ShapeShifter Plus is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that seeks to promote innovative artistic expression and provide a home for artists to push the boundaries of musical, educational, and creative conventions.
Formed in 2014, our focus is on the advancement of inventive artistic voices, and our mission is to provide opportunities for artists and organizations to creatively and freely realize their visions. ShapeShifter Plus’s expanding board currently consists of founders Matt Garrison, Fortuna Sung, and Ravi Coltrane, as well as Jack and Lydia DeJohnette. Our honorary advisors are Herbie Hancock, Roberta Escamilla Garrison, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Arturo O’Farrill, and our advisors include Massimo Biolcati and Jeff Fleishhacker.
ShapeShifter Lab founders Matthew Garrison and Fortuna Sung are the creators of ShapeShifter Plus. In their 12 years of operation, they’ve presented over 10,000 performances, an experience that has brought on a constantly evolving understanding of both the needs and desires of their community of artists and patrons. With this new understanding came the formation of ShapeShifter Plus. This organization is their vehicle for advancing and implementing many of the ideas they’ve had the opportunity to test and experiment with over the last decade at ShapeShifter Lab. They’ve joined forces with Ravi Coltrane, the third director, who has been a key figure in pushing their work forward with generous contributions of time and ideas. We feel our collective experience will be a catalyst for positivity and uplifting change within the current NY, US, and international arts scene.
What We Do: Present curated performances and workshops by local and international artists.
Why We Do It: We feel that the current state of the music community (for the most part) is not inclusive enough. We want to break boundaries by bringing artists and people together through different artistic forms, with an emphasis on music. We believe that education and music are our vehicles for propagating the message to the world.
Where We Do It: Though we are based in Brooklyn, we are not limited to a specific location, and have streamed events to audiences around the globe.
