Contact: Daphney Thomas Duncanson Artist-in-Residence Program Coordinator (513) 684-4528, dar@taftmuseum.org
Nikkole Salter Named 2012 Taft Museum of Art Duncanson Artist-in-Residence Actor/Playwright will write and perform a one-person play about African American painter Robert S. Duncanson To download a high-resolution image, click to open and then “Save image as.” Actor/Playwright Nikkole Salter will be the 2012 Duncanson Artist-in-Residence at the Taft Museum of Art. The Taft and the Duncanson Society have commissioned Salter to write and perform a one-person play about 19th-century African American painter Robert S. Duncanson, for whom the residency is named. During her residency, Salter will give public performances and provide workshops and master classes in schools and with youth groups. “I am the kind of actor who appreciates above all else the ability to engage my community in a relevant way with my art form. The Duncanson residency represents a rare opportunity to do that,” said Salter. “The idea of bridging audiences from different worlds by using art that everyone cares about seemed to be a perfect way to increase awareness and foster unity in the commUNITY. The notion that what I could do with my art would be useful to other artists and other art forms was an appealing thought. I had never professionally partnered with another arts institution that wasn’t theatre. Though now that I think of it, the first acting job I ever got paid for was playing Addy from the American Girl series in a production at an art museum.” Salter attended Howard University in Washington D.C. and New York University, where she earned her master’s. In 2005 she exploded onto the professional theatre scene with the off-Broadway hit, In the Continuum, which she co-wrote and performed in. Set in Zimbabwe and Los Angeles, In the Continuum is a moving yet comedic tale of two women – a television newscaster from Africa and an American teenager – who both learn they’re pregnant and HIV positive. The play has been produced internationally, including performances in several South African cities, and has received OBIE (Off-Broadway) and New York Outer Critics Circle awards, among many others. The New York Times, Newsday, and New York Magazine proclaimed it one of the best plays of 2005. The play was staged at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park the following year. More recently, she appeared in Cincinnati Playhouse’s production of Gees Bend. Deeply committed to education and with a keen sense of social responsibility, Salter is the founder and executive director of The Continuum Project, a non-profit organization that creates innovative artistic programming for community empowerment and enrichment. The organization’s Legacy Program, an arts education and youth development initiative in select schools in Brooklyn, has been featured on the PBS program Finding Your Roots, hosted by Henry Louis Gates. The Duncanson Artist-in-Residence program was established in 1986 to honor the achievements of contemporary African American artists working in a variety of disciplines. The program honors the relationship between African American painter Robert S. Duncanson and his patron, Nicholas Longworth, who commissioned Duncanson to paint landscape murals in the foyer of his home,now the Taft Museum of Art. Sponsor: Ohio National Financial Services Docents of the Taft Museum of Art Robin and Murray Sinclaire The Law Office of Erich Hemm, LLC Collaborating Partner: Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Artist-in-Residence Events Events are free but reservations are required: (513) 684-4528 or www.taftmuseum.org. Names of registrants will be on a check-in list at the door. No tickets will be issued. Sunday, October 21, 5-7 p.m. Opening Reception Taft Museum of Art Join Duncanson Artist-in-Residence Nikkole Salter and members of the Duncanson Society Executive Committee for this evening celebrating the 2012 residency. Refreshments, cash bar, and complimentary valet parking. Reservations required by October 12. Monday, October 22, 7:30 p.m. World Premiere: Of Great Merit Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati 1127 Vine Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Duncanson Artist-in-Residence Nikkole Salter performs her one-person show about painter Robert S. Duncanson in this world premier hosted by Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati. Saturday, October 27, 1-4 p.m. Theatre Workshop Taft Museum of Art Duncanson artist-in-residence Nikkole Salter leads this afternoon workshop. Participants will collaboratively dramatize the story of Duncanson’s fantasies of an ideal world, and then create a story of their own from their explorations of a perfect world. Appropriate for ages 10-13. Sunday, October 28, 2:30 p.m. Family Performance: Of Great Merit Taft Museum of Art Salter performs a shorter version of her one-person show about painter Robert S. Duncanson, designed  for children and families. Appropriate for ages 8 and above.
The Taft Museum of Art is at 316 Pike St., in downtown Cincinnati. The Museum is open Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, students, and teachers, $4 for youth 12-18, and free for children under 11. The museum is free to all on Sundays. Call 513-241-0343 or visit the website at www.taftmuseum.org for additional information. ###### The Taft Museum of Art is supported in part by the generosity of individuals and businesses that give annually to the Fine Arts Fund. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund the Museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Taft Museum of Art is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is affiliated with the Association of Midwest Museums and the Ohio Museums Association. Mission Statement The Taft Museum of Art welcomes people of every background to experience a world-renowned collection in a beautiful historic house. Through its intimate presentation of the Tafts' treasures and its engaging exhibitions, programs, and activities, the Museum creates enjoyment and learning opportunities for all. Diversity Statement The Taft Museum of Art respects the dignity of all people and values what each member of our team brings to the organization. Accordingly, the Museum is committed to building an inclusive environment that welcomes and values diversity. This includes our staff, board of directors, volunteers and visitors. As an organization we recognize the importance of attracting and retaining talented people of different backgrounds. We understand how a diverse work team of staff, board of directors and volunteers benefits our organization by enabling us to draw upon a richness of resources. We want all our team members to feel appreciated for their uniqueness, so we work to foster an environment that provides everyone equal access to information and opportunities. This ensures that each person learns, grows, excels and maximizes his or her personal contributions. The Museum will thus be able to tap into a greater wealth of knowledge, perspectives, and experiences to develop and deliver programs and services to an increasingly diverse audience.