Mastering Peculiarity
A key goal of PWP’s site-specific performances is to draw attention to the hidden secrets behind the incredible spaces that New Yorkers walk by every day. With over 15 years of experience creatively reinterpreting what constitutes a performance venue, we have a wealth of tools that are extremely useful to emerging creators.

We've designed our master classes to follow the development processes we use to create new site-specific works. Our workshops offer students an overview of site-specific and alternative performance, and hands-on opportunities to create new work for specific spaces.

Outside of class, we provide students with relevant reading materials and bibliographies of additional resources. In addition, they are encouraged to keep a photo journal of unique sites they may encounter in the world and to include ideas for potential performances at those sites.

Sessions may include:

  • oral and mult-media histories of site-specific performance
  • field trips to unusual spaces and site-specific shows
  • site-responsive improvizations
  • rehearsals and performances
  • individual consultations with PWP directors
Each of our master classes is unique: we research and tailor the seminars so that students can explore the history and legacy of their community. We design these workshops to accommodate a range of skill levels, class sizes and age ranges (from 13+ years). And the time commitment is adjustable to suit your needs—from a single 3-hour session to multiple session seminars that including consultations with students and a final site-specific performance.

Having celebrated the rich heritage of New York City since 1993, we believe it's our responsibility as artists to share our experience with subsequent generations. We're pleased to have this forum to share our passion for site-based performance with young people.
Peculiar Worksites are made possible in part with public support from the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and with private support from the Jerome Robbins Foundation, the Mental Insight Foundation and the Nancy Quinn Fund, a project of A.R.T./New York