ISSUE Project Room is pleased to announce the selection of Yaz Lancaster as 2027 Suzanne Fiol Curatorial Fellow.
Lancaster will present a series of curated events where audiences are invited to engage discomfort through generosity, curiosity, and community. This philosophy guides HEAVY HEARTS, which celebrates vulnerability in harsh/experimental sonics and fosters meaningful exchange across genres and disciplines. Their programs—RESONANCE, RENEGADE, and HAPPENING—will examine experimentation through the expansion of instrumental language, the activation of public space through sound, and interdisciplinary collaboration. As a curator, they are motivated by questions of access and the social possibilities of experimental art.
Entering its eleventh year, ISSUE’s Curatorial Fellowship commissions emerging New York curators to organize challenging projects, serving a central role in fulfilling ISSUE’s mission to support and cultivate innovative art within the local community. Named for ISSUE’s visionary founder Suzanne Fiol, Lancaster follows Isabella Thorpe-Woods, ISSUE’s 2026 Fellow, Kenneth Jiménez (2025), Lina Azalea Dahbour (2024), evil dentist (2023), Theodore (ted) Kerr (2022), Sami Hopkins (2021), Leyya Mona Tawil (2020), Benedict Nguyen (2019), Queer Trash (2018), and DeForrest Brown Jr. (2017).
The expansive practice of Yaz Lancaster encompasses experimental electroacoustic performances, notated compositions, open format DJ-ing, music journalism, steel pan, collage-based poetry, collaborative work, and organizing DIY shows across New York City’s underground and nightlife scenes. Lancaster frequently performs solo sets with violin/voice/electronics that comprise songs, improvisations, and composed music — aptly displayed on their sophomore album AFTER (PTP, 2025). They find joy in collaboration — they've worked with artists like Alex Zhang Hungtai, claire rousay, Dreamcrusher, KING VISION ULTRA, Miss Grit, Nyokabi Kariuki, and Tony Guarino. Lancaster additionally performs as “death ambient” and hardcore DJ project “medium.” in deep collaboration with creative partner gg200bpm. Recent highlights include performing at Dweller Forever (at Public Records), ISSUE Project Room, The Music Gallery (Toronto), KINDL (Berlin), Gaudeamus Festival (Utrecht), NTS (London), Nowadays, Paragon, and Fridman Gallery. They are a member of socially-active PROTECT THE PEACE (PTP) artist collective; founder/curator of the experimental performance series HEAVY HEARTS; and the director of event production at The Poetry Project.
