Calling all Art Makers

Calling all Change Makers

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Calling all Art Makers Calling all Change Makers 〰️

Are you ready for a deep dive into meaning-making and craft/construction? This project may be for you!

  • The Artist Files: is a long term Works in Progress project designed by Shakti Moves Dance Company’s artistic director, Erica Santiago, in collaboration with the SMDC Board of Directors , and in conversation with Austin Artists. 


    • To bring together a working community of makers who are like-minded artists and change makers (socio-politically, and in spirit)

    • To create a Learning Lab  in which seasoned art makers  are invited to run experiments with their work as a practice to engage with and  inspire change in the community through  conversation

    • To Raise Awareness/Educate/increase the value of the exchange between artist and audience. By sharing the process of dance/art making, Makers meet their audience take  a deep dive into meaning-making and craft/construction together.

  • Each individual art maker becomes a driving force behind the community contribution by using a central theme as a way to enter defining the core idea for their work. Similarly, the community has the opportunity to support the makers in the construction of the work by sharing feedback and participating in the CRP. *see note below*

    Each Maker will be in conversation with

    • A mentor

    • Other makers in the project in 2 “maker’s circle” meetings over 2026.

    • in conversation with Austin attendees via the Works in Progress events through a guided, critical response process.

      * note* Choreographers will use the Critical Response Process (CRP) developed by the renowned choreographer and arts leader, Liz Lerman. This process is framed by a specific format and guided by a Kate Warren. It is fueled by curiosity for the maker’s process and intentions rather than judgment. The facilitator’s role is to support the maker’s trajectories for their work

  • Consider this “theme” to be the Hypothesis to an experiment: Trust – the most needed currency.

    In this way, we create a common thread for the multiple conversations on meaning, and meaning-making. Each Maker will use the projects foundational idea to:

    • define Value. Transaction. Currency. Need. Trust. What from the cave of your heart wants to rise up and make waves? What is craving clarity? 

    • Determine what aspect of your “signature style” could benefit from a reboot? How can we as artists use our work to support the community? In this moment in time in this location on the planet, what most needs attention?

    • Construct a new work over an extended period of time that is in on-going conversation with both a mentor and the community so as to highlight the process of construction. Makers have such a unique way of seeing the world. How is this socio-political time inspiring/evolving what/how you construct for your community? 



The Makers Prerequisites

Each maker must first invest in their own work by providing:

  • arrangements, financial and/or otherwise, with performing artists for rehearsal and for securing any materials, props or sets, music rights and transportation necessary to complete the project.

  • Maker works within in the timeline individually to conceptualize, research, document etc by April 1

  • Each maker organizes any cast members/props/music/text to layer in to the construction of the work by May 1.

Project Timeline

Note: Dates subject to change. A minimum of 30 days will be given if changes occur to the timeline. Makers will need a minimum of 4 hours in the studio/creation time each week to meet this timeline. In order to receive Stipend from SMDC, Maker must submit a log of time spent both in creation and with mentor at each WIP event. Stipends dependent on funding awarded. 

December 2025

All makers apply HERE by December 28, 2025

***Please note***DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JANUARY 3, 2026

January 2026

Artist Files Edition 1 Makers Joining SMDC Artistic Director:

David Nava

Aiden Dewitt

Hannah Requa

April 25 2026

Work in Progress Event
5 pm @ Cafe Dance

October 20 2026

Work in Progress Event
6 pm @ Ground Floor Theatre

Maker/Mentor Roles

  • Makers

    Do you ever want to draw attention to the importance of art as a unifying tool, or to the artmaking process as a valuable currency between artist and community? Do you live and create in the  greater Austin area for the last 3 years?

    You may want to educate your community members and equip them with opportunities to view art, speak about art, support art making and walk away trusting they received what was intended.

     If you value building bridges among Women of ALL colors and AND ALL BODY types identifying as Feminine/female. If you want to participate in building an intentional community of makers who are hungry and ready for a creative reboot, this project provides mutual benefit to the community of Makers as well as The community we serve.

  • Mentors

    Makers choose a mentor who works in their artistic discipline.

    The Mentor will support the cultivation of art making by challenging the maker to open up to new ways to craft and discover through the creative process.

    Mentors are expected to meet a minimum of 2 hours bi monthly or a maximum of 1 hour weekly each month, and will commit to follow the maker in the creative process until the final WIP event in October 2026.

    The way time is utilized between maker and mentor will be determined by:

    -The Maker’s desire for growth

    -The availability between the partnership

     Following the initial consultation with SMDC artistic director to determine the starting point for each maker, the mentor will offer prompts that mentor and artist agree on for construction of meaning and construction of the architecture of the dance/art work.

    The mentor is invited to provide up to 3 questions before each WIP event for the facilitator to use to start the CRP.  

    This aspect of the process is integral to the Makers growth. Limitation produces Creativity. The conversation between the mentor and the maker will serve to bring the clarity needed to the work that allows the maker to convey a particular message, idea, quality, or to inspire change.  



  • SMDC Artistic Director

    Erica Santiago, Artistic Director of SMDC and conceptualizer of the Artist Files will be walking parallel journeys with each maker, following the exact framework and attending/participating in the timeline.

    SMDC commits to each mentor/maker pair to provide a clear starting line with a group of up to 5 multidisciplinary artists creating on a common theme.

    SMDC will provide a clear container for each Maker and mentor pair to fill with their own contents in the way that is uniquely their own.

    SMDC will provide opportunities for ethe makers to connect and share knowledge.

    SMDC will provide opportunities for informal performance events for the makers to interact with the community through the Liz Lerman CRP. Attendees will be invited to witness the process and evolution of the artwork . They will be given the opportunity to ask questions and give feedback to each maker along the way.