ArtYard Live Animation Festival

We are excited to announce the first-ever ArtYard Live Animation Festival, a weekend of unique cinematic experiences blending live performance and animated films, will be held Sept. 22 to 24 at ArtYard’s McDonnell Theater.

Curated by Richard Herskowitz, the Live Animation Festival features performances by animators Laura Heit, Melissa Ferrari, Stacey Steers, and Miwa Matreyek – four talented artists whose work emerges at the intersection of visual and performance art, installation, and film.

Festivities include:

Friday, Sept 22 at 6 PM: Live Animation Festival Champagne Reception for full festival passholders
Friday, Sept 22 at 7:30 PM: Matchbox Show, a larger-than-life cabaret-inspired puppet show inside matchboxes by Laura Heit
Saturday, Sept 23 at 2 PM: Early Cinema with Melissa Ferrari and Stacey Steers. Featuring Relict: A Phantasmagoria, a mesmeric magic lantern performance by Melissa Ferrari, and a trio of short films composed of thousands of collages placing silent film actresses in dreamlike settings by Stacey Steers
Saturday, Sept 23 at 7:30 PM: Infinitely Yours and This World Made Itself, performances showcasing Miwa signature technique of layered films and shadow play
Sunday, Sept 23 at 1 PM: Closing talk with the curator, artists, and a special guest
Plus: Edge of Alchemy, a solo exhibition of sculptures and animations by Stacey Steers in our Laboratory Gallery

Tickets and passes

The ideal way to experience the festival is with an ArtYard Live Animation Festival All Access pass, which provides access to all events and an exclusive opening reception. The full pass is $45.

Individual tickets to performances are also available.