From themes of racial violence and cultural appropriation to multiculturalism and gender equality, the work of The Clarice's 2020-21 artists is complex, provocative and deeply sensitive. Arts Citizenship Talks (ACTnow) are opportunities to hear from these artists about the issues reflected in their works. These conversations are an invitation to act now!

Revelations by Black Women in the Arts is a series of powerful conversations by Black woman scholars, performers, educators and leaders delves into the essence of being a Black female artist in a society ill-equipped to receive and make room for them. Whether they move along the margins or at the center of their fields, these extraordinary women will share their artistry, scholarship, vision and creativity throughout Spring 2021. These conversations will be centered around their highs and lows, victories and losses, and will be moderated by dancer, choreographer and scholar Ronya-Lee Anderson M.F.A. dance ‘20 and current Ph.D. candidate in the UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies.

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This event is part of The Clarice’s BlackLight Summit. To interrogate this unique historical moment, the BlackLight Summit seeks to be a spark that ignites daring innovation and reveals the creativity within the dance ecosystem in America. The inaugural BlackLight Summit is a year-long dance initiative that investigates how time, people, possibility and hope can come together to examine legacy, citizenship and scholarship. The summit asks, through the practice of being socially responsible within the arts: How do we create traditions? How do we transform them into enduring legacies?

The peak of the BlackLight Summit is a virtual three-day convening that features roundtable conversations, movement labs and artistic presentations from BlackLight featured artists Micaela Taylor, Johnnie Cruise Mercer, Candace Scarborough and Jamal Abrams. Our initiative aims to re-envision how dance can be a conduit to galvanize imagination, resilience, and inventiveness.