CAMD faculty member Ilya Vidrin, Department of Theatre, was recently awarded a Mass Cultural Council Artist Fellowship; these highly competitive awards recognize exceptional work by Massachusetts artists across a range of disciplines. Vidrin, who was recognized in the Choreography category, will be creating a new multi-media work, OtherWise.

Centering on micro-aggression and intergenerational trauma in refugee experience, OtherWise is a deep embodied exploration of how movement and sound provide tools for investigating ethical questions about social responsibility, cultural competence, and ethics of care. Vidrin will collaborate with fellow first-generation artists, including violinist Daniel Kurganov and singer-song writer Alec Hutson, to investigate and respond to songs of oppression and hope.

Ilya Vidrin, who will be joining Northeastern full-time in the fall, is a performer, educator, and researcher at the intersection of performing arts, philosophy, and interactive media. Born into a refugee family, Vidrin’s research and artistic practice interrogates the complex ethics of human interaction, including the embodiment of empathy, cultural competence, and social responsibility. He has served as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Theatre and Creative Practice Leadership at Northeastern and is an Instructor of Dance at Harvard University.

Mass Cultural Council works to elevate rich cultural life in Massachusetts. The organization partners with communities across the Commonwealth to expand access, improve education, promote diversity, and encourage excellence in the arts, humanities, and sciences. Through its efforts, the Council aims to make the state a better place to live, work, and visit for everyone.