Welcome to Hogfish
Hogfish is committed to inclusivity and accessibility. If you are interested in attending one of our events and cannot afford it or have accessibility needs, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.
All are welcome at all of our events.
Between the Sea & ME
“Mysterium Oceanus, 2023” by Carl Austin Hyatt
A grief ritual for the
ME & NH Coast Community
POSTPONED: New date for late winter 2025 TBA soon!
This event, and the sliding scale ticket pricing to make it accessible to our community (tickets start at $10), is made possible by a generous grant from the Onion Foundation as well as our partner and host site, the beautiful Wells Reserve at Laudholm.
WHO IS THIS EVENT FOR?
People who are deeply concerned about climate change
People who care deeply for coastal places
People who have witnessed dramatic change in the coastal places they are connected to
People whose lives were directly affected by the Winter 2024 storms
People who are looking for ways to process their emotions about climate change
People who may feel alone in experiencing feelings of climate loss and grief
People who are looking to build community with others who share their feelings about climate loss
People who work in ecology and/or well-being and would like support in their work and the interconnections between ecology and well-being
WHAT DO WE HOPE YOU WILL TAKE AWAY FROM THIS EXPERIENCE?
Awareness of the power and importance of gathering as a community to witness and express deep feelings
Respect and gratitude for grief and the important role it plays in our lives
Approaches for navigating and comfort with processing grief individually and as a community
Recognition that we are not alone in bearing these feelings
Hogfish is deeply honored to hold an empathetic, safe, and nurturing space for grief, gratitude, and community centered around climate grief, but open to all.
ABOUT
The beach at Wells Nature Reserve where we will hold part of our grief ritual at sunset
Living on the coasts of ME & NH, many of us are lucky enough to have a personal deep connection to the natural world, and so also must carry a personal deep connection to the evolving climate crisis. This gathering provides a communal space to process those deep connections that are often held privately.
Grief and gratitude for the natural world are not meant to be solitary, though today many of us grieve and give thanks alone; communal ritual offers the opportunity to witness one another’s pain and joy, share our stories of heartbreak and heart-made, and to hold each other as we journey into the depth of our collective sorrow so that we may more fully experience the gratitude for what we have lost and what still is.
This event will include:
the chance for you to share a place that is important to you through a photo or story
poetry and song
an invocation to the unseen world through spoken word and drumming
time to grieve and have that grieving witnessed and held
grounding somatic movement practices to help us find deep support as we unwind and soften the bracing in our bodies
the creation of a beautiful shrine
micro-rituals of guided writing practices that include an opportunity to share and witness in small groups
culminating in a powerful community grief ritual on the beach by the ocean
sharing food together
dancing together to let our feelings move through us and back into the world
Robin Wall Kimmerer writes, “If grief can be a doorway to love, then let us all weep for the world we are breaking apart so we can love it back to wholeness again.’”
ABOUT HOGFISH
The climate is changing. Temperatures and tensions are rising in our environment, our communities, and ourselves. Industrialization and the digital world have lifted billions out of poverty, and yet, with the rise of wealth has also come the rise of inequality, toxic carbon levels, fraught public discourse, and sedentary lifestyles. Hogfish is inspired by heroes, sung and unsung, working to restore wellness to global, social, and personal realms.
Hogfish believes that applying the principles of regenerative agriculture to the arts provides a unique opportunity to holistically restore every layer of the human experience. We are on a quest to build an artistic sanctuary and body of work to restore a healthier dynamic balance between our planet, the stories we tell, and the way we live.
ABOUT THE VENUE
The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is dedicated to understanding, protecting, and restoring coastal ecosystems through research, stewardship, environmental learning, and community outreach. As a public-private partnership between the federally-supported Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Maine nonprofit Laudholm Trust, together, we promote science, education, and conservation around the Gulf of Maine, maintain restored historic buildings, and steward protected wildlife habitats. The reserve is open every day from 7amto sunset for outdoor recreation, with seven miles of trails and many public programs. Learn more at wellsreserve.org.
ABOUT THE ONION FOUNDATION
Support organizations that empower people in their communities to live healthy and vibrant lives by…
Protecting the environment through education and research
Removing barriers and creating access to outdoor recreational experiences
Providing resources to adapt to a changing climate
Cultivating and educating future environmental stewards and leaders
Promoting access to local music, theater, dance, and visual arts
Preserving the many strong art and music programs that exist today
Establishing new art and music programs for the future
Advancing music and the arts education
Creating community-focused participatory arts experiences
Portland, ME
A New Kind of Regenerative Artist
Residency
June 21 - August 4 2024
Photo Credit: Nick Johnson
Portland, ME
A New Kind of Regenerative Artist Residency
A unique, holistic
Regenerative Artist Residency
We are creating a holistic retreat for performing artists to connect with themselves, their community, and the land to regenerate their creative fire and change the world. We seek to empower and commission the next generation of diverse artistic voices across disciplines to tell stories that regenerate creative and physical health to their bodies, their communities, and their planet.
All Hogfish artists-in-REsidence receive performance opportunities, education, travel, housing, and a Stipend.
There is no fee to apply and no age limit. We actively seek performers of all disciplines (acting, singing, dance, instrumental), styles, ages, body shapes and abilities, gender & sexuality expressions, and ethnic backgrounds.
Maria Brea and Felix Jarrar performing on the 2023 Farm To Stage Series. (Photo Credit: Meredith Brockington)
Performing CarmXn to a sold out crowd at Mechanics’ Hall. (Photo Credit: Meredith Brockington)
PERFORMANCE
Like our namesake Hogfish, we seek to balance forms of performance - creating both whole group and individual regenerative works. Artists-in-residence are cast to fulfill the needs of and devise together the summer’s flagship production. Artists are also asked to bring a personal regenerative project that they will work on during their residency. Every effort will be made to pair artists-in-residence together for whom it would be mutually beneficial to work on each other’s projects. These personal projects will be presented on our Farm to Stage series across Southern Maine with a chance for audience talk backs to help further develop your work.
The Rose Garden at Beckett Castle, where artists are welcome to visit, put their hands in the dirt, and learn from rosarian Lynn Shafer. (Photo Credit: Meredith Brockington)
REGENERATIVE TIME
The residency makes ample time for artists to connect to their own creative fire as well as the beautiful landscape of Maine. Each week will offer time for individual artists to work on their own projects in addition to group rehearsal, scenic walks in the glory of Maine nature in summer, time in the Beckett Castle rose garden and by the ocean, as well as company class in regenerative arts techniques including mindfulness, ecology, Alexander Technique, and more.
2022 Artist-in-Residence March Steiger taking an Alexander Technique lesson from Hogfish Faculty Audrey Luna
INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION
All Hogfish artists have the opportunity to receive private lessons Alexander Technique, wellness coachings, and other healing modalities to regenerate their creative and physical health.
Partners & Community Sponsors
Partners & Season Sponsors
Great people
& organizations
We are honored to be making art for, with, and among an incredible community of people and organizations. Thank you to our major partners & sponsors for the summer 2024 regenerative arts residency and season!
