The Liberated Planet Studio gathers artists for the 2025 Research Program. The cohort will meet at various sites in and around Los Angeles over five Saturdays (April 12 - May 10, from 3-6pm) to learn from local ecological-projects, landmarks, infrastructures and their stewards. The Artist Research Program is supported by Dr. Ayasha Guerin (UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures/Dance) and by artist-coordinator Jazzy Romero (UCLA Department of Art). The program is an experiment of collective research praxis, with research questions:
Stipends will be provided to 6-8 artists to cover transportation costs to our research sites during the program and to make up for any missed paid work opportunities in order to commit to our Saturday program. If you apply for a stipend to participate in the program, please indicate the amount you’re requesting on your application. The total number of participants will depend on opportunities to split our collective budget. Please note that applying to a stipend indicates your commitment to attend all sessions.
Unfortunately, due to restrictions on the use of our grant, UCLA student artists or those affiliated with UCLA are not eligible for stipends unless they have been separated from the University for at least 2 years.
The Liberated Planet Studio (LPS) gathers artists, activists and academic collaborators for creative experiments to attend to the nature and climate emergencies with collective movement, art making and writing. Since 2023, LPS programs have provided rehearsal space and a free workshop series for those interested in ecological inquiry and somatic pedagogies that engage questions of social and environmental justice. Inspired by under-explored aspects of artistic practice and the role of performance in environmental research, teaching and learning, LPS artists focus on collective methodologies and movement practices to mobilize discourse about the intersections of human and animal experience and our intercultural struggles for socio-ecological liberation.