A note from Colleen Snell, Artistic Director

Frog in Hand company members
13 minutes ago
2 min read

Hello friends,

It’s been an incredible year: a year of gritty determination, breakthrough artistic performances and brand new collaborations. We’ve had incredible highs, like the Bodies of Knowledge project (reaching over 450 people aged 14-94), and our first fundraiser (the Summer Dances Soiree). We’ve also encountered obstacles. Our lease was terminated early, and we dismantled our home, the Art Shelter... a space that was shared with hundreds of artists and community members.

Through these highs and lows, we’ve had you: our incredible community.

These are hard times - not just for artists, but for all of us. There is an economic crisis, a crisis of social isolation - daily news headlines spark concern. It’s hard to remain optimistic, and to maintain hope. But times like these also remind us WHY the arts matter and HOW they can help. The arts shape who we are, ground us in community, spark joy, create meaningful moments of insight and connection. They remind us we aren’t alone. The arts help us understand what we are feeling before we can find the words.

Like Elbert Hubbard said, “Art is not a thing; it is a way.”

2025 was a journey. Frog in Hand created work with and for the communities we serve. That included seated audiences and passersby, arts patrons and folks new to dance. We worked in public spaces like Farmer’s Markets, parks, street corners and even a local charcuterie shop - making creativity more accessible and more visible to everyone. We encouraged everyone to engage in public life in their own city, within their own means. And we had so much fun along the way.

This Summer we also met a wonderful cohort of new generation artists during our 2025 Summer Company. 10 youth dancers were joined by a production assistant and a costume designer. We were inspired by their work ethic, professionalism, creativity and emotional buoyancy. They took initiative as individuals and they cared for one another as a team. The Summer Company has now been running for a remarkable 8 consecutive years, and we are already planning the next one... stay tuned.

In closing, thank you. We couldn’t have done it without you. Because of you, we move into 2026 grounded in the belief that art matters, and it can make a difference. We understand positive change and remarkable creativity is possible when we work together. Thank you for your generosity and belief in Frog in Hand. We wish you all the best for the New Year. If you see me, come say hi.