Overview
The mission of the Currency International Festival of Performance is to present annually a wide range of compelling artists currently working in the field of performance art. Artist rosters are racially, geographically and gender inclusive. The Currency Festival supports artists who have demonstrated a long-term commitment to their craft and strongly encourages the creation of new work.
The Currency International Festival of Performance was founded by Dan McKereghan in 2002. The inaugural edition took place Oct. 3-5 of that year at chashama's former home in Times Square, 135 W 42 St., NYC, featuring sixteen artists from nine countries; the second occurred March 18-20, 2004 at chashama's eastside location, 217 E 42 St. with fourteen artists from nine countries. chashama will present this year's festival October 6 - October 15, 2005 at 208 W. 37 St. Invitations have been extended to twenty-five artists from seventeen countries. In addition to six nights of performance, the festival will host a symposium where the artists will make a formal presentation about their work and engage in discussion with their peers about important trends and influences in contemporary performance.
The Currency Festival plays an important role in the international performance field, offering the only opportunity for many artists to present their work in America. The festival also facilitates wider artistic cooperation across the world by serving as a meeting ground for artists who share an aesthetic sensibility but often find themselves isolated by geographic barriers.