As National Sawdust began construction to build its warehouse home in Williamsburg, it also embarked on establishing a community of artists and music lovers. Through a series of performances scattered around the city, the musical orientation of the unique hub began to cement a clear aesthetic vision while the walls of what would become its permanent stage took place.
Jumping off of this building experience, National Sawdust has curated a selection of films that give insight into the literal ins and outs of creating community. These pieces, grouped into four themes, will be aired on the ALL ARTS website and streaming app over the coming months. The first collection of films in the series, titled “Ex Situ: The Elements at the River to River Festival,” debuted July 21. You can follow along as the full series becomes available on the National Sawdust collection page.
For insight into the series, we spoke to composer Paola Prestini, co-founder and artistic director of National Sawdust, about the concept behind the film groupings, the story of the performance venue, its roots in presenting unique artistry and more.
