A message from Nick Boraine, GAC's new Artistic Director

Dear friends,

My name is Nick Boraine, and from January 2025, I’ll have the honor of taking over the artistic directorship of Global Arts Corps.

I’ve been working as an associate of GAC for more than 20 years—performing, writing, and teaching all over the world. During that time, it’s been a privilege to work with so many talented artists and fearless social justice warriors. I’d like to acknowledge both Michael and Jackie Lessac for conceiving and helming GAC with extraordinary insight, integrity, and determination these past years and I am pleased that they will continue to work on various projects at GAC. As the world changes and shifts around us, I’m very excited to help GAC respond to current global challenges and continue to build on the successes of the past.

In recent years, GAC has pivoted to working with children ages six to 12 years old. While this may seem like a departure from our previous work, we believe it’s a logical evolution and an important next step. Our work in post-conflict zones around the world has always involved viewing people from all sides of a former conflict as a valuable resource. When one conflict is reflected in another, we can begin to understand the futility of the vengeance cycle; we can drop our masks and we can see each other as human. In the same way, we believe that young children (a vulnerable population particularly in times of conflict) can and should also be viewed as a valuable resource. These young minds are akin to an indigenous population representing, for a brief period before adulthood, a reminder of who and what we can be.

This pivot has spawned GAC’s latest endeavor: The Children’s Radio Exchange. Right now, in various global locations, we are creating experimental kid's ensembles that promote a focus on ancestral narratives, collaborative group storytelling, and creative reimaginings of their futures. We have begun work in Kosovo, South Africa, France, and the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, with kids from the Eastern Shoshone and Arapaho tribes. In the coming year, we have exciting opportunities to also include Arab Israeli and Jewish Israeli kids, as well as Indigenous Sami in Norway and Sweden. The ultimate goal is kids talking to kids—teaching each other across borders, language groups, and cultures.

Together with the team at GAC, we are also envisioning what it would mean to expand our work to operate at a much-needed increase in scale. To achieve greater capacity and sustainability, we are broadening our pool of teachers and experts globally. In addition, we are expanding and codifying our workshop techniques and processes to maximize their efficacy.

I hope that you will continue to support our work and give generously in any way that you are able over the next phase of our journey.

Warmly,

Nick Boraine