Performing Artists Cultural Visitors Program

Program Overview

The US Department of State and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts are offering professional development opportunities to 56 emerging performing artists between the ages 19-30 from selected countries. Programs will be two weeks and will include visits to at least two U.S. cities.

Purpose

The purpose of this program is to offer professional development opportunities to emerging performing artists. The visitors will participate in classes and workshops in their genre, attend meetings with influential U.S. artists and companies, and watch performances in their genre and other genres.

The goal of this Cultural Visitors program is to energize the work of emerging international artists in their own countries by bringing them to the United States and providing them with;

1. Instructive and informative experiences in their arts discipline,
2. Exposure to the creation and performance of world-class art,
3. Opportunities to begin to develop relationships with U.S. arts professionals.

Participant Profile

The Kennedy Center is looking for emerging performing artists between the ages of 19 and 30.

Countries that have participated

Previous participants have been from over 37 countries from around the world, including Argentina, Barbados, Cambodia, Egypt, Indonesia, Lebanon, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Quotes from Participants

• “ [My visit] renewed my passion as a break dancer to see so many professionals, who make a living and found a way of life. I have no formal dance education, so it was very important for me to have this chance. I would never be able to do this on my own. Now I have better tools to be a teacher and a lot of work has come out of this for me. ” – Raynier Rodriguez, Venezuela
• “ The experiences during my visit made me realize that performing artists in South Africa need a platform to network, workshop and collaborate without any cost to them. ANASA (Artists Network Association SA) was born out of this realization. Since my return the group has had four events. The artists are very enthusiastic about the group and expressed that the support the association and its events provide is of great value to them. ” – Pieter Jacobs, South Africa
• “ I can say that the visit was so successful because we could combine our music and music from the states so it was so easy for us to communicate in music because somehow we played jazz and they also played our music in their way. ” – Joseph Duqmaq, Palestinian Territory

Programs Dates and Genres

The following programs will take place as indicated below. For more detailed information on each program, please click on the Program Description page.

1. Presenters (January 2010)
2. Theatrical Designers (Late March/Early April 2010)

3. Jazz Musicians (Late April/Early May 2010)
4. Actors (May 2010)
5. Theatrical Directors (June 2010)
6. Hip-Hop Dancers (July 2010)
7. Classical Musicians (August 2010)
8. Modern Dancers (September 2010)

Application Deadlines

The following programs have application deadlines as indicated below:

1. Presenters – application deadline November 1, 2009
2. Theatrical Designers – application deadline November 10, 2009
3. Jazz Musicians – application deadline November 10, 2009

Application deadlines have yet to be determined for the following programs, but will be updated as they have been identified:

1. Actors
2. Theatrical Directors
3. Hip-Hop Dancers
4. Classical Musicians
5. Modern Dancers