elizaBeth Simpson

Artist Statement: 
elizaBeth Simpson (b. 1976) is a cultural worker who engages in a variety of creative and social justice initiatives that encourage awareness of the richly intersecting domains of personal, social, present, and historic human interactions. She has been doing performance art incorporating vocal composition, puppetry, fire spinning, street theater, and storytelling since 1994. In the realm of visual media, elizaBeth specializes in collaborative projects involving people who would not call themselves “Artists.” In her collaborative work, she uses the popular education and critical pedagogy tools she has learned and developed in her professional experience working with the conflicts and group dynamics of communities, organizations, and individuals for over 16 years. She seeks to increase liberatory praxis and eliminate oppressive dynamics by unveiling their roots in daily life, and has taught over 100 workshops and classes throughout the country in both academic and community settings. elizaBeth studied Theater of the Oppressed with Augusto Boal and Story Circles with John O’Neal. Recognition for her accomplishments include a position as Activist-In-Residence at Goddard College in 2006, receipt of the American Society for Cybernetics’ Heinz von Foerster Prize in 2007, and receipt of the Here and Now grant from the Urbana Public Arts program in 2009, 2012, and 2013.
Bio / Description: 

Primarily known for her vocals (jazz-spiked folk and avant garde/noise) and songwriting (dubbed "soulful indie rock"), elizaBeth also specializes in collaborative projects for adults and children. Her other key areas of expertise include storytelling and printmaking (stencils, silkscreens, blockprints)nike

Phone: 
217-344-8324
Address: 
1005 Fairview Ave