8 Interesting Performance Art Ideas

Need some unique performance art ideas to make your performance stand out? Magic happens when artists come together to create. Often political, sometimes controversial, and shocking, performance art often comes with a message. It can involve body art, costumes, props, or normal, everyday activities in strange places. Whether the goal of your performance art piece is to raise awareness about a particular cause or issue or simply to make a statement, there are a few things you can do to make sure your display is a success.

Whether it’s a film shoot, live performance, or art show, Peerspace aims to be there to accommodate your next masterpiece. Let your creativity bloom in one of the thousands of spaces available in cities across the globe. No matter your budget, you can make your performance art ideas come to life with Peerspace, with venues that suit every style and price range.

After all, Peerspace is the largest online marketplace for peer-to-peer venue rentals. That means you book a venue by the hour from a local host in your city or destination city. You get the satisfaction of renting a unique venue to dazzle your crowd while also supporting a fellow creative. It’s pretty much the perfect system for discovering cool new venues that you can make all your own for a few hours!

Let’s get on to the topic at hand: performance art ideas and suitable venues to host them.

Does location matter for performance art?

Performance art is a powerful medium that creates an immersive experience for viewers. Think outside your garage or the local coffee shop, and book somewhere spectacular for your next project. The perfect location can ensure you connect with your audience in a powerful way.

You can rent a theater, loft, gallery, warehouse, or whatever fits your project for an hour at a time with Peerspace. There are filters that let you narrow your search to venues that have green screens, A/V equipment, outdoor space, and other amenities. If you are bold and want to make a statement with a live piece of performance art, we can help you find the ideal venue.

If you find the perfect venue, but it’s missing a little something, start a dialogue with your venue’s friendly local host. They may be able to help you source catering, equipment, furnishings, and more for your event.

Here are eight performance art ideas that will grab your audience’s attention and leave them wanting to know more about your work.

1. Make it interactive and collaborative

If one of your performance art ideas is taking place out in public, invite people to contribute to your artwork in some way. Provide extra paint, have a fill-in-the-blank prompt or a question with some markers and paper, or ask permission to take photographs of people.

Depending on what type of performance you are giving, there is a variety of ways you can ask people to collaborate. Think of it as a living community mural! As a bonus, those who participate are likely to take photos they post to social media, meaning more exposure for your work.

Need a space for your collaborative performance art? Consider renting a space like this expansive warehouse in Detroit. The host may let you use the outdoor space for your performance, although if you’re using paint or anything permanent, be sure to talk to them in advance and lay down plenty of drop cloths!

2. Collect donations for a cause 

If your art project is social change-oriented, consider raising money along with awareness. For example, if your art is about animal rights, donate any proceeds to wildlife conservation organizations or local animal shelters. 

You can even incorporate your donation collection bin into your artwork if you have constructed a sculpture of some sort. Think of it as similar to a street musician collecting cash in their guitar case. But keep in mind that it might not be obvious that you are accepting donations, so be sure to make proper signage saying as much.

If you book a space like this modern daylight warehouse loft in Brooklyn, NYC. You may even be able to get creative with the large white walls and use them as a screen to project an informative video.

Our art show display ideas can inspire your performance exhibit. Check them out!

3. Think of eco-friendly performance art ideas

Performance art can be messy and isn’t always the most environmentally friendly. Consider the earth when designing your piece. Avoid things like glitter, paints, and other non-biodegradable materials. Instead, use food, plants, costumes, and recyclable materials. That way, you have an easy cleanup job when you are done, and you won’t get into any trouble or slapped with any fines for littering.

Your performance art ideas can easily be sustainable. When people ask about the work, you can explain its sustainability. You just never know who or how you may inspire someone!

You can even use Peerspace to book an eco-friendly venue to bolster your performance. For instance, this mindful micro-hotel in Encinitas, CA, is constructed with natural, recycled, and sustainable materials. It’s also a warm and inviting space looking to host conscious events, like your performance!

4. Choose a special date

Recognize a meaningful date with your performance piece. Plan to have the piece coincide with specific holidays or days of remembrance like Earth Day, Memorial Day, Election Day, Columbus Day, Transgender Day of Remembrance, D-Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Harvey Milk Day, or International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Your local cultural center may be open to collaborating with you for the piece if it is associated with a major holiday and a particular community, which will, in turn, give you more exposure and support.

5. Be thoughtful about your choice of venue

Sometimes performance art ideas take on a meaning associated with the place where it is happening. Your performance art doesn’t have to only be done in a public space for unsuspecting passersby. You can make it an entire event, complete with a venue, and invite people to come to watch. Your venue may even be a part of the performance itself and not just a backdrop for it.

No matter what you have planned, Peerspace can help you find the venue in which your wildest creative dreams can come alive. The platform is home to thousands of Insta-worthy spaces available for rent by the hour. Simply enter your city, search by event, and browse all the listings that appear. Best of all, booking is fast and easy once you find your perfect place.

6. Give something to passersby

Leave your audience with a souvenir (even if it’s just your business card). If you can incorporate it into the performance by, for example, handing out flowers, then even better! Include your social media handles and website address on whatever you choose to hand out. It could be stickers, pins, small art prints, or even ‘zines. Offering something of yourself will delight the crowd and ensure they remember you.

Check out these passive income ideas for artists to continue to support your dreams!

7. Host a public meal 

Break bread with your community. Set up a table or lay down a picnic blanket and host a feast for strangers. This performance art idea can be adapted depending on which direction you want to take it. You can decorate with certain place settings, serve particular foods, and arrange things in specific ways depending on the goal of the piece.

This stunt would work particularly well on college campuses and in other high-traffic areas like parks in large cities. You can also send out invitations for the public feast performance if that works for your project and your intentions.

Make it easy by booking a Peerspace dinner venue, like this large quintessential LA outdoor space. It’s a gated 8,000-square-foot backyard venue with a stone deck, an organic garden, and a wooden terrace. You can also work with one of our favorite Los Angeles caterers to ensure your meal is perfect.

8. Wear a mirror everywhere you go

Find a cheap mirror or several small mirrors at Target or another department store to carry with you. The mirror itself can be the art, and it will change depending on what you are facing. This simple but versatile performance art idea can be adjusted for different purposes and is something you can do almost anytime, anywhere. The mirrors can symbolize society’s inability to look within itself. Or it can represent the importance of reflecting and looking within ourselves.

Performance art ideas are better with Peerspace

Creating performance art is a unique, deeply personal process that varies from artist to artist. While we cannot tell you exactly how to go about designing your performance, we do know that these eight performance art ideas can help get your creative wheels turning. And once you have an idea for your performance, be sure to rely on Peerspace for the venue. Book a gallery space, a home, a warehouse, an expansive yard with a garden, or a theater.

Found the perfect venue? Wonderful! But what if it needs a few other items to make your performance a success? Remember that you can contact your venue’s host to discuss acquiring extras like catering and A/V equipment for your performance. It really couldn’t be any easier!

Now go forth and put great art out into the world!

Find unique performance venues on Peerspace