Artistic director Reg E. Gaines chatted about the 2025 Downtown Urban Arts Festival.
How has The Downtown Urban Arts Festival changed through the years?
It began as an opportunity for young writers to be supported in professional productions. Writers whose voices were generally being ignored.
We have been an integral component in the growth of hundreds of playwrights, many which have gone on to attain heights never imagined.
Can you tell us about what makes this year special and important?
2025 playwrights are writing bolder narratives. The subject matter has no boundaries and the choice of rhythms coupled with more figuratively written plots are a pleasant surprise.
This gives the actors more chances to make bold choices which surprise audiences.
What do your plans for the future of the Downtown Urban Arts Festival include?
Future plans include masterclass workshops, once plays have been selected and in depth talk backs with playwrights. People are much more interested n process than ever before.
These conversations may spark interest in how young people look at theater in more in depth ways. If you have love for the artform you might be encouraged to try it.
How does it feel to be a part of the digital age?
I’m uncertain if digital storytelling helps bring an audience to the magic of live performance but if the reporting can be inclusive, make the reader feel like part of the experience, it could help.
We claim to thirst for inclusion but the language used has to include fresh metaphor and much more vibrant imagery to capture people’s attention.
What is your advice for young and aspiring performers?
For the young actors/ performers how you build confidence is key. Constantly working is how to find your voice.
With less opportunities, due to economic restraints available, open mics, classes, acting united fronts and choirs, to help strengthen voices, are just few of the directions to take.
What would you like to say to your fans about The Downtown Urban Arts Festival? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it)
I hope audiences realize the difficulty in locating funding to push the artform forward. We are in a cycle where producers do not feel safe to be creative in their artistic choices. The dreaded recoup rules the day.
With dissipation of NEA and other funding sources pitting artists against each other, we need to support by sharing our gifts with communities who have less accessibility to the gift of theater .
What would you like to say to people about The Downtown Urban Arts Festival?
We’ve suggested playwrights make a conscious effort to create the 2025 Actors United Front.
Swap contact information, share connections, be it playwrights, actors, directors, choreographers, set designers. Meet regularly, share work and be cheerleaders for theater.
To learn more about the Downtown Urban Arts Festival, check out the official website.
