Uncharted Concert Series and Elebash Artist Residency
Uncharted and the Elebash Artist-in-Residence program support New York City’s independent musicians through a unique model that combines creative development, financial investment, and public presentation.
Elebash Artists-in-Residence: 2026 Cohort
Six New York City–based artists have been selected for the 2026 Elebash Artists-in-Residence cohort, following the most competitive open call the program has received in the past three years:
| Jacquelene Acevedo Tony Award–winning multi-percussionist |
| Audry Funk Mexican rapper and activist |
| Erika Ji Cross-genre composer and storyteller |
| DoYeon Kim Gayageum performer and composer |
| Miriam Elhajli Venezuelan-Moroccan vocalist and musicologist |
| Firas Zreik Palestinian-born kanunist and composer |
Uncharted Concert Series: Spring 2026 Schedule
Each Elebash Artist-in-Residence presents a 30-minute culminating set on a double bill with a fellow cohort member as part of the annual Uncharted concert series, offering audiences the first public presentation of work developed during the residency. Performances take place at Greenwich House Music School’s 90-seat recital hall. This intimate downtown arts space has played host to legendary artists, including John Cage, Morton Subotnick, and Meredith Monk, and continues to be a vital hub for New York’s independent music scene. Concert schedule:
April 22 – Rhythms of Resilience
Jacqueline Acevedo & Audry Funk
April 29 – Unbound Strings
DoYeon Kim & Firas Zreik
May 6 – The Storytellers
Erika Ji & Miriam Elhajli
Tickets are currently on sale on Eventbrite. Seating is limited; advance purchase is strongly encouraged.
Supporting NYC-Based Artists and the Creative Ecosystem
Now in its 12th year, Uncharted is Greenwich House Music School’s annual concert series grounded in an artist-centered approach that supports performing artists of color, women+, immigrants, religious minorities, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. These artists are central to New York City’s vitality and identity, yet they often face systemic barriers to sustained investment in their careers. Uncharted was established to expand access to the resources and opportunities necessary for these artists to sustain and grow their work.
“We created Uncharted to build the kind of infrastructure we felt was missing. Artists need time, space, compensation, and trusted partners. When you invest in the creative process itself, you strengthen not just individual careers, but the cultural and economic fabric of the city.”
— Jennie Wasserman, Co-Creator & Creative Director
About the Baisley Powell Elebash Artist-in-Residence Program
In 2019, the Elebash Artists-in-Residence program was created in recognition of a simple fact: a single performance alone rarely generates long-term impact. The residency formalized a structure that prepares artists for a culminating performance while equipping them with the tools and assets necessary for continued growth.
From January through April, each resident receives:
- A $5,000 award
- Twenty hours of dedicated rehearsal space at Greenwich House Music School (with backline and technical support)
- A culminating public performance presented as part of the Uncharted concert series
- A three-camera video shoot, professional audio recording, and photography
- Full rights retained to all work created in residence
- Dedicated curatorial and marketing support, including project narrative development and asset creation
How the Program Works
The residency and concert series operate as a unified model:
The Residency
Centers the creative process, rehearsal, experimentation, and career development in a supported, resourced environment before any public presentation.
The Concert Series
Provides professional presentation, audience engagement in an intimate setting, public visibility, high-quality documentation, and strategic marketing support for each artist’s work.
Together, they ensure artists leave not only with a well-developed show concept but also with tangible assets, narrative clarity, and forward momentum. By pairing early-stage support with public presentation, the programs extend the lifespan of a work beyond a single performance and create continued income opportunities for New York–based artists.
“The residency allowed us to align artistic risk-taking with professional sustainability. It reframed development not as an afterthought, but as the core of the work.”
— Rachel Black, Co-Creator
Impact
|
84
ARTISTS PRESENTED
|
10,776
AUDIENCE MEMBERS
|
|
$126K
DIRECT ARTIST FUNDING
(SINCE 2021) |
12
YEARS OF INTENTIONAL INVESTMENT
|
Over twelve years, Uncharted has demonstrated how modest but intentional investments in artists can generate lasting cultural and economic impact. Since its inception, Uncharted has presented 84 artists and welcomed 10,776 audience members. Alumni include Shaina Taub, Mireya Ramos, Marc Ribot, Brandee Younger, Mafer Bandola, Sofia Rei, Aaron Diehl, Bora Yoon, Celisse, and Endea Owens (see full list below) with performances spanning genres as diverse as the city itself, including son jarocho, gnawa, musical theater, jazz, contemporary classical, and tap. Since 2021, the Elebash Residency has distributed $126,000 in direct funding to participating artists.
Access to high-quality documentation has proven transformative for alumni careers. Uncharted alum Grace McLean, who has since starred in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Bad Cinderella, and Suffs, describes how documentation from her Uncharted performance opened a path to a full-scale production:
“The video of my Uncharted concert was shared with artistic director Evan Cabnet at LCT3, which led to a commission and subsequent production of my show In The Green.”
— Grace McLean, Uncharted Alum
More Than a Concert Series
Uncharted is not simply a series of concerts. Alongside its sister program, the Elebash Residency, it is an intentional response to inequities in arts funding, a shrinking creative workforce, and an increasingly precarious arts economy. By aligning artistic development with direct investment, professional documentation, and strategic presentation, and by remaining responsive to the realities artists face, the program demonstrates what is possible when institutions make intentional investments in early-stage creation. In doing so, the program strengthens artists’ careers, expands access to resources, and contributes to the long-term resilience of the city’s broader cultural and economic ecosystem.
Program Leadership
Uncharted and the Elebash Residency were conceived and developed by the Music School’s director, Rachel Black (previously Central Park Summerstage), and curator/producer, Jennie Wasserman (previously NJPAC, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center). Together, they designed and continue to lead the program’s curatorial vision, residency design, artist selection process, production, marketing, funding strategy, and long-term growth.
Their partnership reflects a shared vision for building artist-centered infrastructure that prioritizes equity, sustainability, and long-term impact while remaining responsive to the evolving needs of artists and the broader cultural ecosystem. Guided by this vision, Uncharted has grown from a curated concert series into a cohesive artist development model with the addition of the Elebash Residency, integrating funding, rehearsal, documentation, and presentation within a single framework.
Sponsors
Uncharted and the Elebash Artist-In-Residence program is made possible through the generous support of our funders and partners, whose commitment to artists ensures that bold work continues to emerge from and sustains New York City’s vibrant creative community.
Sponsors include the Baisley Powell Elebash Fund, NYU, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the office of Governor Kathleen Hochul.
