Our founding inspiration comes from the power of building bridges between artists across cultures and time. As we help close these divides, we have to acknowledge that the history of the arts mirrors the history of civilization, both good and bad. We must own that history fully and accurately to make the bridges we wish to build strong.
IPA Source recognizes that this moment and this conversation is long overdue. Looking just at our catalog of works, we see so many talented poets and composers who were unfairly persecuted in their time and understanding the prejudice they faced is crucial to understanding the meaning and impact of their work.
For example, Fanny Hensel had to get her work published under her brother’s name because women were not published in her time. Samuel Barber was an openly gay man in a time before his identity would be widely accepted. Viktor Ullmann was taken to Auschwitz where he was killed in the gas chambers. The persecution they faced then is unacceptable today and was unacceptable then.
In today’s moment, we also recognize that we are all imperfect and working to shape a better tomorrow. IPA Source aspires to be a place that is actively and constructively supporting bending the moral arc of the universe towards justice for all. It is in that spirit that we state:
- Black lives matter.
- BIPOC voices have been underrepresented in our space.
- Intolerance of any kind has no place in our community.