House of the Lorde
Chicago’s Home for Black Feminist Burlesque, Drag and Community.
our second year of being was a continued blossoming of support and survival
House of the Lorde
feb 18 2023 - feb 18 2024
Reading room
READING ROOMS
Our Black feminist study group has blossomed into a consistent practice of togetherness through the act of learning and curiousity.
Together, over the past twelve months we've read, celebrated and rested.
We've read Tricia Hersey, June Jordan, Toni Cade Bambara and Audre Lorde.
In March Atoi & Tiff, installed a dreamy fort that folks lounged and layed in while listening to the final chapter of Tricia Hersey's Rest is Resistance.
10
in our 2nd year
we hosted:
Now offering Reading Room Bookmarks in our shop!
Our classes have been intentionally crafted to be a space to indulge curiosity and pleasure through the exploration of drag and burlesque methodology. Classes are also our primary source of income, helping to cover our operational costs.
Our burlesque &
drag Classes
8 SESSIONS OF CLASSES
during our 2nd year we hosted:
8
Sessions
of classes
143 STUDENTS
HOTL is committed to ensuring Black and Brown queer folks who experience financial barriers have access to our
cost-based offerings.
Every class we host dedicates 2 slots per class for scholarship recipients to attend at a reduced rate of 50% off.
LAST YEAR WE SET THE GOAL OF PROVIDING 30 SCHOLARSHIPS
32 SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
rehearsals, meetings and beyond
Beyond our public events, HOTL served as the budding ground for individual artists to develop work, capture short films and settle into a regular studio practice without a demand for a final product. Shoutout to studio regulars Musu (Hoochie Mane), Kiki King, Rahila Coats, and Anna Martine Whitehead (& FORCE!).
249 HOURS
DEDICATED TO
ARTIST STUDIO PRACTICE
homagetoblkmadonnas
FEB 25,2023
We started off our year with our curational debut featuring artwork and archives from Kee Merriweather.
Our opening night boasted over 50 guests, an incredible multigenerational blend.
Kee also unveiled their final zine of HOMAGETOBLKMADONNAS which HOTL sold in-person and in our shop for a limited time.
free verse
april 18,2023
For poetry month, Tiff Beatty facilitated a free writing workshop, Free Verse.
Rooted in Lorde's,
A Litany For Survival,
free verse was a moving invitation to attendees to reflect on Lorde's Litany, and then take pen to paper to create their own version of the form.
(We were too enthralled with the workshop to take any documentation.)
36 ARTIST APPLIED TO OUR FIRST ARTIST FELLOWSHIP
OUR ARTIST FELLOWSHIP
In October, we began the first open call for our Artist Fellowship.
Informed by a steering committee of Chicago artists, including Kee Merriweather, Anna Martine Whitehead and Shimmy Laroux, we developed our Fellowship program with the intention of faciliating a non-laborious application process, and providing space and resources to a movement-based artist whose work is aligned with HOTL.
We reviewed 36 applications, and conducted 10 virtual interviews
On Feb 8, 2024 we announced Jamila Kekulah as our 2024 Artist Fellow!
OUR INTENTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR
2.18.24 - 2.18.25
HOLD 2 OFFERINGS HIGHLIGHTING OUR 2024 ARTIST FELLOW
BUILD CAPACITY:
HIRE A PART-TIME
STUDIO ASSISTANT
HOST 2 COMMUNAL OFFERINGS THAT ENCOURAGE REST AND SPIRITUALITY
PRODUCE 2 INTIMATE CABARETS
HIGHLIGHTING HOTL STUDENTS
DEVELOP HOTL
MEMBERSHIP
SELECT OUR 2025 ARTIST FELLOW
PROVIDE
30 STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
