DREAMTANK 
A conversation space exploring communal creative potentiality amidst life in paradox

Our Vision:
DREAMTANK is an experimental, open forum initiated by artists and activists, Madelyn Byrd and Sharon Park. Together, we discuss the powers and paradoxes of creating art under late capitalism. In a practice of co-imagination, we forge ideas and connections on how we can bring our work and internal processes closer into alignment with liberatory principles and practices.

In the so-called ‘free world’ we exist in perpetual paradox: our sense of spiritual/emotional wellness and creative freedom are constantly put into competition with our material survival. For anyone who is artistically inclined, this often means we must actively defend our right to creative expression. We create against all odds, despite - and often in response to - the harmful and extractive standards imposed by capitalism.

To insist on freedom of creative exploration is to insist on our humanity. Taking our own humanity seriously means we are automatically accountable to insisting on the humanity of those most hurt by the oppressive forces we’re critical of. How do we make this connection more vividly present in our everyday and creative lives?

Our Mission:
Our mission is open ended, inverting the take-oriented, outcome-driven marathon of our daily realities to take time to share our dreams, desires, and hopes within a creative community context. We, Maddy & Ran, believe everyone is a creative being, even if we don’t have a traditional or commodifiable arts practice. We also believe that art and creativity hold immense potential for presencing and healing, bridging human and nonhuman relationships, and fostering a sense of interconnectedness within our community. We also believe much of this potential is often overlooked or unexplored and can be more radical and bold in its decolonial and activism efforts. We also believe that in practice, creative communities can be more intentional and radical in prefiguring a better world*. We also believe there are possible limitations to the powers of creativity, and we’re curious about where these lines may or may not exist.


DREAMTANK 001:
The first iteration of DREAMTANK was held in Sharon’s living room in Seattle, WA in late October 2024 with 15 local artists and activists, most of whom had never met. Together, we embarked on a daring journey of radical co-imagining to reform the membranes around our present, post-capitalist realities. Sitting round-table-style on floor cushions in candlight with a homecooked meal in our hands, we traced the possible reaches of creative community, supported each other’s material obstacles, and theorized of what happens when we strive to organize and dare to co-dream.

Stay tuned for future iterations of DREAMTANK, online and in Berlin & Seattle in 2025 :)