Photo credit: Tamisha Denson (Thirty8special)
Be Well by Steven Banks
We've all been there, bell rings at 7:40 AM and the day is already a struggle. Inner city high school teacher, Steven Banks is grappling with his life choices as he breaks up daily fights in a rough school, covers for coworkers, and is trying to advance his career, but comes up against enemies. Be Well shows us the inner workings of a thirty something's life with storytelling through song and rap. He is in the pursuit of happiness and wellness and wants to do right in the world. Will his decision come too late or will he be able to make the choice to move forward and be well.
Staged Reading was held at Buckham Gallery on Friday, December 1, 2023.
Characters:
Steve: Early 30’s, young black male. Casually dressed with hip style.
Therapist: Older white woman with calming personality and voice
Principal: Proud man. Bit of a gas lighter with presence when in a room. Can be a tall male, with a ego about himself
Angel: Older black woman, has a church feel but professionalism about her. Very calming in nature and tone
Playwright:
In the Winter of 2023, Steven Banks was selected as the second Emerging Artist Fellow by a committee of UM-Flint faculty, students, and artists of Buckham Fine Arts Project. Steven – a musician, hip hop producer and rapper –proposed to write and produce a play. Steven’s proposal merged his already prolific work as a musician (performing as This Life. We Lead. examples of music: https://linktr.ee/tlwlmusic and as an educator. Be Well tells the story of a Detroit based high school teacher struggling to find his place and keep himself well.
This project is supported through the generosity of Buckham Gallery, University of Michigan-Flint’s Arts + Culture Research Cluster, Community Foundation of Greater Flint and the UM Arts Initiative.
https://linktr.ee/riverbankarts
We've all been there, bell rings at 7:40 AM and the day is already a struggle. Inner city high school teacher, Steven Banks is grappling with his life choices as he breaks up daily fights in a rough school, covers for coworkers, and is trying to advance his career, but comes up against enemies. Be Well shows us the inner workings of a thirty something's life with storytelling through song and rap. He is in the pursuit of happiness and wellness and wants to do right in the world. Will his decision come too late or will he be able to make the choice to move forward and be well.
Staged Reading was held at Buckham Gallery on Friday, December 1, 2023.
Characters:
Steve: Early 30’s, young black male. Casually dressed with hip style.
Therapist: Older white woman with calming personality and voice
Principal: Proud man. Bit of a gas lighter with presence when in a room. Can be a tall male, with a ego about himself
Angel: Older black woman, has a church feel but professionalism about her. Very calming in nature and tone
Playwright:
In the Winter of 2023, Steven Banks was selected as the second Emerging Artist Fellow by a committee of UM-Flint faculty, students, and artists of Buckham Fine Arts Project. Steven – a musician, hip hop producer and rapper –proposed to write and produce a play. Steven’s proposal merged his already prolific work as a musician (performing as This Life. We Lead. examples of music: https://linktr.ee/tlwlmusic and as an educator. Be Well tells the story of a Detroit based high school teacher struggling to find his place and keep himself well.
This project is supported through the generosity of Buckham Gallery, University of Michigan-Flint’s Arts + Culture Research Cluster, Community Foundation of Greater Flint and the UM Arts Initiative.
https://linktr.ee/riverbankarts
University of Michigan - Flint Arts + Culture Research Cluster with Buckham Fine Arts Project announces Steven Banks as the 2022 - 2023 Emerging Artist Fellowship recipient.
“My art is meant to have no limits or boundaries. I create because it’s good for the soul and it doesn’t matter how others feel about it. To live your life in full creation. Every moment is a story, and my art looks to shine bright on the everyday lives we live,” said Steven Banks, the 2022 - 2023 Emerging Artist Fellowship recipient.
The Emerging Artist Fellowship collaboration between the Arts + Culture Research Cluster at University of Michigan - Flint and Buckham Fine Arts Project provides a nourishing space for artists to grow and acquire essential professional development opportunities to succeed as they enter the art world. This collaboration and Fellowship were established in 2021. Submissions to the Fellowship were reviewed by a committee of UM-Flint faculty, students, community members, as well as Buckham artists and leadership. The review committee interviewed a short list of the applicants and ultimately, Steven Banks was selected for the fellowship.
“Banks came to the interview with a proposal to move outside his comfort zone and tackle an ambitious project- moving from music and video to scriptwriting and live theatre. The jury panel was impressed with his initiative and potential to involve new areas of the Arts + Culture Research Cluster,” shared Michele Leclaire, Executive Director of Buckham Fine Arts Project.
Steven Banks a.k.a. This Life. We Lead., is an alternative rapper from Flint, Mi. He has pursued music since 2013 releasing a self-titled project, and more recently Drink Responsibly in 2019. Following a drop of singles in 2021, TLWL was featured on FX and as of 2022, HBO. Working as a middle school teacher, TLWL works within the community and continues to connect his art with his career.
"This is a very big deal to me. I am so excited to get started. Everyone I have spoken with, related to this project, has been behind my ideas and believes in what I can bring to this opportunity. I feel this will allow me to grow as an artist in ways I did not imagine. The expertise I will be surrounded with is priceless. This will be an exciting collaboration,” shared Banks.
“My art is meant to have no limits or boundaries. I create because it’s good for the soul and it doesn’t matter how others feel about it. To live your life in full creation. Every moment is a story, and my art looks to shine bright on the everyday lives we live,” said Steven Banks, the 2022 - 2023 Emerging Artist Fellowship recipient.
The Emerging Artist Fellowship collaboration between the Arts + Culture Research Cluster at University of Michigan - Flint and Buckham Fine Arts Project provides a nourishing space for artists to grow and acquire essential professional development opportunities to succeed as they enter the art world. This collaboration and Fellowship were established in 2021. Submissions to the Fellowship were reviewed by a committee of UM-Flint faculty, students, community members, as well as Buckham artists and leadership. The review committee interviewed a short list of the applicants and ultimately, Steven Banks was selected for the fellowship.
“Banks came to the interview with a proposal to move outside his comfort zone and tackle an ambitious project- moving from music and video to scriptwriting and live theatre. The jury panel was impressed with his initiative and potential to involve new areas of the Arts + Culture Research Cluster,” shared Michele Leclaire, Executive Director of Buckham Fine Arts Project.
Steven Banks a.k.a. This Life. We Lead., is an alternative rapper from Flint, Mi. He has pursued music since 2013 releasing a self-titled project, and more recently Drink Responsibly in 2019. Following a drop of singles in 2021, TLWL was featured on FX and as of 2022, HBO. Working as a middle school teacher, TLWL works within the community and continues to connect his art with his career.
"This is a very big deal to me. I am so excited to get started. Everyone I have spoken with, related to this project, has been behind my ideas and believes in what I can bring to this opportunity. I feel this will allow me to grow as an artist in ways I did not imagine. The expertise I will be surrounded with is priceless. This will be an exciting collaboration,” shared Banks.
Photo credit: Tamisha Denson (Thirty8special)
About Emerging Artist Fellowship
The Emerging Artist Fellowship is a collaboration between Buckham Fine Arts Project and the Arts + Culture Research Cluster. The fellowship follows the schedule of the college calendar and offers mentoring, consulting, technical and promotion support to assist the fellow on their creative path. In addition to an honorarium, fellows are provided studio space, awarded for supplies, instruction, workshops, or other uses specifically related to the growth and development of the artist's artistic work. Fellows receive professional development and growth opportunities through mentorship from Buckham artists, and A+C faculty. As mentors, they help each fellow integrate into local and regional markets and access professional development through increased visibility, marketing, and networking.
“The fellowship includes access to UM-Flint's art studios, woodshop, soundstage, and studio space at Riverbank Arts, a new community-centered space for creatives, community members, and academics to develop and find support for artistic and cultural production in Flint,” explained Benjamin Gaydos, Associate Professor of Design and Chair, Arts + Culture Research Cluster.
“It is the mission of Buckham Fine Arts Project to enrich the cultural life of its surrounding communities by presenting a broad range of innovative contemporary art, both visual and performance, of the highest quality and standard. It is our vision to support the growth of artists in our community through opportunities to engage with sometimes challenging works of art or finding new ways to view and think about art,” added Leclaire.
The Emerging Artist Fellowship is supported by a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.
The Emerging Artist Fellowship is a collaboration between Buckham Fine Arts Project and the Arts + Culture Research Cluster. The fellowship follows the schedule of the college calendar and offers mentoring, consulting, technical and promotion support to assist the fellow on their creative path. In addition to an honorarium, fellows are provided studio space, awarded for supplies, instruction, workshops, or other uses specifically related to the growth and development of the artist's artistic work. Fellows receive professional development and growth opportunities through mentorship from Buckham artists, and A+C faculty. As mentors, they help each fellow integrate into local and regional markets and access professional development through increased visibility, marketing, and networking.
“The fellowship includes access to UM-Flint's art studios, woodshop, soundstage, and studio space at Riverbank Arts, a new community-centered space for creatives, community members, and academics to develop and find support for artistic and cultural production in Flint,” explained Benjamin Gaydos, Associate Professor of Design and Chair, Arts + Culture Research Cluster.
“It is the mission of Buckham Fine Arts Project to enrich the cultural life of its surrounding communities by presenting a broad range of innovative contemporary art, both visual and performance, of the highest quality and standard. It is our vision to support the growth of artists in our community through opportunities to engage with sometimes challenging works of art or finding new ways to view and think about art,” added Leclaire.
The Emerging Artist Fellowship is supported by a generous grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.
