folkLAB

folkLAB, founded in 2017, is a Pittsburgh, PA-based interdisciplinary, devised, performance project and artistic community network dedicated to equitable representation, compensation and access in the arts.

Our two series—in Our Voice and miniMythologies—foster the creation of brand new performances created by under-represented artist and inspired by the intersection of personal narrative, myths or archetypes, and identity. Through this work we aim to create a new, decolonized folklore that truly represents our diverse world as it is today.

We thrive by prioritizing, uniting and resourcing under-represented artists with the common goal of devising new, work-in-progress, performance pieces in intensive and short incubation periods. As part of their work, artists of multiple disciplines and skill levels are encouraged to rely on resource and skill sharing in an interdisciplinary approach to performance making. The performance making process also invites artists to consider their well-being and capacity and adapt the process in order to as accessible as possible. The results are performance art pieces that provoke our cultural expectations and perceptions of identity and story-telling.

folkLAB’s commitment to its artists is reflected in its promise to profit share with its participating artists on each and every project because we believe that equitable compensation— along with equitable representation and accessibility— is the key to a healthy, well-resourced, Pittsburgh arts community.