A RETROSPECTIVE LOOK AT SARAH'S FIRST ARTS ORGANIZING PROJECT: OCCUPY THE EMPTY SPACE

What was Occupy the Empty Space?

Occupy the Empty Space was a theater festival + direct action, founded in December, 2011, by Kate Foster and Sarah Duncan.  The festival arose from within the heart of the Occupy Wall Street Movement in New York City. As the protest art swirled around them, both women were ignited to action by questions regarding the effectiveness of different art forms as protest tools.

Of particular interest was whether or not, and in what way, theatre – specifically playwrighting – could respond with immediacy and momentum to revolutionary and protest movements.
As a way to answer these questions, Sarah and Kate created Occupy the Empty Space: a 10-minute theatre festival, based on a human right, interlaced with teach-ins, workshops, and guest speakers on said issue. Our three festivals to date were themed: (in order) Housing is a Human Right, Mobility is a Human Right (linked with immigrant/undocumented immigrant rights) and Public Space is a Human Right. Additionally, Occupy the Empty Space was part of Occupy Broadway, a 24 hour arts occupation of a plaza in Times Square.     

Pairing the plays with the teach-ins was a key part of the Occupy the Empty Space formula. Too often, art that tackles politics is regarded from a distance, or experienced as solely an art piece and not translated into action. It’s too easy for someone to see a work of art about a horrific violation of human rights, subsequently feel horrified and paralyzed over what to do, and then simply do nothing. To target this phenomena, Occupy the Empty Space worked to give time and space in each festival to organizations and activists who engage with the audience present, providing information on opportunities for direct involvement in solutions and advocacy. 
Photo credit: Erik McGregor
Occupy the Empty Space was a wonderful testament to what a group of people can do, together. Sarah and Kate alone could not have organized such events without the vast group of volunteers who gave their time, art, rehearsal space, money, talent, travel, food, resources, and energy. 
Photo credit: Erik McGregor
In the very first description of the OtES project, Kate and Sarah wrote: 

"Art is a human right. We are giving you this gift simply because you deserve it. It is yours. 
We hope you’ll accept it, and pass it on to others." 

This part of our mission statement will never change. 

ARTICLES
THE FESTIVALS

OCCUPY BROADWAY
A Public Plaza near Times Square, NYC

One Short Sleepe, by Naomi Wallace
Should've Never by Adam Rapp
The Big Bank, a musical written by Daniel and Jacob Seligmann.
“Why I Call Myself a Socialist,” by Wallace Shawn, with Kathleen Chalfant and Elliot Crown
All Children Left Behind, by Lisa Huberman 

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT
Judson Memorial Church, West Village, NYC

Granny Smith Monologue, by Heather Violanti
He is Gonna See Stars, by Lavinia Turner 
The Retreating World, by Naomi Wallace 
Turquoise and Cloves, by Matt Kelly
Arab Spring and Revolution 2.0, two plays by Paco Madden
How to Stop the Empire While Keeping Your Day Job, by Dan Kinch
Democracy, by Caridad Svich
Deconstructed, by Sarah Duncan
Corporations are People, Too, by Dean Poynor
Zombie Killers Brigade, by Damian Sebouhian
Captain Corporate Personhood, by Adam Sharp
The Princess and Her Peas, by Daniel Glenn

Teach-Ins: 040, Housing is a Human Right (art piece), Picture the Homeless, NLG, and Queer Rising, Time’s Up!

MOBILITY IS A HUMAN RIGHT
El Jardin Del Paraiso, Alphabet City, NYC

La Frontera, by Elaine Avila
Machine Breaks Down, by Teresa Veramendi 
Earsay Youth Performance - Youth Arts, & Judith Sloan's YO MISS
Crossing Desolation, by Paco Madden 
Cloverbacks, by Adam Sharp
Outward Signs of Isolation, by Morgan Mansour
The New World, by Vladimir Zelevinksy
Removable Alien, written & developed with the Dream Act Union
The Shield, by David Carley
Jack and the Corporate Beanstalk, by OWS Puppet Guild
Loaves and Fishes, by Damian Sebouihan
One Sort of Closeness, by Siobhan O'Laughlin & Edmond Coffie

Teach-ins: S-Comm teach-in, Judson's Immigrant Task Force/New Sanctuary's Accompaniment Program, and OWS Immigrant Worker Justice Working Group.

PUBLIC SPACE IS A HUMAN RIGHT
A Benefit Performance for the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, Alphabet City, NYC

Spoken Word Artist Ishmael Ish Islam
Spoken Word Artist Sarah Duncan
Poet Robert Galinsky
Choreographer/Performer Vassilea Terzaki
Occupy the Churches, by Dan Kinch
Reclaim Your Children, by Adam Sharp
Park Bench, by Becca Anderson
Murk Garden, by Asher Wyndham
Is It Happening Here? by Faith de Savigne
Performance Artists @Milo and Maxwell Cramer
LIVE MUSIC by Abakis and Anna/Kate!!