Art Basel and Kickstarter are partnering to catalyze much-needed support for outstanding non-commercial art projects. This new initiative will present jury-selected art projects to a global community of potential benefactors, including Art Basel's audience and Kickstarter's community, who have pledged over $1 billion to creative projects. The goal is to support non-profit visual arts organizations, at a time when public funding for the arts has been dwindling, by sharing their stories, generating contributions, and reaching out to new audiences. 

For more information on Art Basel and this initiative, head here!

What this partnership does:

Bringing a project this amazing into the world is no small task - and we need your support! In the coming weeks, we will launch a Kickstarter campaign that will help us raise the funds needed to make this incredible show happen.

With the support of Art Basel and Kickstarter, your contribution to this project will be backed by an international pool of art supporters. Additionally; The Soap Factory, Walker Art Center and WISE BLOOD will receive exposure on a global scale for our organizations and this project.

If you are interested in becoming a part of this project and would like to receive updates as we prepare to launch our upcoming Kickstarter campaign, please email maggie@soapfactory.org!

About WISE BLOOD:
 

Set in the cavernous environs of The Soap Factory, WISE BLOOD is a wild ride through the bright burning coals of Flannery O'Connor's masterful Southern Gothic tale of a damaged war veteran returning home to find a wasteland. Composer Anthony Gatto and visual artist Chris Larson join forces with brass bands and singers for a joyously dark, immersive opera exhibition. Singers and accompanying ensembles guide audiences through Larson's sets, film projections and kinetic sculptures.

WISE BLOOD features the brilliant young New York tenor Martin Bakari in the lead role as Hazel Motes; Grant Hart, founding member of fabled punk pioneer band H�sker D�, as the blind preacher Asa Hawks; New York vocalist Gelsey Bell, whose celebrated recent work includes Matthew Barney's epic film River of Fundament as Mrs. Flood; Impact Award recipient Michael Sommers as various apparitions in the story; celebrated countertenor David Echelard as the flim flam man, Onnie Jay Holy; and other special guests. The Adam Meckler Orchestra provides the core music accompaniment.

Performances: Thursday - Sunday June 2 -7 and June 11 - 14, 8:00 pm

The WISE BLOOD installation and sound design at The Soap Factory will be an on-going exhibit, open from May 9 to June 15, 2015 during regular exhibition hours.