the mission
Scapegoat Garden is a New England-based creative engine, established by Deborah Goffe in 2002 to activate the world making potential of expressive bodies in movement(s), localities, networked and collaborative processes, interdisciplinarity, and curatorial practices as systems of care.
the vision:
Scapegoat Garden seeks to nurture and contribute to the vitality of local arts ecosystems, and to encourage interconnectedness across perceived borders. We strive to forge relationships with artists and communities, helping people see, create and contribute to a greater vision of ourselves, each other, and the places we call home.
a brief history:
Scapegoat Garden was founded in 2002 by Hartford-native Deborah Goffe, and established as a non-profit 501(c)(3) arts organization in 2004. Since its founding, Scapegoat Garden has functioned as a primary vehicle and creative community through which Deborah has collaborated in activating enduring commitments to world making, support of vibrant local dance ecologies, and the role of curatorial practice in those processes.
In performance, Scapegoat Garden conjures lush worlds through assemblages of movement, sound, video, garments, environment, food, and slow collaborative processes. The resulting repertory has been performed in festivals and venues throughout the region including: ICA Boston, Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University, Fuller Craft Museum, Wadsworth Atheneum, International Festival of Arts and Ideas in New Haven, Provincetown Dance Festival, Bates Dance Festival, Boston Center for the Arts, New York Live Arts, Artists of Tomorrow Theatre Festival, and the 92nd Street Y. The work has also been presented in Finland, Italy, and Cape Verde.
Throughout its 20-year history, Scapegoat Garden has also worked in support of wider networks of local artists and arts ecosystems, including its founding of The Garden Center for Contemporary Dance (2011-2014) and programming through The Invisible City Project (2013-2015).
