The WE WILL DREAM: New Works Festival is a biennial event that locates the Bayou Road corridor of New Orleans as the “national meeting place” for Black playwrights originating/working in the American South and connects compelling, artistic, intellectual, and cultural dialogue with community exploration. The festival’s goal is to serve as a bulwark of support for the professional and artistic development of Black playwrights. This festival is presented by No Dream Deferred and The André Cailloux Center for Performing Arts and Cultural Justice.

WE WILL DREAM presents a unique opportunity to hear from Black playwrights working/living in the American South. Playwright, Philana Omorotionmwan explains, "Having my play selected for production provides me with the opportunity to truly grow as a writer in a craft that is meant to be performed. Having the production occur in the state where I am from and currently live gives me hope that it's possible to create a path as a Black artist in the south."

In addition to four new plays, the festival features cultural events, employment opportunities for artists and beyond, artist/administrator-minded workshop offerings, an HBCU Theatre Summit, and more. Our plenary features two industry juggernauts, James Ijames and Erika Dickerson-Despenza, among others.

We offer several convenings during the run of the festival including the Global Majority Intimacy Conference, Dancing Grounds’ Dance for Social Change, as well as a Virtual Festival open to those who cannot attend in-person. The festival ends with a celebratory Juneteenth Gala welcome to all peoples and in honor of the festival, the arts, and the community.

We cannot do this without your support. Thank you for being a part of this historic moment!