SoLow Fest PDX 2020 Returns to Portland

SoLow Fest, a Philadelphia tradition since its conception in 2010, made its debut in Portland last year and is back for another round- this time in the name of strengthening the conviction behind values of DIY art-making. Named for its "so-low-to-the-ground" values, SoLow Fest is dedicated to presenting artists who perform in non-traditional, low-tech venues to keep overhead costs low and encourage work to be made in locations where art might otherwise never be seen. SoLow Fest is free for artists to enter.

This year, self-reliance is being revealed as a stronger tool than ever as we see traditional professional theater funding sources being cut, leading to questions of how performance will happen and what artists will do. Since its conception, SoLow has valued art that defies convention, is open to everyone through a pay-what-you-will system, and encourages experimentation and risk taking.

SoLow PDX 2020 will feature a Quarantine Gallery. Virtual attenders of the festival can expect to see examples in paintings, writings, video and more of the ways in which people have discovered and connected to their creative practice in the midst of this stay-at-home period.

SoLow PDX will also feature a slew of virtual performances featuring artists from coast to coast. SoLow Fest and SoLow PDX organizers, Chris Davis (Philadelphia) and Julia Brandenberger (Portland), will do a split bill performance to symbolize the coming together of remote locations during this unprecedented period. Other performances with include improvisational livestream tandem song writing (Monica Wiles), a DJ set using household objects (Tyler Blaetz), a lovelorn poet dedicated to his post office work (Francesca Piccioni), and an after life seance movement piece using the text and instrumentals of Justin Bieber (Kelsea Ashenbrenner).

The administrative team of SoLow Fest is Julia Brandenberger and Colin Logue.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE June 11th-21st 2020 See website for calendar and details www.solowpdx.com

TICKET INFORMATION All shows are Pay What You Will and venmo/paypal information will be provided for the artist at the performance or on the Gallery page. See www.solowpdx.com/lineup for show details.