BACKSTITCHÂ
Bending the rules of a traditional residency, NYC’s most interesting performance crafters are invited to explore their own brilliance.
BACKSTITCH is a commitment to craftspeople strengthening the performing arts through process development. Traditionally, little-b backstitch is a hand sewing technique that reinforces seams, prevents unraveling, and secures the beginning and end of the process – making it more durable and less likely to come undone with wear or stress.
Theaterlab’s Backstitch Artists are scholars of themselves. They’re making big moves across genres, collectively impacting the strength & durability of the artform, while securing their own undeniable excellence into the lineage and legacy of the performing arts.
2025 Inaugural Cohort
In 2023, we invited our first 2 artists to apply for a NYSCA Support for Artist grant. Iit was then that we began to think about providing space and resources for long-form artistic residencies.
In 2024, we invited 3 new artists to apply for the NYSCA grant. However, we also invited 2 other artists to develop their work here, unsupported by a grant. It wasn’t a specific residency, we just knew we wanted to work with them and to support them where they were.Â
2025, we reached out and officially invited all five artists to be an official artist-in-residence as we continue to develop this brand new program.Â
Theaterlab is proud to announce five artists-in-residence who will continue to research and develop their process through 2025
The inaugural cohort features TESTU COLLECTIVE (intermedia), YOKO MURAKAMI (Interdisciplinary ), and AMY STAAT (Theatre Comission – Playright), LITA LOFTON (Director), ELENA VANNONI (Director).Â
2024 NYSCA GranteesÂ
In 2023, before we created BACKSTITCH, there were 2 artists who we wanted to see develop work in our space so we invited them to apply for the new NYSCA Support for Artist grant. That momentous funding allowed the artists to focus directly on the creative process. Thanks to your generous support, we were able to pair that grant with developmental and performance space for both artists.
Awarded in 2024, these NYSCA Support for Artists grantees were Mafe Izequirre (Interdisciplinary), and Joey Merlo (Theatre Comissions/Playwright).
