The City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) Performing Arts Division (PERF) will commission eight (8) performing and/or media artists to share their work in Language of the Cosmos, a festival-style weekend of performances, community workshops, and multimedia installations inspired by the wonders, sounds, and images of the Cosmos.
Canoga Park has a long history of supporting the NASA space program. Since 1962 the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory has encouraged, cultivated, and nurtured artists. NASA’s archives has served as a resource for artists to explore the universe and unlock creativity.
In celebration of the collaboration between the arts and space exploration, DCA invites Los Angeles performing artists of theater, music, dance, poetry, and media arts to engage with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory staff and multimedia archives to create new works or reimagine existing works.
Projects will be presented at the newly renovated Taxco Theatre, whose mission is performance, discovery, innovation, and community. The culmination of works will be presented on Friday and Saturday, June 14 and 15, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
The application submission deadline is Friday, May 17, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Please email applications to dca-taxcotheatre@lacity.org. The subject line should read LANGUAGE OF THE COSMOS [YOUR NAME]. See application guidelines below.
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
The Department of Cultural Affairs will commission eight (8) artists at $2,500 each to present works in theater, dance, music, poetry, and media arts inspired by the wonders of the galaxies and space exploration.
Artists may use this opportunity to revisit previous work or start a new piece. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory multimedia archives include conversations and interviews with cosmologists, astronomers, and other NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory staff.
Performances may be solo works, duets, or small ensembles. Multimedia works will be presented as part of an installation for educational viewing. All works should not exceed ten (10) minutes in length.
The commission must be used for artist fees, rehearsal space, music rights, composition, and other expenses directly related to the creation and performance of the proposed works.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Awards will be made after the project is completed. They may take up to four (4) months to be disbursed.
- Late and incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Recipients of 2024-2025 Grants from DCA are not eligible to apply.
COMMISSION SCHEDULE:
(subject to change)
May 13 to 20 Application period
May 22 Awardees Announced
June 26 Technical Rehearsal onsite at Taxco Theatre
June 27 Technical Rehearsal onsite at Taxco Theatre
EVENT DETAILS:
Taxco Theatre, 7242 Owensmouth, Canoga Park, CA 91303
Performances: Friday, June 28, 7:30 p.m.
Community Day: Saturday, June 29, 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m.
Performances: Saturday June 29, 7:30 p.m.
ELIGIBILITY:
Only one (1) application may be submitted per artist or group.
Preference will be given to individuals, nonprofit artists, or arts organizations based in the Canoga Park area or Los Angeles City Council District 3. To determine your council district, visit https://neighborhoodinfo.lacity.org. Enter your physical street address in the search field, and click “FIND.” In your search result, you should see your Los Angeles City Council District number and the LA City Council Member’s name listed under Elected Officials. Adjacent districts and communities will also be considered.
A complete application consists of answering all the application questions and submitting the required documentation by Friday, May 17, 2024, to dca-taxcotheatre@lacity.org, 11:59 p.m. The subject line should read: Language of the Cosmos Application [Your Name].