The primary source discipline. A researcher who enters the archive on behalf of a collaborator, driven by their question and shaped by a methodology that weaves spirit-driven study, sensory engagement, and Black performance traditions into the reading of archival evidence.
Commissioned Research is a consultation offering within Xol Archives. Xol Labs conducts original archival research on behalf of a collaborator, institution, or creative project — entering the archive with a defined question and returning with contextualized findings rooted in culturally grounded methodology.
Scholars, filmmakers, theatre makers, cultural institutions, and creative professionals seeking primary source research conducted through a lens that centers Black cultural frameworks, embodied knowledge, and archival care.
Consultation is delivered across a defined research engagement — from question definition through source review, analysis, and findings presentation. Delivered remotely or on-site depending on archival access needs.