julia samuels
Blue Boxes is a durational, inter-disciplinary work. It’s not theatre - it moves between performance, installation, digital and participatory forms. I’ve been working on it - through different iterations - since 2015, sometimes on my own, and sometimes with collaborators.
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It explores the intersection of Jewish identity, antisemitism and Israel/Palestine. It uses creativity to see if we can have more nuanced conversations about one of the most contested and difficult conversations of our time. It tries to create encounters where different perspectives can sit alongside each other, where questions can be asked, where empathy is encouraged, where violence is always rejected.
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Most recently, in Blue Boxes 24, I commissioned 8 Jewish artists of very varied artistic disciplines, geographies, lived experiences and connections to their heritages. As Lead Artist/Curator, I brought the artists together and then supported them to make their own DIY work at home and share it - in person or online - with small, invited audiences.
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I'll be developing Blue Boxes 26 through a residency in Berkeley, California in autumn 2026.
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Some of my collaborators and partners include: Hemi Yeroham, Becky Prestwich, Alex Eisenberg, Amy Lever, Ray Filar, Arts Council England, Manchester Jewish Museum and The Neighborhood Brooklyn.