SoLow Fest to Debut in Portland

SoLow Fest, a Philadelphia tradition since its conception in 2010, has made its way across the continent and is making its groundbreaking debut in Portland, Oregon. Named for its focus on solo performance and "so-low-to-the-ground" values, SoLow Fest is dedicated to presenting artists who perform in non-traditional, low-tech venues to keep overhead costs low and encourage work to be made in locations where art might otherwise never be seen. SoLow Fest is free for artists to enter and is open to any Portland performing artists.

This year, SoLow PDX will see performances from established artists who have been contributing to Portland theater for years, including renowned dance maker Linda Austin and physical comedian and clown Stefano Iobani, as well as new artists just hitting the Portland scene, including festival co-director Julia Brandenberger.

Audiences can expect to see work in such varied locations as the Peninsula Park Rose Garden (Embodied Prose), the Swamp in Forest Park (Of Eiko), and a SE Portland living room (Clown Bolero), as well as more traditional theaters such as Deep End and Performance Works Northwest.

SoLow Fest will bring more new and devised works to the Portland area that will be accessible in price for audiences and accessible in overhead cost for makers. In short, SoLow aims to provide the impetus for artists to create and show their work in a low-stakes manner while allowing audiences access to art at a price anyone can pay.

The administrative team of SoLow Fest is Julia Brandenberger and Colin Logue.

SoLow Fest's Mission (from Philadelphia SoLow Fest):

We are a do-it-yourself arts festival dedicated to new, experimental work. We strive to be low­-maintenance and low­-budget, allowing artists to put art anywhere, on any terms. With that attitude, artists feel free to take risks that puts the art first and rules last. Do a show for only 4 people at a time, do it secretly in an attic, in a car, or publicly on the street for all to see. Artists get to create new boundaries and the audience gets to explore with them.

SoLow's lineup will feature 8+ different shows this year happening all over the city. For a full and ever-growing list, please visit www.solowpdx.com. Below is a sample of the 2019 festival performers.