"Cow by Coffee" by Michael Peterson

Cow by Coffee is an interactive outdoor experience: silly and intellectual, sloppy and scientific. It asks why "nature" is seen as feminine, while "the outdoors" is supposedly for "rugged" masculinity. Includes freshly-brewed fair-trade coffee, though quality is not guaranteed (tube socks are involved). One-on-one, but participants may bring up to 3 guest on-lookers. Welcome especially if your experience of being outside has been constrained by who you are.

Michael is a Professor of Art and Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies and co-founder of Spatula&Barcode.

Location and Time:

Close to downtown, near Monona and the bike path. Michael will email/text the specific location to participants.

Logistics and Accessibility:

Each performance is for one participant; they are welcome to bring up to 3 onlookers (they also get coffee!)

The experience is outside by a breezy lakeshore; no masks are required unless participants desire. Event will take place rain or shine except for dangerous thunderstorms.

After signing up, please contact Michael with any accommodation requests, questions, or concerns. The location requires crossing a grassy field from the nearest parking; I can relocate for participants with particular mobility or access needs.

I may encourage donations after the event to organizations advocating equity in access to the outdoors.

Other Info:

Performance takes place rain or shine except for dangerous thunderstorms.

A Home Stretch Performance

Home Stretch is a “distributed festival” of small artistic acts taking place in Madison, WI between the summer solstice (21 June) and the autumn equinox (22 September). By appointment, local artists are offering intimate performances and other arts experiences throughout the summer.

In this time of transition between COVID lockdowns and eventual reopening, Home Stretch explores how forms of performance and other kinds of aesthetic sociality can help us re-learn how to be together.

The title Home Stretch refers less to the idea of the final part of a race, since the pandemic is far from over. Rather, it’s about artists stretching their homes into public space, and the public stretching out of lockdown bit by bit. These art experiences are a chance to stretch both social and artistic muscles.

All events are free to attend, though some performers may pass a hat or request donations to specific causes. Information and registration is at homestretch.art.

Home Stretch is a project of Spatula&Barcode, a Madison-based arts collaborative devoted to conviviality, criticality and commensality. More information about Spatula&Barcode can be found at https://spatulaandbarcode.net/ and you can follow @spatcode on Instagram (if you post about Home Stretch on social media, we encourage you to use #homestretch).

Home Stretch is funded in part by grants from the University of Wisconsin Division of the Arts and the Madison Arts Commission, with additional support from the Wisconsin Arts Board.