“Viewpoints Embodied: Middle Eastern Voices in Cincinnati” by Rowan Salem, ArtsWave “Truth & Healing” Artist 

“Movement can teach us new things that we don’t already know.”

Rowan Salem

2023 ArtsWave Black and Brown Artists Program

Creativity Squared is proud to support and partner with ArtsWave and to bring you this special interview series featuring the phenomenal artists and grant recipients selected for this year’s ArtsWave Black and Brown Artists Program.

Down is a 2023 ArtsWave Black and Brown Artists Program Grant Recipient and “Truth & Healing” Artist.

The intention of these interviews is to give these talented and deserving artists another platform to share their art and truth expressed through it, as you never know what ripples will turn into waves. If you’re interested in working with, featuring, or supporting these artists, please don’t be shy about it.

We’ll be hearing from these artists whose films were shown in the ArtsWave “Truth & Healing” Showcase and Film Festivals. Part one of this series features the artists whose work is in the exhibition that is available for visiting at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, OH, through September 10. 

This year’s theme is “Truth & Healing” and Creativity Squared host Helen Todd had the great honor of interviewing the artists during the opening showcase to learn more about their work and what truth and healing means to them.

Meet Rowen Salem

Rowan Salem is a dance artist and educator originally from Massachusetts, currently based in Cincinnati. Rowan earned an MFA in Choreography and Performance as a Teaching Fellow/Gretchen Moran Scholar at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Her work incorporates compositional improvisation, exploring perspective shifts through choreography and performance, all through her embodied experience as an LGBTQ person. She is a recipient of ArtsWave’s 2023 Black and Brown artists grant for her work. Current teaching affiliations include Xavier University, Northern Kentucky University and Cincinnati Ballet Academy at the Cincinnati Ballet.

“Viewpoints Embodied: Middle Eastern Voices in Cincinnati”

Highlighting the stories of Cincinnati residents of Middle Eastern descent, “Viewpoints Embodied: Middle Eastern Voices in Cincinnati” is a series of interviews and dance films. Dance has the potential to uncover new points of view and showcase the diversity of backgrounds that make our communities stronger. Watch the films online here.

ArtsWave 2023 Black and Brown Artists Program Cohort

This year’s Black and Brown Artists Program cohort reflects a vibrant collection of diverse art forms created by an equally diverse group of 18 artists. Their mediums include couture fashion, painting, and sculpture — along with film, musical composition, podcasts, theater, dance, and multidisciplinary works.

The projects not only represent the African American experience, but also the experiences of those with Mexican, Lebanese, Somali, Argentinian, Zimbabwean, Guatemalan, and Indigenous heritage.

Listen to the accompanying podcast episode which features Rowan:

Connect with Rowan

Learn more about Rowan’s work and view her gallery on her website, and stay connected through her Instagram (@rrowmansalemm).

Learn more about ArtsWave and why we proudly support the organization in episode 9 “Art Bridges Cultural Divides” with Janice Liebenberg, VP of Equitable Arts Advancement at ArtsWave: https://bit.ly/Ep9JaniceLiebenberg.

Creativity Squared is a proud partner of ArtsWave and because it’s important to support artists like Michael, 10% of all revenue Creativity Squared generates goes to ArtsWave and directly supports the Black and Brown Artists Program.

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