Laurie Anderson has landed a year-long residency at Joe’s Pub in New York City after receiving the Public Theater’s 2020 Vanguard Award and Residency prize.
Anderson will receive the award at the third annual Vanguard Gala, set to take place February 3rd. The event will feature a night of performances from various artists, with Shara Nova of my Brightest Diamond serving as the musical director.
While an exact launch date has yet to be announced, Anderson’s residency will comprise monthly Sunday night performances between March and December.
“I love Sunday evening shows,” Anderson said in a statement. “The end of the weekend is such a no man’s land — an interesting time to play with new combinations. The series I’m planning for Joe’s Pub will feature writers as well as musicians — sometimes collaborating, sometimes jamming, sometimes making entirely new things. And since it’s election season, hopefully there will be some challenging political moments as artists, writers and musicians confront and express our tumultuous times.”
Along with Anderson’s own headlining performance, she will help curate other performances from her mentees, collaborators and friends. Additional details about those shows will be announced at a later date.
Previous winners of the Public Theater’s Vanguard and Residency award include folk musician Judy Collins and solo artist and former Labelle member Nona Hendryx.
Anderson released her latest project, Songs from the Bardo, in September. The 80-minute piece is based around the Tibetan “Book of the Dead,” and Anderson crafted it with Tibetan musician Tenzin Choegyal and composer and activist Jesse Paris Smith.