In rural Haiti, the Lakou communal living system embodies the intersection of land, family, and spirituality. Lakou members develop reciprocal patterns of resource sharing and jointly work the land. Lakou NOU (“Our Yard” in Haitian Creole), HCX’s newest program, is a creative adaption of this traditional model. This project will provide four artists of Haitian descent with the opportunity to create and present new work by connecting their skills and talents to four traditionally underserved Brooklyn neighborhoods, home to generations of Haitians and Haitian-Americans: Crown Heights, Canarsie, East Flatbush, and Flatbush.

Positioning their own creative talents as a component of a collective commons, the artists selected via an open call will further their own artistic visions through support from community assets. HCX will facilitate the formation of partnerships between selected artists and neighborhood entities, including community centers, small businesses, and local cultural institutions. These relationships will engage artists with challenges and opportunities unique to each “lakou” and afford access to valuable resources, such as spaces for exhibition or studio practice. Artists will also support each other through conversations around topics relevant to Lakou NOU projects, such as cultural preservation and art in public spaces.