queer and Feminist artists to build bridges of understanding and deepen relationships with all communities in New York City and beyond.
Since 2012, Pioneers Go East Collective has been an incubator of 16 dance-theatre works, produced over 15 series and arts festivals, and has presented works by more than 650+ dance and performance artists to date. The Collective presents a regular season of live performance, video art, educational and mentorship programs (NEXT! educational programs), and curated series including CROSSROADS SERIES, and the OUT-FRONT! Festival. The collective has ongoing partnerships and crossed paths and collaborated with over 500 artists and created platforms that have linked audiences in all five boroughs and in communities in New York State.
History
Pioneers Go East Collective creates interdisciplinary performances that merge storytelling and video documentary of real events. Since 2018, we are in residency at Judson Church, one of the first avant-garde dance theater in New York City since the 1950s. Since 2021, we are in residency at The LGBT Center. We received residencies at BAM / Brooklyn Academy of Music (2023), Collar Works (Troy, NY) 2023, BRIC ARTS MEDIA (2021-22), Center for Performance Research (2022), and Governors’ Island/ LMCC Process Space Residency (2014).
The collective has been widely presented and developed projects in NYC at BRIC ARTS MEDIA, BAM, Judson Church, La MaMa, Abrons Arts, JACK, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, The LGBT Center, Ars Nova, Center for Performance Research, The Exponential Festival, A.R.T./New York venue, Chez Bushwick, St Ann’s Warehouse, Governors Island as part of Process Space Residency, Incubator Arts Project/ Ontological-Hysteric, Performance Mix/New Dance Alliance/ HERE, Chashama Gallery in Harlem, Goethe Institut Gallery/ Wyoming Building. Additionally, the collective presents work at Time Space Limited (Hudson); Lumberyard (Catskill); Collar Works (Troy); Kaatsbaan (Tivoli, NY); Second Ward (Hudson, NY) .and Buddies in Bad Times, Toronto.
The collective explores Queer and Feminist stories that are not usually investigated and reflect social-political vulnerabilities and otherness as a way of provoking thought, casting impressionistic shadows. Inspired by Walt Whitman’s powerfully evocative poem “Pioneers! O Pioneers!” that pays homage to fearless courage, we are a collective pioneering art for social change. We are set out to find a brighter future and record memories of collective and individual vulnerability and resilience. As pioneers on a long journey, the collective finds and records memories of collective and individual courage to challenge audiences in emotionally charged yet accessible performances.
Daniel Diaz, Gian Marco Riccardo Lo Forte, Anabella Lenzu, Symara Johnson, Joey Kipp, Agosto Machado, Jo Wiegandt, and Philip Treviño, lead the collective in collaboration with a community of like-minded writers, performers, musicians, and visual artists. Current collaborators include syd island, Vanessa Rappa, Symara Johnson, ALEXA Grae, Darrin Wright, Mark Tambella, Azmi Mert Erdem, Maria Eisen, and Bryan & Shaina BAIRA.