ShapeShifter Plus grew from the artist-centered work of ShapeShifter Lab into a nonprofit presenting organization dedicated to performance, education, and creative community.
ShapeShifter Plus is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2014 by Matt Garrison, Fortuna Sung, and Ravi Coltrane. The organization was created to promote innovative artistic expression and to give artists a home where they can stretch musical, educational, and creative boundaries.
ShapeShifter Plus grew out of running ShapeShifter Lab, a Brooklyn venue founded by Matthew Garrison and Fortuna Sung in 2012. Over more than a decade, they presented over 10,000 performances, learning what their community of artists and patrons needed and wanted. With that experience, they formed ShapeShifter Plus to advance and implement new ideas for the arts community, with Ravi Coltrane joining as a key director.
The mission of ShapeShifter Plus is to give artists and organizations room to realize their visions with creativity and freedom. The organization presents curated performances and workshops by local and international artists, with a focus on inclusivity and pushing boundaries in the music community. Education and music are central—bringing people together through many artistic forms.
Based in Brooklyn but not tied to one place, ShapeShifter Plus has streamed events to audiences around the world. The organization is supported by a board and advisors that include Herbie Hancock, Roberta Escamilla Garrison, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Arturo O’Farrill.
Matthew Garrison — President and co-founder of ShapeShifter Plus; co-founder of ShapeShifter Lab. A bassist, producer, and entrepreneur, he is the son of Jimmy Garrison—bassist in John Coltrane’s classic quartet—and leads artistic direction for the organization’s presenting, education, and artist-centered programs.
With Fortuna Sung, he opened ShapeShifter Lab in 2012 and helped present over 10,000 performances before founding ShapeShifter Plus as a 501(c)(3) in 2014. He continues to steward programming and major projects that connect Brooklyn audiences to innovative music while keeping artists at the center.
Fortuna Sung — Co-founder and Co Principal Officer of ShapeShifter Plus; director and voting board member. An immigrant co-founder and longtime business partner, she has been central to building and operating ShapeShifter Lab and ShapeShifter Plus—from venue operations and organizational development to nonprofit governance and day-to-day stewardship.
Alongside Matthew Garrison, she co-founded the Lab in 2012 and ShapeShifter Plus in 2014 so the community’s work could advance under a nonprofit model focused on artist support, education, and sustainable presenting in Brooklyn and beyond.
Ravi Coltrane — Acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and bandleader; co-founder and director of ShapeShifter Plus. The son of John Coltrane and Alice Coltrane, he joined the founders to help carry the organization’s mission forward and bring deep ties to jazz and the performing arts into board and curatorial leadership.
As a voting board member and artistic collaborator, he helps shape programming that honors lineage while making room for new voices—including joint curatorial leadership with Matthew Garrison on projects that celebrate jazz heritage with rigor, care, and public access.