A documentary filmmaker exploring creativity and disability. A composer drawing inspiration from Worcester’s Armenian community. Dancers examining identity, migration and memory. A music project built around the voices of Worcester residents.
Those are among the artistic works that take shape this summer after five local artists were selected for creative residencies at the College of the Holy Cross through a partnership with the Worcester Cultural Coalition and the city’s Cultural Development Division.
The Worcester Cultural Coalition just revealed that Ava D’Eon, Jean-Sebastien Duvilaire and JSSDance, Cesar Rodrigues, Samuel Sjostedt, and Isiah Tucker of Inner Voice Outer Change have been chosen for the 2026 HC x WCC Creative Residencies for Worcester Artists program at the Prior Performing Arts Center.
Now entering its third year, the residency program has expanded to support five artists and, for the first time, includes projects in dance and visual art. The initiative is part of a three-year collaboration between Holy Cross, the city and the Worcester Cultural Coalition aimed at giving local artists space and resources to develop new work while strengthening connections between the college and Worcester’s creative community.
The selected projects span a wide range of disciplines and themes.
D’Eon’s contemporary dance work, “I Could Be Your Muse If You Let Me,” examines how people construct and perform the role of the “muse,” drawing from personal research and journaling. According to the announcement, the project explores identity and questions cultural narratives that shape perceptions of women and visibility.
Duvilaire’s “Exploring My Afrobeats” investigates identity, migration and cultural memory through movement, centering the experiences of an East African artist living in Worcester. In the announcement, Duvilaire said he hopes to develop a movement language that bridges East African identity with West African Afrobeats traditions while remaining “culturally grounded and personally truthful.”
Rodrigues uses the residency to develop “Abstract Beast: Creative Freedom Through Assistive Technology,” a documentary chronicling his evolution as an artist and inventor. The film explores how adaptive technology has enabled him to continue creating despite physical limitations and highlights ways assistive tools can expand artistic opportunities for others with disabilities.
Sjostedt’s project, Memoryscape: Homage to the Armenians of Worcester, will focus on composing a multi-movement musical work for oud and chamber ensemble inspired by Worcester’s longstanding Armenian community. The piece seeks to connect cultural traditions with contemporary artistic expression.
Meanwhile, Tucker and Inner Voice Outer Change leads “Music Is The Medicine,” a collaborative mixtape project centered on Worcester residents’ experiences of summer in the city. Through songwriting and recording sessions, participants will explore themes including mental health, culture, belonging and community aspirations.
The residency program is funded through Holy Cross’ Scholarship in Action initiative, which supports projects that connect academic resources with community-based work. Organizers say the residency is intended not only to support artistic development but also to examine how campus-based residency programs can serve local artists and communities.
Since launching in 2024, the program has hosted a range of creative practitioners, including playwrights, filmmakers, composers and instrument makers. This year’s expanded cohort reflects both the program’s growth and the increasing range of artistic voices being supported through the partnership.
Have a story tip, community concern, or insight to share? Email Editor Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org.
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