We use publishing as an act of legitimization for a marginalized sector of the art world. We do not publish traditional reviews, but seek to enter into dialogue with work through critical thought that takes on various creative forms. Works published include personal responses to performance, long form and short form interviews with artists, post-show conversations, visual responses, essays, poems, videos, and podcasts. We strive for our writing to point out from the performance rather than pointing at it. What are we thinking about while witnessing? What does it say about our world?) We consider what resonates beyond the work rather than “did I like it?” or “is it good or bad?”. Our contributors acknowledge their place as artists writing about their peers and seek to remove the barrier between critic and maker. Culturebot seeks to expand how we talk about art and challenges our notion of acceptable forms for discussion. Launched in 2003 as a blog for Performance Space 122 in New York City, Culturebot has operated independently since 2007. It has grown into a 21st century arts organization, presenting performances, convening conversations, building community, and supporting artists, critical discourse, and professional development. We aspire to be deeply knowledgeable and widely accessible; we believe that criticism is a creative practice and critical discourse is essential for a vibrant and engaged cultural ecology.
