Dear friends,

Please join us as we honor the extraordinary life and work of our beloved Suzanne Fiol.

Sunday, November 15

4-7pm
Memorial Service at St. Ann’s
157 Montague Street in Brooklyn

7pm
“Suzanne Fiol Day” Proclamation by the Borough President’s Office
Parade from St. Ann’s to ISSUE

8pm
Memorial Concert at ISSUE Project Room
At the Old American Can Factory
232 3rd Street in Brooklyn

Please note that the Memorial Service will start promptly at 4pm. The service and concert are not ticketed events. No reservations are required and there is no admission fee. If you would like to let us know whether you plan to attend, or if you would like to receive updates on this event, please click here.

To make a contribution in honor of Suzanne, please click here.

Suzanne Fiol, May 9, 1960 – October 5, 2009

Dear friends,

It is with great heartbreak and sorrow that ISSUE Project Room announces the passing of our founder, artistic director, and driving force, Suzanne Fiol. Born on May 9, 1960, Suzanne died at 1:05 pm on Monday, October 5, 2009, after fighting a courageous and inspiring battle against cancer. Suzanne passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones at New York Presbyterian Hospital. Our hearts go out to her daughter Sarah, her sister Nancy, and her parents Lawrence and Arlene Perlstein and her partner Anthony Coleman.

Anyone who has met Suzanne knows that she devoted her life to creating and sustaining a space where artists — acclaimed and emerging, local and international — could develop and perform new, challenging, and exciting works. Regardless of the different venues we’ve inhabited since our inception in 2003, ISSUE has always been Suzanne’s labor of love, a space that housed and reflected her restless intellect, fiery spirit, and great heart. She would often jokingly refer to herself as “Mama Issue,” a fitting moniker considering the unconditional love she unabashedly showed her friends, family, artists and the steadily growing audiences that have been coming to ISSUE over the years.

We are grief-stricken by Suzanne’s passing, yet inspired by her vision and strength, and will devote ourselves to fulfilling her vision with the strength we draw from our memories of her. Programming will continue this week in honor of Suzanne, and we welcome you all to come to ISSUE and share your memories.

A memorial is currently being planned.
Please stay tuned for information on its time, date and location.

(photos by Joe Holmes)