In N.E.W.’s two professional, well-maintained, fully accessible, adaptable, and affordable performance/rehearsal/class studios in South East Portland, South Indian Classical Dance, Capoeira, Japanese Taiko, Belly Dance, and Argentine Tango co-exist with Western Contemporary, Modern, and Post-Modern performance art forms of music, theatre, and dance. N.E.W. artists span the gamut of usage – rehearsing for specific performance deadlines, maintaining a regular artistic practice, and/or teaching and inspiring young and old to investigate and explore their own artistic lives.

N.E.W.’s urban artist residency program is one of a kind in Portland. While providing a much needed incubation space for new works by local choreographers, it is the only residency program in Portland to incorporate “Fieldwork,” a professionally facilitated forum for artists to share developing works and exchange peer to peer feedback. N.E.W. also engages in community programming and innovative collaborations with local arts organizations. In addition, as the artistic home to Natya Leela Academy, N.E.W. is the only venue in Multnomah County where traditional and contemporary Bharatanatyam choreography flourishes.

All these programs are cultivating an ease of engagement and conversation across artistic genres (traditional and contemporary), types (Western and non-Western), forms (choreographers, musicians, actors, writers, photographers, and other creatives), and ages (five year olds to seventy-five year old).