City of Worcester, MA

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester Cultural Coalition (WCC) announced Wednesday that local artists Ava D'Eon, Jean-Sebastien Duvilaire (with JSSDance), Cesar Rodrigues, Samuel Sjostedt and Isiah Tucker (with Inner Voice Outer Change) have been selected for summer creative residencies at The Prior Performing Arts Center at the College of the Holy Cross through its Scholarship in Action program. 

This project is part of a three-year partnership between the College, the City of Worcester's Cultural Development Division, and the WCC. Given the success of the program at smaller cohort sizes, the residency will expand in its third summer to accommodate five new artists from diverse creative backgrounds, incorporating dance and visual art for the first time into the program offerings.

D’Eon’s project, “I Could Be Your Muse If You Let Me,” is a contemporary dance work rooted in personal research and journaling that investigates how individuals construct, internalize and perform the role of the “muse.”

“The work engages deeply with themes of identity, particularly in how women are shaped by systems of desire, visibility, and validation,” said D’Eon. “By interrogating the figure of the muse, the work critiques historical and cultural frameworks that position certain bodies as objects of inspiration.” 

Duvilaire’s choreographic project, “Exploring My Afrobeats,” will examine identity, migration, and cultural memory through Afrobeats and is centered on the lived experience of an East African artist and dancer based in Worcester.

“My primary focus will be refining a movement language that authentically bridges East African identity with West African Afrobeats traditions,” said Duvilaire. “I am particularly interested in developing greater clarity in how rhythm, musicality and physical expression communicate narrative, ensuring that the work remains both culturally grounded and personally truthful.”

Rodrigues’ documentary film project, “Abstract Beast: Creative Freedom Through Assistive Technology,” will explore his journey as an artist and inventor despite the challenges of adaptation resulting from disability. Through footage that revisits his early work in realism, his pivot to an abstract approach and the resulting development of his assistive painting system, this documentary will ultimately showcase how assistive technology can empower others with disabilities to create.

“As an artist with a physical disability, my work is rooted in adapting to limitations while continuing to create,” said Rodrigues. “I aim to document the relationship between intention, communication and execution, highlighting how artistic control can exist beyond physical limitations.”

Sjostedt’s project, “Memoryscape: Homage to the Armenians of Worcester,” will focus on the composition of a multi-movement musical work for oud (Middle Eastern lute) and mixed chamber ensemble that will honor the legacy of Worcester’s deeply-rooted Armenian Diaspora community.

“As a new generation of Armenian-American artists are coming to light, my goal is to see how we can push our traditions (in this case, our instrument) forward into a territory it does not often see,” said Sjostedt.

Inner Voice Outer Change’s project, “Music Is The Medicine,” will focus on composition, communal songwriting and professional recording to create a mixtape that reflects on summertime in Worcester from the perspectives and experiences of its community members, exploring themes of mental health, culture and aspirations for the enhancement and betterment of the city.

“The mixtape’s participants will explore what it means to belong in Worcester, how identity is shaped by neighborhood and culture and where inequities impact daily life,” said Tucker from Inner Voice Outer Change. “By elevating authentic stories through music, the project fosters dialogue, shared understanding, and a deeper sense of collective belonging within the city.”

“HCxWCC: Creative Residencies for Worcester Artists at The Prior” is funded by the College’s Scholarship in Action (SIA) initiative. By cultivating long-term relationships in Worcester, SIA faculty, student researchers, and community stakeholders design meaningful research projects that center principles of equity, antiracism, and shared knowledge production that engage wider audiences both locally and globally. This initiative reflects the significant role that the liberal arts and the humanities play in addressing complex challenges.

In addition to supporting the development of new artistic work, the SIA-funded project aims to expand understanding of the campus-based arts residency model. As part of the program, participants will engage in conversations and self-reflection about their residency process and experience. The residency, which began in 2024, has hosted five former residents including luthier Jesse Kenas Collins, playwright Diana Khong, composer Daniel Gay and filmmakers Angelique B. Webster & Cyrille Vincent.

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