After several weeks of gathering a formation group on friendship at her church, Oasis Church Chicago, Collaborative Seed Grantee Dennissa Young put on the “Bureau of Friendship,” on March 1-3, 2024, with a team of performer-collaborators. The purpose of the “Bureau” was to bring a seriously silly approach to understanding ourselves and our community. It was a pop-up place to explore, to feel and to make friends. The entire process of putting on the exhibition came from a place of longing to know and be known, and asking: How can art itself generate friendship? It happens through spending time together, world building and creating space for the entire project to be collaborative.
Church members and the public attended the three days of interactive performances, and it was received with much interest and enjoyment. Rev. Sarah Gautier, who Dennissa met at a HUB convening, also came support and give a “bendicion.”