Afshan is Georgetown University’s labfellow for Global Performance and Politics

The second cohort of Fellows started in 2020 and will complete their tenure in spring of 2022, overlapping with the incoming cohort and thus providing an opportunity for cross-pollination and further relationship building between the groups.  This second cohort hails from Vietnam, South Africa, Kenya, UK, Egypt/USA, Colombia/USA, Mexico, Nigeria/Canada, Russia, and Zimbabwe.  They are playwrights, producers, performers, organizers, directors, and innovators and like the Inaugural cohort, hold a range of complex identities as artists, activists, professionals, and people. 

The Fellows Program is an 18-month, transnational residency that connects Fellows to a community of peers, fosters collaboration, and inspires intersectional and international dialogue. Through the Fellows Program, The Lab nurtures novel artistic approaches and ways of thinking about how the arts engage critical social issues. Lab Fellows learn from each other, and grow both as individuals and as a  group through the course of the Fellowship; new works and collaborations may develop along the way. Ultimately, the Fellowship contributes to the foundation of artists working at the intersection of politics and performance around the world.

Through the residency, fellows are required to attend 90-minute virtual meetings via Zoom, centered around a theme, incorporating guest speakers from The Lab’s expansive network of leading artists and changemakers. The fellowship also involves two in-person convenings. Fellows participate in workshops, attend performances, and lead/contribute to discussions associated with the development of new theatre, performance, and art. The fellows are all invited to participate in The Lab’s CrossCurrents Festival in Washington, DC, and its culminating event The Gathering. The fellowship also includes access to funds and involvement with other Lab events!

To read more about the Laboratory for global performance and politics please visit: https://globallab.georgetown.edu/2020-2022/