Shadow Fund
When Creative Time and Paul Chan came to New Orleans to talk with people about presenting Waiting for Godot and listen to their needs, we heard over and over: “You’ve got to spend the dime, and you’ve got to spend the time.” We therefore created a “Shadow Fund” to give local organizations rebuilding support in the neighborhoods where the play is presented. “More than a play, Waiting for Godot in New Orleans is a socially engaged performance at the heart of a national crisis, and direct support to the community is an essential component of the project,” stated Nato Thompson, Curator and Producer, Creative Time.

Chan’s inspiration for the Shadow Fund (excerpt from Chan’s artist statement)
“Ronald Lewis, who lives in the Lower Ninth and runs a small museum in his backyard dedicated to the history and tradition of the Mardi Gras Indians told me, ‘Many art projects have come and gone without leaving anything behind. You gotta leave something behind for the community.’ We talked some more. I noticed on the ground the shadow of a tree similar to the leaning tree I saw at the intersection of North Prieur and Reynes. I recently finished a series of animated projections that deal with shadows, so I’ve become sensitive to their mute presence. It occurred to me while listening to Ronald that Godot needed a shadow. I asked him what he thought about a fund that would be set up which would shadow the production budget of the play, and these funds would stay in the neighborhood where Godot would conceivably be staged, in order to contribute to the rebuilding efforts. “A shadow fund,” I said. Ronald thought about it a bit and replied, “It’s a start.”

The “shadow” fund has given $50,000 in small gifts of $1,000 - $5,000 each directly to the following local organizations for rebuilding efforts in neighborhoods where the play was presented, as well as in-kind donations as noted below.

Donations to the Shadow Fund can be made here:

Enter Donation Amount:

or by contacting yaelr@creativetime.org or calling 212.206.6674 x 203. Please indicate that you would like your donation to be designated to the Shadow Fund.

GROUPS:
NOLA International Human Rights Film Festival
Neighborhood Story Project
Students at the Center (with Kalamu ya Salaam)
Churches Supporting Churches (CSC)
The Renaissance Project
The New Orleans Social Aid and Pleasure Club Task Force
Pontilly Neighborhood Association
The Porch
Community Book Center
NENA (Neighborhood Empowerment Network Association)
The New Orleans Kid Camera Project
Burbank Gardens Neighborhood Association
Episcopal Church House Gutting Program

OTHERS with In-Kind (books, tools, etc.) and Smaller Donations:
The House of Dance and Feathers
St. Mary of the Angels School
MLK Jr. Elementary School
Dr. Charles Richard Drew Elementary School
Common Ground Collective



Drawing: Paul Chan, 2007