BAM Announces 2022 Artist Residencies

For a second year, BAM will welcome a broad spectrum of artists across a range of disciplines and backgrounds to its artist residency program. Five compelling artists/artistic teams will receive space and unrestricted honorariums to use in the development of their work. This year's residencies are supported by Cowen Inc. in memory of Jack Nusbaum, a devoted BAM patron who believed deeply in the principles of mentorship and nurturing the artistic process.

Five members of BAM's programming team chose the artists through a cross-collaborative and transparent process ensuring a diverse range of perspectives and genres. Those selected for BAM's 2022 Jack Nusbaum Artist Residencies are: Rena Anakwe (interdisciplinary artists/performer); The Brooklyn Nomads (a collective of musicians from different cultural and stylistic backgrounds with roots in Middle Eastern and Arabic music traditions); Fana Fraser (artist/ performer/director); Smriti Keshari (multimedia artist/filmmaker); and Christopher "Unpezverde" Núñez (visually impaired choreographer, Joi performance artist, educator, curator, and accessibility consultant).

"BAM remains committed to nurturing a wide range of artists during all stages of their development," said BAM Artistic Director, David Binder. "With this program, these artists will be given space and resources to cultivate their work, no matter what phase they are in."

These dynamic, New York-based artists will receive honorariums and the use of BAM's rehearsal rooms and theaters including the Hillman Studio/the Fishman Space, and carte blanche access to The BAM Hamm Archives Center. Artists are encouraged to create freely with no obligation to present the work at BAM. The program, which began in 2020-21, represents BAM's largest artist residency initiative to date and underscores its interest in forging relationships and supporting artists as they create new work and develop their artistic practices.

"On behalf of Cowen and in memory of our colleague, Jack, we are thrilled to contribute to the Jack Nusbaum Artist Residences at BAM," said Jeffrey M. Solomon, Chair and CEO of Cowen Inc. "The pandemic brought hardship to many industries, but few were impacted as intensely as the arts. We are proud to honor Jack's legacy and his tremendous impact on our organization by helping to rebuild New York City's cultural community by supporting BAM and the artists who will benefit from this important program."