A Global Project Exploring Water and the Work of People Who Steward It, Directed by Artistic Director Allison Orr
Forklift Danceworks’ The Way of Water was a global arts-based project that brought together communities, civic organizations, and advocacy groups to address climate-based water issues.
Forklift Danceworks, along with a team of artists from each participating city, embedded within local communities, including frontline workers and others with lived experience of drought, floods, or rising sea levels. Together, artists and community members co-created theatrical productions that told the story of water through the voices of those most impacted by climate change. The Way of Water deepened understanding of climate-based water issues and possible solutions, translating the science into accessible stories and using the power of live performance as a catalyst for change. The Way of Water created space for each participating city to imagine a future in which innovative solutions for climate-based water issues were enacted.
4 cities in initial 6 years, engaging:
• 50+ Artists and Scientists
• 100+ Frontline Workers and Government Employees
• 200+ Youth and Community Members
• 10,000+ Audience Members
Initial Sites:
• Austin, TX (2022 – 2027)
• Miami, FL (2023 – 2025)
• El Paso, TX (2024 – 2025)
• Venice, Italy (2023 – 2026)
Funders and supporters for The Way of Water included:
Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation
Bloomberg Philanthropies
The Lowell Lebermann Foundation
The Mellon Foundation
The National Endowment for the Arts
The New England Foundation for the Arts
Mid-America Arts Alliance
The Texas Commission on the Arts
The City of Austin, Cultural Arts Program
Cap Metro
H-E-B
IBC Bank
Fusebox Festival
Waterloo Greenway
