#USA #Greenwich #O'Shaughnessy Ventures #Natasha Tsakos #PARABOLES

O'Shaughnessy Ventures Funds Groundbreaking Artistic Venture in Microgravity

In a stunning move to blend art with innovation, O'Shaughnessy Ventures LLC (OSV) has raised the bar in the creative sector by awarding an O'Shaughnessy Fellowship to acclaimed Miami-based artist Natasha Tsakos. Her ambitious project, titled PARABOLES, aims to redefine stage performance by incorporating the unique experience of microgravity into the realm of theater.

The PARABOLES production will utilize the advanced technology of parabolic flights, an aircraft maneuver that creates brief periods of weightlessness, similar to the techniques astronauts undergo during their training. Built in collaboration with the MIT Space Exploration Initiative, this project sets out to push the boundaries of live performance and make space feel more accessible and human.

Over the next year, Tsakos is set to complete the essential flight and premiere the outcome as both a film and an immersive installation. This project is poised to be a landmark production under the umbrella of Tsakos's company, Space Wonders, which is dedicated to innovating new forms of performance that resonate with the cosmic age and inspire future generations through the fusion of art and science.

Natasha Tsakos: A Visionary Artist

With over 25 years of experience intertwining live theater with technology and immersive design, Tsakos has made a name for herself in the creative world. Her previous accolades include performing at high-profile events like the Super Bowl with Cirque du Soleil, and creating compelling works for notable platforms such as Discovery Channel, G20 Summit, and Tribeca Film Festival. She has shared her insights on the transformative role of art in technology at prestigious forums, including TED Talks and the United Nations General Assembly.

Her recent immersive production, CARABOOM, was recognized as Miami-Dade's best attraction in 2023 and earned her a Knight Foundation New Work Award. Tsakos brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this new frontier, having undergone hyperbaric and parabolic flight training at NASA's Johnson Space Center, as well as completing MIT's New Space Economy program.

A New Frontier for Theatrical Experiences

O'Shaughnessy Ventures' founder and CEO, Jim O'Shaughnessy, expressed excitement about the project, noting, "Natasha is taking theater somewhere it has never been, using it to make space feel human. Projects like these are exactly what the O'Shaughnessy Fellowships were designed to support."

Tsakos emphasized the significance of this venture, stating: "We are inventing a new industry that brings theatrical experiences to space environments, and it’s a feeling that will also resonate on Earth. I am grateful to OSV for supporting visionaries who believe humanity's next chapter will be filled with wonder."

About the O'Shaughnessy Fellowships

Launched in 2023, the O'Shaughnessy Fellowships program has been vital in discovering and nurturing bold creatives, builders, and researchers. The fellowship provides a grant of up to $100,000 alongside access to OSV's extensive network of founders, investors, and experts. In 2026, OSV plans to award up to 20 fellowships, marking Tsakos as the twelfth fellow announced this year.

Applications for the fellowship are currently closed but will reopen on January 1, 2027, for those eager to apply via the OSV website.

Conclusion

O'Shaughnessy Ventures is not merely funding a project; it is championing a movement that seeks to elevate the arts and push the boundaries of creativity. As Tsakos's journey unfolds, it promises to captivate audiences and perhaps inspire a new generation of performers and dreamers, seamlessly uniting the worlds of art and science in the great unknown of space.