The Watermill Center To Open For Community Day: First In-Person Event Of The Year

The Watermill Center, a laboratory for the arts and humanities, is excited to welcome community members to their first on-site happening of 2021! The public will have the chance to experience the 10-acre property on Saturday, May 22 during The Center’s annual Community Day. Just as Artists-in-Residence do, participants will walk around the gorgeous grounds of The Center, unwind, get inspired, and catch-up with community members.

There will be a workshop with theatre director Rachel Dickstein, a site-specific installation by East End artist Laurie Lambrecht, live music by composer Molly Joyce, and Art Quest, a scavenger hunt and self-guided tour of The Center’s outdoor collection.

“The property is a big part of daily life at The Center for many of our artists,” shared The Watermill Center’s Education Coordinator Andrea Cote. “Whether as a place to work, explore, relax, meditate in, or draw inspiration from, the Artists-in-Residence have a relationship with our grounds and gardens. Community Day is an opportunity to offer the public the same intimate experience.”

Community Day will commence with Candidate X: From Word to Image a workshop by theatre director and current Watermill Artist-in-Residence, Rachel Dickstein. The workshop will take participants through a sample interview process, followed by a hands-on exploration of how to create movement, image, and action inspired by their stories. Individuals age 12-years-old and up are welcome to join.

“Our goal is always to demystify the creative process and provide an intimate understanding of how artists create their work. Dickstein’s workshop does just that by taking the processes developed during her residency and teaching the public how they can use the same processes to devise their work,” said Cote.

After the workshop, guests are invited to take part in The Center’s scavenger hunt, Art Quest, engage with an interactive installation by Laurie Lambrecht, and enjoy live music by Molly Joyce, who will feature selections from her recent album Breaking and Entering.

“Creating new work in the woods at The Watermill Center allows me to respond to many years of careful observation there,” said Lambrecht. “I started photographing on-site in 1993, observing the ever-evolving installations that widened my perception of indoor vs. outdoor space. Through watching outdoor performance rehearsals led by Robert Wilson, I became aware of the significance of listening to the landscape in addition to looking.”

Live music composer, Molly Joyce remarked, “I am super excited to return to The Watermill Center grounds to perform with my toy organ. I’ve continually held fond memories from exploring the grounds during winter residencies, and I’m excited to revisit the singular setting on Community Day.”

Community Day will take place from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and the Workshop with Rachel Dickstein will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tickets start at $15. The Center offers reduced pricing for those needing financial assistance. Visitors are also encouraged to bring donations to the BHCCRC Food Pantry.

The Watermill Center is located at 39 Watermill Towd Road in Water Mill. To register for Community Day, visit www.watermillcenter.org.