International Focus: Esa Nickle / New York

Esa Nickle of Performa will be visiting Estonia from 7-13 June, 2016 to do research on the local visual and performing arts scene. Performa is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to exploring the critical role of live performance in the history of art as well as to encouraging new directions in performance. Since Performa’s first biennial, held in 2005 in New York the organisation has succeeded in presenting the only visual art performance biennial that has become internationally one of the most anticipated art events.

Having joined Performa in 2005 as the Biennial Coordinator of the Performa05 biennial, Esa has since expanded her role as the line producer of Performa commissions, international tours and special events. Esa is experienced in managing large-scale public art events for the city agencies such as the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival in London. Since arriving in New York in 1998, Esa has worked with the public art consultancy Joyce Pomeroy Schwartz, and MTA Arts for Transit. She has also managed White Box, a non-profit alternative contemporary arts space in Chelsea, and curated several exhibitions and programs on sound art and experimental music. Esa has studied the Sociology of Art at Indiana University and Art History at the City University, London. During her visit to Estonia, Esa will be having meetings with art institutions, theaters, and alternative spaces both in Tallinn and Tartu to research the local visual and performing arts scene.

Esa will be visiting Tallinn as part of the ECADC Visiting Curators programme, generously supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.

For more information please see: http://performa-arts.org