Anu Bhatt: Statera Blog Contributor

Photo by Joe Mazza – Brave Lux

Today we want to re-introduce you to one of our Statera Blog contributors, Anu Bhatt! Our blog contributors offer up their unique voices and perspectives to our audience in the form of short essays, vlogs, interviews, and other creative content. Anu’s vlog “Seeking Agency” centers around the mental health challenges that women face in the arts industry and is part of our larger Statera Community Conversations series.

Bhatt is a StateraArts member, an alumni of our Chicago Mentorship Chapter, and a multi-faceted actor, dancer, and playwright. Amongst many other accomplishments, Anu’s autobiographical one-woman show Hollow/Wave, which was first produced in Chicago, has toured off-Broadway at the United Solo Theatre Festival in New York City. In her first two vlog episodes, Anu shares her experience with that process, the challenges she faces as a South Asain actress, and what she sees happing in her community in regards to mental health and wellness. Read more about what makes her compelled to do the work she does below!

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StateraArts: What lights you up?
Anu Bhatt: I love that feeling of connection: to nature, to people, to stories. It makes me feel alive.

Anu Bhatt in “Hollow/Wave” (Silk Road Rising 2018)

SA: What is your "WHY"? Meaning why do you do the work you do - your personal mission.
AB: I want to create an environment where people who look and think like me feel safe and included. As a kid, I never saw enough representation in the media to make me feel like my body was beautiful, or that the challenges I have experienced were shared by others. Now, I want to create that sense of belonging for myself and others.

SA: How is your "WHY" integrated with your contribution to the Statera Blog?
AB: With Statera, I have the platform to talk about topics that I think we should be talking about more: mental health, body image and cultural sensitivity. My aim with the Statera vlog is to foster that sense of connection and belonging among womxn and artists, and to collectively unlearn scarcity mindset and unhealthy comparisons amongst ourselves.

Check out “Seeking Agency” Parts 1 and 2, and keep a lookout for the third episode coming very soon!

Seeking Agency: Part 2 with Anu Bhatt

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Photo credit: Brave Lux Photography

Statera Community Conversations is a deep-dive series centered around community, purpose, advocacy, and action. Today we are kicking off a sub-series with Statera Member Anu Bhatt surrounding mental health issues that often arise for women in the arts.

Earlier this week we asked you two more questions on Facebook in preparation for this episode. The first was, “How have you incorporated self-care into your life?", and the second being, "What is your solution to burnout?” Your responses were wonderful for getting this conversation started.

In this episode of the vlog, Anu shares her own story as someone experiencing burnout after her one-woman show, Hollow/Wave. She also discusses scarcity mindset, particularly for minority artists, and the important topic of self-care. Check it out!

If you missed Anu’s first episode you can watch it here. We want you to be part of the conversation! Keep an eye out for more discussion questions via social media as we prepare for the next segment in this series, “Seeking Agency: Part 3”. You can also follow these hashtags on social media:

#STATERAWORKWEEK
#BALANCETHEATREWORKWEEK

Make sure you check out some of our previous Statera Community Conversations:

• “Seeking Agency: Part 1” a conversation with Anu Bhatt

• “Questioning Authority: the glorification of politeness as a means of controlling women” a conversation with Jackie Vanderbeck

• “Representation and Mentorship in the Arts: You Are Not Alone” a conversation with Torie Wiggins

• “Transforming Negative Messaging Through Collaboration” a conversation with Kelcey Anyá

• “Digging Deeper: Artistic Directors Hiring Women Behind the Scenes” a conversation with Valerie Rachelle

Seeking Agency: Part 1 with Anu Bhatt

HOME

Photo credit: Clay Larsen Photography

Statera Community Conversations is a deep-dive series centered around community, purpose, advocacy, and action. Today we are kicking off a sub-series with Statera Member Anu Bhatt surrounding mental health issues that often arise for women in the arts.

Last week we turned to you on Facebook to get feedback on two questions. The first was, “Does the term #NoDaysOff give you a sense of pride or a lack of agency?”, and the second being, “How do you establish personal agency as a performing artist?”

In this first episode of the vlog, Anu shares some of your responses, as well as stories shared by the community since Statera’s Call To Action regarding the Theatre Work Week. Check it out!

We want you to be part of the conversation. Keep an eye out for more discussion questions via social media as we prepare for the next segment in this series, “Seeking Agency: Part 2”. You can also follow these hashtags on social media:

#StateraWorkWeek
#BalanceTheatreWorkWeek

Make sure you check out some of our previous Statera Community Conversations?

• “Questioning Authority: the glorification of politeness as a means of controlling women” a conversation with Jackie Vanderbeck

• “Representation and Mentorship in the Arts: You Are Not Alone” a conversation with Torie Wiggins

• “Transforming Negative Messaging Through Collaboration” a conversation with Kelcey Anyá

• “Digging Deeper: Artistic Directors Hiring Women Behind the Scenes” a conversation with Valerie Rachelle
  

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