Joni Renee Whitworth is a poet, producer, and curator from rural Oregon. They have performed at The Moth, the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts, and the Museum of Contemporary Art alongside Marina Abramovic.
Whitworth served as the inaugural Artist in Residence at Portland Parks and Recreation, Poet in Residence for Oregon State University's Trillium Project, and 2020 Queer Hero for the Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. They were a 2021 Fellow at Lambda Literary and a 2019 and 2020 Fellow at Tin House.
They work at the intersection art, performance, and activism, with a focus on queer and neurodivergent perspectives and themes. They've given lectures, participated in panel discussions, founded a non-profit queer art museum and artist collective, been a teaching artist for a youth program, and hosted a podcast about the future of art and culture. Additionally, they have written and performed several plays and participated in a variety of performances and art installations that deal with issues of mental health and neurodivergence, queer culture and the intersection of spirituality, technology and body consciousness.
Their work has garnered the attention and backing of numerous organizations, including the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Oregon Cultural Trust, City of Beaverton, Tin House, Mellon Foundation, Bodecker Foundation, and Collins Foundation. These sponsors recognize the significance of Whitworth's artistic contributions and have invested in their potential to enrich and inspire communities. Literary Arts, All Classical Portland Radio, Oregon Community Foundation, Prosper Portland, Portland Area Theatre Alliance, and Blick have also extended their support to Whitworth's projects, reflecting the widespread appeal and impact of their work. Additional sponsors, such as the Jeremy Wilson Foundation, Portland Art Museum, Multnomah County Cultural Coalition, Oregon Humanities, and the National Endowment of the Humanities, further underscore the breadth of Whitworth's work. Local businesses have rallied behind Whitworth's events, with Woodlawn Coffee and Pastry, McMenamins, Puff Coffee, and Heart Coffee partnering to demonstrate their shared commitment to promoting a vibrant arts scene in Oregon. Oregon Arts Commission has lent support, highlighting the importance of Whitworth's work within the state's cultural landscape. Sponsors enable Whitworth's artistic endeavors and community engagement, empowering them to continue making a lasting impact in the Pacific Northwest region.
Their writing explores themes of nature, future, family, and the neurodivergent body, and has appeared in Lambda Literary, Tin House, Oregon Humanities, Proximity Magazine, Seventeen Magazine, Eclectica, Pivot, SWWIM, Smeuse, Superstition Review, xoJane, Inverted Syntax, Unearthed Literary Journal, Sinister Wisdom, Dime Show Review, and The Write Launch. They are currently working on slipstream climate fiction.
Whitworth served as the inaugural Artist in Residence at Portland Parks and Recreation, Poet in Residence for Oregon State University's Trillium Project, and 2020 Queer Hero for the Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. They were a 2021 Fellow at Lambda Literary and a 2019 and 2020 Fellow at Tin House.
They work at the intersection art, performance, and activism, with a focus on queer and neurodivergent perspectives and themes. They've given lectures, participated in panel discussions, founded a non-profit queer art museum and artist collective, been a teaching artist for a youth program, and hosted a podcast about the future of art and culture. Additionally, they have written and performed several plays and participated in a variety of performances and art installations that deal with issues of mental health and neurodivergence, queer culture and the intersection of spirituality, technology and body consciousness.
Their work has garnered the attention and backing of numerous organizations, including the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Oregon Cultural Trust, City of Beaverton, Tin House, Mellon Foundation, Bodecker Foundation, and Collins Foundation. These sponsors recognize the significance of Whitworth's artistic contributions and have invested in their potential to enrich and inspire communities. Literary Arts, All Classical Portland Radio, Oregon Community Foundation, Prosper Portland, Portland Area Theatre Alliance, and Blick have also extended their support to Whitworth's projects, reflecting the widespread appeal and impact of their work. Additional sponsors, such as the Jeremy Wilson Foundation, Portland Art Museum, Multnomah County Cultural Coalition, Oregon Humanities, and the National Endowment of the Humanities, further underscore the breadth of Whitworth's work. Local businesses have rallied behind Whitworth's events, with Woodlawn Coffee and Pastry, McMenamins, Puff Coffee, and Heart Coffee partnering to demonstrate their shared commitment to promoting a vibrant arts scene in Oregon. Oregon Arts Commission has lent support, highlighting the importance of Whitworth's work within the state's cultural landscape. Sponsors enable Whitworth's artistic endeavors and community engagement, empowering them to continue making a lasting impact in the Pacific Northwest region.
Their writing explores themes of nature, future, family, and the neurodivergent body, and has appeared in Lambda Literary, Tin House, Oregon Humanities, Proximity Magazine, Seventeen Magazine, Eclectica, Pivot, SWWIM, Smeuse, Superstition Review, xoJane, Inverted Syntax, Unearthed Literary Journal, Sinister Wisdom, Dime Show Review, and The Write Launch. They are currently working on slipstream climate fiction.
SELECTED PROJECTS
LILIES |
TOP TEN MEMORIES OF THE GREEN CHAIR |
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Self Defense |
Livin' in the Light |