Mission & Approach

Performa's mission is four-fold: to commission and produce new performance works by visual artists; to present the Performa Biennial every other year across New York City; to offer educational programs illuminating the role of performance in art history; and to build and share an extensive archive of performance documentation and scholarship.

The organization's curatorial approach is characterized by its commitment to research-based commissions that encourage artists to explore new territory within their practice. Many artists who create works for Performa are venturing into live performance for the first time, a process that requires extensive collaboration, mentorship, and production support over the course of 12-24 months.

By focusing specifically on performance created by visual artists, Performa has carved out a unique niche within the broader landscape of performance festivals. This approach reflects Goldberg's scholarly perspective on the integral role of performance in movements from Futurism and Dada to contemporary art practices, positioning performance not as a supplementary medium but as a vital, generative force in artistic innovation.

History & Development

Performa emerged from Goldberg's conviction that performance art needed a dedicated platform to highlight its significance in art history and contemporary practice. After decades of advocating for performance as a curator and scholar, Goldberg established Performa to address what she saw as a critical gap in institutional support for live art.

The inaugural Performa Biennial in 2005 set a precedent by featuring groundbreaking commissions from artists like Jesper Just and Francis Alÿs, as well as Marina Abramović's landmark "Seven Easy Pieces" at the Guggenheim Museum, in which she re-performed canonical works from the performance art canon. Since then, each edition of the biennial has grown in scope and ambition, with each iteration exploring different historical and conceptual frameworks.

Notable Commissions

At the heart of Performa's work is its commissioning program, which provides substantial financial and production support to artists creating ambitious new performance pieces. These commissions have resulted in some of the most significant performance works of the 21st century, many of which have gone on to tour internationally and enter museum collections.

The commissioning process typically spans 12-24 months, during which Performa's curatorial team works closely with artists to develop concepts, secure venues, coordinate technical elements, and navigate the challenges of creating live work. Many commissioned artists are venturing into performance for the first time, making this collaborative process particularly crucial to the success of the work.

Rashid Johnson: Dutchman (2013)

A powerful reimagining of Amiri Baraka's 1964 play staged in the historic Russian and Turkish Baths on 10th Street.

Mike Kelley: Extracurricular Activity Projective Reconstruction (2009)

A multi-part performance series exploring American cultural mythologies and educational rituals.

Barbara Kruger: Untitled (Skate) (2017)

A transformed skate park featuring Kruger's iconic text-based visuals, activating public space as performance venue.

Julien Creuzet (2023)

Choreographic work exploring collective memory of movements across the Black Atlantic, inspired by social media archives.

Key Venues

One of Performa's distinctive features is its use of diverse venues throughout New York City, activating both established cultural institutions and unconventional spaces. Rather than being confined to traditional theater or gallery settings, Performa performances have taken place in locations ranging from historic bath houses and repurposed warehouses to public parks and iconic skyscrapers.

For each biennial, Performa establishes a central hub that serves as a gathering point, information center, and venue for smaller performances, talks, and events. In addition to this hub, performances are distributed across partner institutions and site-specific locations chosen to complement the themes and requirements of each commission.

Performa Hub

A central meeting point established for each biennial, hosting talks, screenings, and smaller performances in a dedicated space.

Guggenheim Museum

Host to landmark performances including Marina Abramović's "Seven Easy Pieces" during the inaugural biennial.

Brooklyn Academy of Music

A recurring venue partner providing theater spaces for more technical performance productions.

Public Spaces

Urban environments including parks, streets, and public plazas frequently activated as performance sites.