TD Projects (Tina Dillman, independent artist and curator) launched The Bloomfield Garden Club (BGC) in the summer of 2020 as a direct response to Covid and the lack of art and cultural programming in the Pittsburgh area. The BGC was a monthly outdoor roaming salon operating in the summer and fall that highlights local and regional artists working in dance, music, comedy, literary, visual, and/or performance art over the summers of 2020-21. The goal of the BGC is to provide an experimental platform for artists from various backgrounds to create new work, and to provide sources of revenue for those that are the most vulnerable- females, mothers, artists along the queer spectrum, and artists whom identify as other than just white.
Tina Dillman’s vision: “The communities I create are inclusive of any background, race, class, gender profile, as there is only one way forward and that is to ensure that we all rise together. There is no world that I want to be in that exists without artists, as we are the backbone of every society-we document, we create, we breathe, we speak truth to power, and we dream up new ideas that have the ability to transform old civilizations into new beginnings.”
2021 SEASON
SCHEDULE & ARTIST INFO
In June 2021, the season began with our first Visiting Artist in Residence, Rachel Rampleman (NYC), who documented a slice of the local drag scene for an ongoing project of hers, Life is Drag, with assistance from our community partners Kelly Strayhorn Theater, the Blue Moon establishment, and collaborator & artist Scott Andrew. The videos premiered at Bunker Projects (outside in their back lot), along with live drag performances. The final line up for performances included on Sat June 12: Kierra Darshell, Luna Plexus & Cindy Crotchford, and on Sun June 13: Maxi Pad, Pissy Mattress & Azizzy. You can view images from these performances on TD Project’s Facebook page in the June Album.
On July 10 &11, the BGC traveled to the Braddock Farms, which is operated by Grow Pittsburgh, with a performance by Nick M Daniels (dance), a sound installation by Erin Mallea & Jen Vaughn (media) and Shawna Roxanne gifted us with her music. Images from this performance can be found on TD Project’s Facebook page in the July Album.
On August 14 & 15 the BGC will pop up at Union Project with Gia T Cacalano (dance), Chardaé Jones (poetry) and Janet Watkins (ceramics). Images from these dates can be found here.
On September 11 & 12, the 2021 BGC season will conclude in Tina’s neighborhood of Wilkinsburg, and we’ll be taking over the side lot next to the Hamnett Place Community Garden, with installations by artists Centa Schumacher (photograhy) and Sarah Tancred (ceramics), and a performance by Christina McNeese.
2020 SEASON
The first year of programming included in August: Naomi Chambers (visual), Betty Douglas w/ Rex Trimm (music) and John Musser w/ Scott Andrew (performance); September: Tara Fay Coleman (visual), Clara Kent (music), and Shana Simmons (dance); and October: Christiane Dolores (visual), Betty Douglas w/ Rex Trimm (music), and Jesse Factor w/ Scott Andrew (performance).
PRESS
Post Gazette, May 20, 2021, Summer Times: 5 in-person dance options to check out
Post Gazette, August 4, 2020, Bloomfield Garden Club cultivates artists for backyard performances
Post Gazette, August 18, 2020, video taken from performance
Post Gazette, October 11, 2020, Bloomfield Garden Club puts eclectic artists on a backyard stage