Founded in New York City by Artistic Director Allan Buchman, Culture Project is a distinguished Off-Broadway theater organization dedicated to producing plays, performance art, and civic discussions that address critical human rights, civil liberties, and political issues.
Operating on the foundational belief that art can directly influence public policy, dismantle cultural apathy, and foster social awareness, Culture Project provides a vital platform for artists, activists, journalists, and whistle-blowers. The organization brings urgent global narratives to mainstream audiences, using performance as a tool for peace, justice, and human dignity.
1. Mission & Creative Philosophy
Art as a Catalyst for Social Justice
Culture Project champions works that highlight urgent humanitarian crises and institutional injustices. By placing marginalized voices, political dissidents, and stories from worldwide conflict zones front and center, the organization bridges the gap between artistic expression and political activism.
Core Objectives
Human Rights Advocacy: Producing high-impact theater that directly confronts human rights abuses, extrajudicial detention, state surveillance, and systemic inequality.
Fostering Public Dialogue: Pairing theatrical performances with live panel discussions, post-show Q&A sessions, and activist forums that convert artistic engagement into concrete civic action.
Artistic Innovation & Support: Mentoring emerging playwrights, documentary theater-makers, solo performers, and multi-disciplinary creators who challenge conventional storytelling frameworks.
Civic Engagement: Partnering with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), legal aid groups, and human rights watchdogs to ensure theatrical narratives align with active grassroots advocacy.
2. Landmark Productions & Impact on National Discourse
Culture Project is widely recognized for launching groundbreaking Off-Broadway productions that have fundamentally altered public conversations around the justice system, warfare, and human rights.
Major High-Impact Productions
The Exonerated (by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen): A landmark award-winning documentary play constructed from court transcripts and interviews with six innocent individuals sentenced to death row who were later exonerated. The production catalyzed national debates surrounding capital punishment reform and wrongful convictions.
Guantánamo: Honor Bound to Defend Freedom (by Victoria Brittain and Gillian Slovo): A dramatic work compiled from personal letters, legal transcripts, and interviews with detainees, defense attorneys, and political figures detailing extrajudicial detention at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay.
My Name Is Rachel Corrie (edited by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner): The dramatic adaptation of the journals and emails of Rachel Corrie, an American peace activist killed in Gaza, exploring personal idealism, human rights work, and international conflict.
In Conflict (adapted by Douglas C. Wager): A hard-hitting performance piece giving voice to Iraq War veterans reflecting on their combat experiences, physical and psychological injuries, and the challenges of returning to civilian life.
Betrayed (by George Packer): A moving play exploring the real-life stories of Iraqi citizens who risked their lives working as translators and aides for the U.S. presence in Iraq, only to be abandoned as security conditions deteriorated.
Breaking the Silence, Beating the Drum
3. Programmatic Initiatives & Special Series
Culture Project extends its impact beyond traditional run-of-play theatrical seasons through curated series, educational outreach, and artist-in-residence programs.
Key Institutional Initiatives
Impact Festival: A multi-disciplinary performing arts festival curated by Culture Project that integrates political theater, music, film, and panel discussions around a single urgent global theme, such as environmental justice, mass incarceration, or free speech.
Women Center Stage: An annual festival dedicated to showcasing the voices, performances, and leadership of female artists, playwrights, and directors addressing social and political issues from diverse worldwide perspectives.
Human Rights Speaker Series: Regularly scheduled public forums where leading journalists, legal scholars, activists, and survivors of human rights violations speak alongside theatrical directors and cast members.
4. Commercial Theater vs. Culture Project
Commercial Off-Broadway / Broadway
Primary Focus: Commercial box office returns, star-driven casting, and broad entertainment appeal.
Content: Prioritizes traditional narrative dramas, large-scale musicals, and classic revivals designed for mainstream tourist and subscription audiences.
Community Role: Operates primarily as an entertainment vendor with minimal structural integration into advocacy networks.
Culture Project Model
Primary Focus: Social accountability, human rights advocacy, political engagement, and ethical artistic expression.
Content: Center-stages real-world political conflicts, whistle-blower accounts, primary-source testimonies, and investigative theater.
Community Role: Functions as a civic town hall, connecting audiences directly with legal experts, activists, and advocacy organizations.
5. Operational Approach & Community Engagement
Culture Project maintains its artistic independence and mission-driven focus through a combination of philanthropic funding, ticket subsidies, and strategic partnerships.
Accessible Ticket Pricing: Offering subsidized and free ticket programs for students, community organizers, and low-income residents to ensure theater remains accessible beyond affluent patrons.
Non-Profit Sustainability: Supported by private donors, charitable foundations, arts councils, and advocacy grants that prioritize cultural contribution over commercial profit.
Direct Advocacy Coalitions: Working in close collaboration with organizations such as the Innocence Project, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch to transform theatrical audiences into active campaign participants.
Through its steadfast commitment to political honesty, artistic integrity, and human rights advocacy, Culture Project continues to demonstrate how the performing arts can challenge power, illuminate injustice, and inspire meaningful societal change.
