Not far from where cranes loom over ascending towers of multimillion-dollar condos downtown, a scrappier, grass-roots development is taking shape. A pedestrian-friendly arts destination is gaining momentum in the Limelight District long Lime Avenue between Fruitville Road and 12th Street. 

Right now, the district’s fourth boundary juts in and out along Waterloo Avenue to accommodate residential buildings. But this border is in flux as the Limelight District, officially recognized by the city in 2020, works to extend its western boundary to encompass galleries around Princeton Street.

The Limelight District recently raised its profile with the March 30 opening of the Palmer Modern at 925 N. Lime Ave. The arrival of the new gallery with artist spaces follows the February addition of a second space by arts collective Creative Liberties at 927 N. Lime Ave. Its flagship is nearby, at 901B Apricot Ave.

Twenty-one artists call Creative Liberties home, including co-founders Barbara Gerdeman, who specializes in photography, acrylic painting and mixed media, and Elizabeth Goodwill, who creates book art, fiber art and mixed media. Their new building houses 10 studio artists, gallery space and the Creative Academy classroom.

“Thanks to a huge amount of support from the community—the public, artists, arts advocates and the media—we have been able to grow Creative Liberties in a short time period,” says Gerdeman. 

Commercial businesses are taking notice of the artistic ripening of an area formerly known for auto repair shops. Recent months have seen the arrival of Sunflower Market on Lime Avenue, a WaWa convenience store on Lime Circle and Sun King Brewing on Mango Avenue. 

Dog-friendly, Friday night happy hours

The arrival of Sun King has prompted Kim Livengood to add Friday night hours for her dog-friendly Hamlet’s Eatery. The food truck-cum-brewpub is located at Livengood’s The Bazaar at Lime and Apricot along with roughly 40 other tenants. Opened in 2018, the Bazaar is considered the catalyst for the area’s evolution.

Courtesy photo

But wait. This story is about art, not business. Actually, it’s about the intersection of art and commerce, and what urban planners call “placemaking,” community development that’s easier said than done. 

In the case of the Limelight District, a braintrust of sorts has come together. Its members include Livengood, real estate developer and arts patron Howard Davis, Creative Liberties proprietors Gerdeman and Goodwill, Palmer Modern owner and artist Craig Palmer and his wife, Jen Palmer, president of the Sarasota Studio Artists Association. 

There are others in the mix as well. You can be sure that those with a stake in the future of the Limelight District will make their voices heard. Anyone with land or a business in the area can join the Limelight District’s association for a newly instituted membership fee of $100.

Davis has been approached by investors who want to be part of 925 Lime Ave. and other properties that Davis and his wife, Sherry, may acquire in the Limelight District in the future. But they prefer to go it alone, turning down investors and even shunning bank financing with one exception, Howard Davis says.

 “When you’re investing your own money, it keeps you very focused,” he says. “And there is no such thing as a silent partner.” 

The Limelight District’s mother is a mom

A high-profile real estate developer who spent most of his career in Boston, Davis cut his teeth in Sarasota with the transformation of an abandoned furniture store he bought in 2016 in what is now called the Rosemary District. In 2021, he sold the lovingly refurbished Mid-Century Modern building, The BOTA (for Boulevard of the Arts) Center, at 1570 Boulevard of the Arts, for $4.35 million.

In some instances, the impetus behind placemaking comes from local government. But the Limelight District’s birth can be attributed to Judy Alexander, Kim Livengood’s mother.

Alexander spent most of her life as an indefatigable community volunteer. But to hear her daughter tell it, Judy Alexander’s dream was to own a warehouse. “One day my parents were driving down Lime Avenue. My mom saw the building and said to my dad, ‘Let’s buy it.’ My dad never said no to my mom.”

Livengood’s father, Barry Alexander died in 2019, but lived to see that warehouse become a vibrant venue for artists and craftsmen to sell their wares. Fronted by an old school pickup painted lime and apricot and decorated with a mural painted by artist Karen Chandler on a neighbor’s building, the arts-and-crafts mall is hard to miss.

Thanks to the efforts of tenants as well as tourist development and artists groups, the Limelight District is becoming a destination for locals and tourists alike, particularly on the Second Saturdays organized by the Sarasota Studio Artists Association, which has more than 50 members.

Spearheaded by Jen Palmer, the group has created a map of art galleries not just in and around the Limelight District but all over the city.

Bright banners on the way

Right now, the Limelight District has the lure of plentiful, free parking. Who could ask for more?

Actually, there are some things that Livengood & Co. have on their wish list. 

Every arts neighborhood needs colorful banners hanging from city streetlights and Livengood wants some. “But you wouldn’t believe what it costs —$100 each and liability insurance in case one of them falls down and hurts someone,” she says. 

The banners, when they are hung, will carry a new Limelight District logo, which is in the works along with an upgrade of the website. Fortunately, there is no shortage of branding, design and marketing expertise among members of the Limelight District’s braintrust.

Courtesy photo

Livengood and both Palmers have marketing experience while Creative Liberties co-owners Gerdeman and Goodwill worked alongside each other at the Art Center Sarasota.

As the Limelight District grows up, its backers want knotty zoning issues to be hashed out by the city council. Current code permits heavy industrial businesses that might not fit in with the arts district, some of them auto-related.

However, some gallery and shop owners like the idea of auto repair shops in the area because people getting their cars fixed must leave them for a few hours, creating the opportunity to explore the budding artsy neighborhood.

Live/work spaces for artists on the wish list

Also on the zoning front, Davis and Palmer see the need to accommodate work/live spaces for artists. Davis is offering entrepreneurial artists such as Palmer, Gerdeman and Goodwill the opportunity to lease space at below market value. They in turn are subdividing the space and renting it out to artists and craftsmen. 

Davis and others envision a future for the Limelight District where artists burning the midnight oil can sleep on a a pull-out sofa without running into trouble with the law.

Well acquainted with working with local governments from his career in real estate, Davis says the Limelight District is also asking the city for help on issues such as sidewalk improvements, better streetlights and sewage system upgrades. 

Some Sarasotans, especially second-homers and new transplants, may not realize that there are still some houses near downtown using septic tanks. Such outmoded waste disposal has the potential to foul the air and streets, not a good look for the Limelight District.

Unlike other arts destinations across the country that sprung up in warehouse districts, the Limelight District is not plagued by crime. Maybe the auto repair shops in the neighborhood do a good job of outfitting cars with anti-theft devices. But for whatever reason, safety isn’t a concern right now, Davis says.

Courtesy photo

Learning the three C’s

When you ask members of the Limelight coterie about their vision for the district, the answers overlap and involve common goals. Inclusion ranks high on the list for Jen Palmer as well as the Creative Liberties co-founders Gerdeman and Goodwill— “art for all, not just rich people,” says Palmer.

Craig Palmer says the Limelight District’s artist studios can help creators build relationships with potential buyers, a factor that he sees as increasingly important in a high-tech, post-COVID world.

“Some of the most interesting conversations are when visitors observe my work and explain to me what they see,” Palmer says. “It made me aware that everyone has their own unique interpretation and experience of abstract art, and I like to believe that it helps inspire creativity for the viewer.”

Palmer Modern features an art gallery and includes a studio for Craig Palmer as well as affordable studios for five additional artists. The artists have access to a kitchen, lounge area, space to publicly display their work, and private, secure studios.

 For Davis’s part, the placemaking happening along Lime Avenue is about the “three C’s — creativity, community and collaboration.” 

Perhaps pioneer Kim Livengood sums up the goal the best: “We’re looking to create a neighborhood where you can park your car, walk around, watch art being made, buy some stuff and get something to eat or drink,” she says. Oh, and don’t forget your dog.

The Midwest needs more resources to help creatives start their own businesses and keep them thriving, said Taylor Burris and James Spikes, who designed a one-stop art incubator to give artists’ innovation a fresh canvas.

AI Hub

The husband-and-wife team opened AI Hub — powered by IRIS Creative Projects Agency and with funding from The Porter House KC’s Alchemy Sandbox — in September in the Grace Real Estate Building in River Market to ease entry into the business world.

“We’re creating a place that answers the call that we needed starting out as entrepreneurs, specifically in creative entrepreneurship,” Spikes explained. “What do you need? What do you not have access to? What types of things could I have benefited from? We’re just trying to put that all into one place and business model and provide it for people.”

The AI Hub — which offers membership and day pass options — includes a photography studio, digital design lab, audio recording studio, apparel design hub, co-working space, and classes, Burris said, noting the space’s crossover amenities. 

One member, for example, is a fashion designer who uses the software programs in the lab — which includes the full Adobe suite and 3D modeling programs — for designing, the apparel hub — including a sewing machine and dress form — for fittings, and then take photos in the dedicated studio — featuring a camera, tripod, lights, and backdrop.

Click here to learn more about the AI Hub.

“So instead of going from studio to studio, you just come here and get it all done,” she added. “We try to make it as easy and accessible as possible.”

Burris and Spikes — who met while attending HBCUs in Atlanta and moved to Kansas City in 2020 — also offer graphic design and marketing services through IRIS, which they founded in 2021 after merging their separate creative services businesses.

AI Hub in River Market

“There is a gap that’s happening between starting a business and actually scaling a business and making it successful,” Burris said. “Of course, we’re not experts. This is our first time having a physical brick and mortar, but at the end of the day, we have a lot of skills that can support these other businesses and really put them on the right track instead of just letting them fail. So as we grow, we try to help other businesses grow, as well. As much as we soak in, we want them to soak in.”

The couple said they also help members secure contracts to grow their businesses and set up events like Hub Talks — which are an immersion of art, music, and culture — and Sound Gallery — which is an underground music series, plus galleries featuring local artists.

“A lot of what we do is to put our community and our members on the map, basically,” noted Burris, who was a participant in this year’s HERImpact pitch competition and on The Blox, a locally-produced, globally-reaching entrepreneurship reality competition series.

RELATED: Meet the six competitors pitching for $50K in funding in HERImpact’s return to Kansas City

With the help of  Donna Mandelbaum, the KC Streetcar Authority communication director and Art in the Loop board member, the AI Hub also has a partnership with Art in the Loop, Burris and Spikes shared, to train and provide resources for the local artists chosen to provide art along the streetcar route.

“They’re just very supportive of what we’re doing here,” Burris added. “We try to feed our pool to them — and vice versa — as much as possible.”

James Spikes and Taylor Burris, AI Hub; photos by
Nikki Overfelt Chifalu

Kansas City and beyond

Spikes — who grew up in the South — and Burris — who is from Virginia but has family in Kansas City — moved to the metro during the pandemic for their daughter, who they call a Children’s Mercy baby. They quickly realized a place like the AI Hub was long overdue in this area, they said.

“Having a place that is a literal art incubator to cultivate your craft should be normal,” Burris said.

“I think what people miss — because they’re outside of the community in the Midwest and in Kansas City, more specifically — is that it’s a very artistic place and has a very thriving artistic and creative community,” Spikes continued. “I think that the marquee things like food and culture and sports may oversaturate what people know about Kansas City, but there are a lot of creative people and programs and minds that people don’t get a chance to see.”

They shared that they plan to continue to invest in and support the creative community in Kansas City and hope to expand the AI Hub to an arts campus and then eventually expand to other cities. 

“We’re just excited to just help people transform as Kansas and Missouri transforms,” Burris added.

If you’re making plans for your undergraduate education, you may be trying to decide on a major. Many students choose only one major, and perhaps a minor as well. But this isn’t your only option.

Depending on your career goals, you may benefit from pursuing a double major for your bachelor’s degree. A double major may open up more job opportunities and help you expand your knowledge in two different or complementary disciplines. One study published in the Columbia Economic Review found that college graduates with double majors usually earn higher salaries than those with only one major.

But what is a double major, and how do you know if it’s right for you? Read on to learn more.

What Is a Double Major?

Double-majoring means you complete one degree, usually a bachelor’s, in two areas of study. For example, if you double-major in business and finance, you would earn one degree that lists two majors rather than two separate degrees. The two majors are often related, but not always.

When you earn a degree with a major and a minor, your degree focuses primarily on your major. A double major, however, places equal importance on both majors.

Pursuing a double major allows you to grow your knowledge and skills in two separate areas of study, which may open up a wider variety of potential career paths upon graduation.

To earn a double major, you typically need approval from academic advisors in both majors’ departments. Your university may not allow you to apply overlapping courses toward both majors’ requirements, or it may limit how many courses can count toward both majors. Check with your school to see how it approaches double majors.

Double Major vs. Dual Degree

Both double majors and dual-degree programs provide an education covering two disciplines, but these degree paths are different.

As discussed above, a double major results in one diploma with two majors. This differs from a dual degree, which awards two separate degrees, such as a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science.

You can earn a double major at many schools with only 120 credits—the same number of credits required for a single major. Dual degrees, however, typically require more coursework (around 150 credits or more) since they involve two separate degrees.

Requirements for dual degrees vary quite a bit, so check with your university for its specific policies.

Is a Double Major Worth It?

Whether a double major is worth it for you depends on whether completing two majors would help you achieve your career goals.

For instance, if your goal is to work in corporate leadership, double-majoring in business and finance may be helpful due to the broad array of knowledge required for a corporate leadership career. Likewise, if you plan to run an art gallery or work in a business related to the fine arts discipline, earning a double major in business and fine arts may be beneficial.

Below we explore some common benefits and drawbacks of earning a double major.

Benefits of a Double Major

• You can develop in-depth knowledge in two areas of study rather than in only one discipline.
• You may be qualified for a greater variety of job opportunities.
• You can learn about two different subject areas without earning two separate degrees.
• You may have greater earning potential, especially if your majors include either business or STEM, according to research published in the Columbia Economic Review.

Potential Drawbacks of a Double Major

• You must meet the requirements for both of your majors, including prerequisites and field study requirements.
• Focusing on two different majors may increase your workload if your program requires more than the typical 120 credits of coursework for completion.
• A double major requires a serious commitment of time and energy. If your time management skills aren’t excellent, this may not be the best option for you, especially if your program requires more than 120 credit hours of coursework.

Common Double Majors for Online Learners

If you’re considering a double major, choosing majors that complement each other may help you develop a deeper understanding of each discipline and give you a competitive edge in the job market.

Below, we overview some common double majors for online learners and how the subject areas can work together to help you establish a successful career.

Business Administration and Accounting

A business administration bachelor’s provides the skills needed to understand business fundamentals and operate an organization. Adding an accounting major offers more in-depth knowledge of recordkeeping, taxation accounting, data analysis and other financial management issues that business administrators may need to know.

Business Administration and Public Health

If you plan to work in an administrative position within public health, you might major in both business administration and public health. Together, these majors can prepare you to develop public health policies for government agencies or to manage facilities, staff and operations in public healthcare settings.

Computer Information Systems and Marketing

Technology has become essential to marketing, so it makes sense to learn both the technical and the consumer sides of marketing. By combining a computer information systems major and a marketing major, you can learn marketing fundamentals and technical concepts that apply to businesses, such as designing programs or creating applications that provide insight into consumer behavior.

Economics and Supply Chain Management

Supply chain management focuses on infrastructure issues, such as procurement, fulfillment, logistics and manufacturing. Economics focuses on concepts such as economic growth, policy issues and economic theory. Combining these majors may be helpful if you want to work in procurement or operations management positions.

Marketing and Communications

Double-majoring in marketing and communications majors teaches market analysis, branding, product placement and other marketing fundamentals. This double major would also cover creating and giving presentations, writing, communications theory and other communications skills. These majors pair well together for professionals in the marketing and public relations fields.

Psychology and Criminal Justice

A bachelor’s in criminal justice explores the judicial system, law enforcement, criminology and other related topics. When you add a psychology major to the mix, you gain additional insight into human behavior and motivation. Combining these two majors can give you more perspective as you work with criminals, victims and other individuals within the legal system.

Political Science and Foreign Language

If you want to work in international affairs, politics, public policy or global organizations, a political science major can help you reach your goal. Many of these positions involve working with people from other countries, so learning a foreign language can make you a more competitive candidate for these jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Double Majors

Who: Informa Group with The Local Collective for strategy and creative.

What: The branding an out outdoor campaign using unique QR codes for the recent Toronto art fair.

When & Where: The campaign ran in Toronto in the six weeks leading up to the April 13 to 16 art fair, using digital and social assets, as well as OOH and print.

Why: The marketing team behind the Artist Project asked the agency to come up with new visual identity and campaign that would reinvigorate the brand and present the event in a new light.

The typical approach with art fairs and festivals is to highlight the art and the artists, but that makes it difficult to build the brand of the event itself, said Omar Morson creative director, head of design.

“So we chose to solve this challenge by creating something that felt very artful as a solo piece of communication,” he said.

How: The Local Collective created QR codes from words often used by people when reacting to art, such as “fantastic,” “beautiful” and “expressive.” “With QR codes typically being auto-generated, the teams had to carefully handcraft each one until it struck the balance between readability by people and scanners,” said Morson.

The QR codes directed viewers to specific artists, ticket purchases, or various support initiatives, but also stood as works of art in their own right. “Often consumers are used to seeing these codes in the bottom one third of a communication, acting as a sign off or even a URL,” sadi Morson. “By putting so much graphic importance on the code, it caused the desired reaction: More people have interacted with the posters and various communication pieces than we had even hoped for.”

The concept is also part of the broader branded design system that lets the Artists Project brand exist without competition from the artists.

People noticed it was words? “When we did distance testing for legibility, we were surprised how many people commented on the words. In fact, because the QR codes are familiar to most people, seeing the odd “break-ups” of structures made the fact that there are words more noticeable,” said Morson.

It took three decades for Carla Riseman to reconnect with her love of creating art. But now that she’s rediscovered that create spirit, she’s determined to share it with her neighbors in Brookfield.

She’s a little more than halfway through The 100 Day Project, joining a global initiative where artists create art every day for 100 straight days and share the work online with friends and followers.

While the work is available to everyone via social media – her Instagram can be found @thundermoonstudio – Riseman has been placing the small works of art at various spots around the village, giving hints about where they can be found.

Without fail – April 19 marks Day 57 – they get snapped up and very often those seeking out and finding the art explain why they sought out the little 4-by-6 and 5-by-7-inch pieces.

A woman who found Riseman’s Day 40 painting of a peach to mark Colon Cancer Awareness Month in March – important to Riseman because she lost her mother to it – told Riseman that her father had succumbed to colorectal cancer in 2021.

On Day 8, Riseman’s art was a tribute to Audrey Overholt, who along with her husband Roy was synonymous with Brookfield Little League. The Overholts lived across the street from the field bearing Roy’s name. The lights shone on the field all night on March 1, the night of Audrey’s funeral, in her memory.

“I just grabbed this one,” a woman wrote to Riseman that day. “We moved into the Overholts’ old house across the street last summer. It felt fitting we should find this one.”

When she started placing the art around town in February, she had no idea if anyone would even notice, or care. Sharing each day’s art both on her own social media and Brookfield Connections, with its 14,000 followers, has resulted in an enormous response.

“I really thought I was just going to practice every day and get better at making art, and I feel I’ve really gotten connected to Brookfield,” Riseman told the Landmark as she taped her Day 52 entry to the front door of Ms. Clara’s Joyful Learning Center on Broadway Avenue. 

“I’ve been here for 10 years and I have friends, but I’ve met people that I don’t know and that I now talk to every day and are my BFFs,” she said. “That’s really the connection with my town that was the unintended wonderful consequence.

Originally a fine arts major in college, personal circumstances led her to change that focus and she forged a career in human resources and marketing, laying down her sketch pad and paintbrushes, seemingly for good.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. 

Instead of business shutting down where she worked, things were busier than ever. With a 6-year-old daughter having to attend school remotely the work-life balance, as Risemen put it, “had gotten unsustainable.”

“It was the worst,” Riseman said. “She was 6 when it started and so she needed constant supervision.”

Art lessons were asynchronous, so Riseman just started doing them along with her daughter, “just for some happy time.”

“I just noticed, ‘I feel nothing bad while I’m doing this. It’s almost like a drug, like this is fabulous,’” she said.

Having buried her artistic past, she was surprised to see it spring back to life. 

“I don’t know what possessed me. I bought a bunch of watercolors stuff, which is the hardest medium possible when you pick up after not doing anything for decades,” Riseman said.

Sharing some of her work with friends generated positive feedback, so in late 2021 she opened a couple of online shops at RedBubble and Etsy, where she sold original greeting cards.

As 2022 dawned, Riseman started branching out, selling her work a couple of times at the Brookfield Farmers Market before being selected as a vendor for the Brookfield Fine Arts Festival last fall.

“I went there and stuff was just flying off my table and I was just shocked,” Riseman said.

She hopes to return to the Brookfield festival this year, but she already booked two dates to sell her work at the Brookfield Farmers Market – on opening day June 3 and on July 22. 

On Aug. 11, Riseman will have a table at the Wood Dale Sounds of Summer festival and on Aug. 23 she’ll be at the Riverside Farmers Market Artisan Tent.

Plunging back into art has also brought her into contact with other like-minded Brookfield residents. She’s pitched ideas to the Brookfield Beautification Commission regarding public art opportunities and said she hopes to get more involved in those initiatives.

“Even if I was not part of it, I’d love to see more public art in Brookfield,” Riseman said, “but if I could help that happen, that’d really be amazing.”

Three-day writer’s workshop set to provide practical tools for diverse writers interested in developing multi-genre writing skills

NEW ORLEANS, La., April 18, 2023 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Three times self-published author and entrepreneur Michelle Jackson had no idea starting a private Facebook group would change her life. In March 2020, inspired by COVID’s unexpected stay-at-home orders and civil unrest caused by the murder of George Floyd, Jackson took to social media to connect with writers of color and to find resources on how to market a book without leaving the confines of her home. To her surprise, thousands of black authors were facing the same hurdle and looking to collaborate with other like-minded artists. And so, the Black Writers Workspace (BWW) online community was born.

BWW has grown to over 15,000 followers in three years, hosting over 100 author interviews and virtual roundtable discussions, four book fairs, four writing competitions, and a writer’s workshop. Also, the community has inspired the launch of a new business venture, Direct2Author.com, an online independent book marketing and writing service platform developed by Jackson to help authors build their fan base with effective and low-cost book marketing tools.

“Over a million books are published each year, making the book marketing journey more competitive and crucial to the success of a publication,” said Jackson. “BWW was created to provide a positive space where writers can share resources and get the help they need to publish great works of art.”

In a move to expand the BWW brand and help writers of color succeed, the community will host the BLK INK Virtual Writer’s Workshop on May 18-20, 2023, via Zoom. This year’s theme is ‘Straight FIRE! Writing to Inspire a New Generation of Readers.’ The event is designed to educate aspiring, new, and experienced writers about practical tools and techniques for navigating the world of book writing and publishing.

The speaker roster includes Alex Jennings, a New Orleans-based award-winning fantasy writer and instructor of popular fiction at the University of Southern Maine; Jane Friedman, author, co-founder of The Hot Sheet and a columnist with Publishers Weekly; Diane Marie Brown, professor at Orange Coast College and author of the debut novel, Black Candle Women, a Read with Jenna Bush Book Club selection that is currently being adapted for television and Dr. Mona Lisa Saloy, professor at Dillard University and Louisiana’s newest Poet Laureate.

Hour-long sessions will tackle topics like ‘Land a Deal in 2023,’ ‘Put it in an (Audio) Book,’ and ‘Writing Fantasy & Sci-Fi.’ During the event week, writers can also participate in a one-on-one manuscript review session with professional editors with Speak Write Play LLC, a New Jersey-based English Language and Editing Service.

“BWW benefits when experienced writers share their pathway to success with us. Collaboration is key to nurturing a vibrant and diverse literary community,’ said Jackson. “We invite everyone to join us for the BLK INK workshop. Our goal is to nurture the next great writer.”

The event is open to all writers, regardless of race, religion, sex, and sexuality. It will take place via Zoom over three days, starting Thursday, May 18th, and ending Saturday, May 20th. Attendees can pay one fee for all three days or pay per day. College students can attend for free when they register with a .edu email address.

To register on Eventbrite, go to https://bit.ly/BLKINKWORKSHOP.

For sponsorship opportunities, email Michelle D. Jackson at events@prsolutionsllc.org.

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvLTqx4GsQWed70-zOPDZTQ

NEWS SOURCE: Black Writers Workspace

This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Black Writers Workspace) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: 89987 APDF-R8.7

© 2023 Send2Press®, a press release and e-marketing service of NEOTROPE®, Calif., USA.

To view the original version, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/black-writers-workspace-cultivates-the-art-of-writing-during-upcoming-virtual-workshop/

Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by the Associated Press (AP).

Art21, the award-winning filmmaking enterprise, is in the midst of its 11th season, which features artists and collectives like Cannupa Hanska Luger (previously), Hank Willis Thomas (previously), and Guerilla Girls. Grouped thematically in three episodes— “Everyday Icons,” “Bodies of Knowledge,” and “Friends & Strangers” —the new season centers around the political landscape in the U.S. and how, regardless of where they call home, the artists are shaping culture through care and a more meaningful consideration of what it means to be part of a community.

“When we began thinking about how to frame this latest season of Art in the Twenty-First Century, we considered our current historical moment and decided to turn the lens inward and focus on the United States,” Tina Kukielski, the executive director and chief curator, said. “In this first episode, we wanted to highlight artists who challenge and question American monuments and iconography.” “Everyday Icons” centers on Amy Sherald (previously), Rose B. Simpson, Alex Da Corte, and Daniel Lind-Ramos, who each question historical narratives, subvert aesthetic traditions, and offer new visual languages for the contemporary landscape.

To coincide with the launch, Art21 is also sharing all of its past episodes for free viewing on YouTube in an effort to make the series more accessible. Seasons eight, nine, and ten are currently available and take viewers on journies from Johannesburg to Berlin, London to Beijing, and Mexico City to Chicago to follow artists like Zanele Muholi, Olafur Eliasson, Anish Kapoor, and Nick Cave. Other seasons are organized more thematically, grouping artists based on a common idea rather than physical location. Since debuting in 2001, Art21 has released nearly 40 episodes, offering insightful looks at how the art world, aesthetics, and cultural interests have evolved during the last two decades.

Episode 1 of Season 11 aired earlier this month, and the second is scheduled for June 23 on PBS. Keep an eye on Art21’s YouTube for the remainder of previous seasons to be released throughout the year.

A still from “Everday Icons” showing Daniel Lind-Ramos

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Coinciding with the Season 11 Launch, Art21 Will Release All Past Episodes on YouTube to Stream for Free appeared first on Colossal.

Anyone who says they don’t judge beer by the label is lying. Whenever anyone enters the beer aisle of a grocery store or bottle shop, they’re judging the cans whether they know it or not. And if they don’t already have a purchase in mind, they’re scanning for the beer that speaks to them the most, whatever catches their attention in a sea of artistic renderings of animals with hats or anthropomorphic fruit.

To get to the backstory on some of the unique art we’re likely to find on our local beer cans, Nosh spoke with a number of East Bay breweries and artists to see how they attempt to tackle the challenge of setting themselves apart on the shelves. Here’s what they said.

The art from Buck Wild’s Rogue Wave IPA. Image credit: Mike Bernstein, artist credit: Molly McCoy
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?fit=360%2C161&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?fit=1200%2C535&ssl=1″ decoding=”async” width=”1200″ height=”535″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?resize=1200%2C535&ssl=1″ alt=”Buck Wild Rogue Wave can art” class=”wp-image-491822″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?w=2439&ssl=1 2439w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?resize=360%2C161&ssl=1 360w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?resize=200%2C89&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?resize=768%2C343&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?resize=1536%2C685&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?resize=2048%2C914&ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?resize=1200%2C535&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?resize=1568%2C699&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/buckwildwestcostIPA.jpeg?resize=400%2C178&ssl=1 400w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px” data-recalc-dims=”1″>

Buck Wild Brewing
401 Jackson St. (near Fourth Street), Oakland

Of the around 9500 craft breweries in the United States, only 17 of those breweries are 100% gluten-free. Oakland’s Buck Wild Brewing is the only such brewery in California.

“For many years gluten-free has had a bit of a negative stigma attached to it,” Michael Bernstein, the founder of Buck Wild, explained. “So we are really trying to dispel that and what we try to do is market ourselves as just fantastic craft beer that happens to be gluten-free.” 

Bernstein said the artwork on the company’s cans, by Oakland freelance designer Molly McCoy, serves to differentiate Buck Wild in the crowded beer market. As part of a recent marketing push to position the brewery as a “California brand,” Buck Wild has released six new cans with art portraying a theme or landscape synonymous with the state, such as the redwoods, the wild coastline, citrus orchards and the Sierra Nevada.

“We worked our darndest to make sure we were doing something very unique that could stand out from the others,” Bernstein said, “and I really feel like we’ve accomplished that.”

East Brother’s attempt to tell the brand’s story through typography and graphic design. Credit: Clara Rice Photography.
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?fit=360%2C240&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1″ decoding=”async” width=”1200″ height=”800″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1″ alt=”East Brother beer cans” class=”wp-image-491824″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?w=2560&ssl=1 2560w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?resize=360%2C240&ssl=1 360w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?resize=200%2C133&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?resize=2048%2C1366&ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?resize=1568%2C1046&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ClaraRice-GBH-EastBrother-007.jpeg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px” data-recalc-dims=”1″>

East Brother Beer Co.
1001 Canal Blvd. (near Wharf Street), Richmond

Rob Lightner, the co-founder of East Brother Beer Co. was born and raised in Oakland. But with co-founder Chris Coomber, he decided to open a brewery in early 2017 in Richmond, attracted to its great industrial history and its less-prominent position in the region.

“We make classic styles of beers,” Lightner explained, “understated, balanced, easy drinking, not super hyped, of just high quality.” 

East Brother’s can design is also understated, but that doesn’t mean its without a thoughtful design. According to Lightner, East Brother wants to let its product speak for itself, staying “consistent with the beer inside” through simple art.

The line on each can is meant to look like the water line on the freighters off Richmond’s shore, Lightner said, and the muted colors match the freighters’ washed out colors. For the cans logo, East Brother worked with Chicago design studio Good Beer Hunting.

Very little has changed with its cans — or its lineup of beers — in the six years since East Brother first opened. A few months ago, when East Brother launched its first new beer since, the company went back to the drawing board to choose a new color for the blonde ale, said Jaime Dooley, East Brother’s marketing manager. The final pick: a classic-looking green and gold Dooley said was chosen for the colors’ warmth. 

“We’re looking for a color that kind of feels cohesive with everything but speaks to who we are,” Dooley said, “and what the beer is like because the colors also kind of have to somewhat mimic the beer that’s inside.”

Fieldwork’s can designs are created in-house. Courtesy: Ian Gordon, director of marketing at Fieldwork Brewing
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Fieldwork Brewing
1160 Sixth St. (near Harrison Street), Berkeley
100 West Juana Ave. (near Washington Avenue), San Leandro

Fieldwork Brewing is constantly developing new beers, so they decided the best way to develop artwork quickly is to create templates that allow them to swap in images “to match the vibe of whichever beer is going in the can,” said Ian Gordon Fieldwork’s director of marketing. 

The brew team creates the beer and also names it, so when it gets to the design team it’s all about finding imagery that suits the name. Fieldwork originally worked with Gamut, a San Francisco design firm, for its can art. Gordon, one of Gamut’s founders, eventually moved to Fieldwork as its full-time marketing director, so the company’s designs are now created in-house.

Some of these templates include their Adventure series labels such as Pulp or Fog Ripper. Another is a full panel layout which is artwork-based, such as Slaying Power. Belgians have their own style, with gold and birds, such as Annette and Lilith. 

If Fieldwork’s label designs had to be described in a couple of words, Gordon says it would be “wanderlust, evocative and understated.” 

Since Fieldwork doesn’t distribute to stores, they don’t have to compete for shelf visibility. Instead, Gordon said, “we are competing for visibility in peoples minds, so we’re always looking for novel ways of shaking things up, standing out, and making something memorable.”

Wish You Were Here was a Hazy IPA Roses’ brewed a few times during the pandemic “when we couldn’t have folks in our space.” Courtsey: Roses’ Taproom
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Roses’ Taproom
4930 Telegraph Ave. (near 49th Street), Oakland

Hillary and Luke Janson met at art school, so they had a clear creative vision for their future brewery: light, airy and warm. They wanted the space to “feel like a hug when you walk in,” Luke said. It only made sense that when they decided to open Roses’ in 2017, the company’s can art had to parallel this sentiment. 

For every new beer that they release, the Jansons pull from their running list of names, concepts and visual language. Though their process varies, different lines of beers, such as lagers or fruited IPAs, have the same sort of “visual language,” Luke said. He’s the main designer for Roses’ can art, though the company sometimes commissions the help of other artists for special can designs.

Roses’ is always experimenting, rotating its beers, wines and seltzers. That means Luke does a lot of label-creating. Through trial and error, he’s learned that their most successful labels “wrangle the materiality of the can,” using a sticker with a metallic base that allows them to print the art over can-looking material. The result, Luke said, is a “twinkly effect.”

Transitioning from larger-scale art to that on a beer label is about changing expectations of what level of detail will actually end up on the can, Luke said. Some textures and colors that exist in one medium will not translate once printed on a can. 

“Figuring out the right way to translate that materiality into what is ultimately a different product has been a learning experience for sure,” he said. 

To make Roses stand apart, Luke often thinks about what’s going to catch consumers’ eyes. “I’m always really proud when the thing inside is the best I’ve ever made, but I’m also really happy when it looks beautiful.”

Each Two Pitchers can depicts a specific character. Courtesy: Tommy Hester, co-founder of Two Pitchers.
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Two Pitchers Brewing
2344 Webster St. (near 24th Street), Oakland

Tommy Hester and Wilson Barr met in college as pitchers on a baseball team. 

“We were not very good,” Hester said. “We spent almost all our time on the bench and found the shared love of craft beer.” From that Two Pitchers Brewing was born, a brewery that focuses on craft radlers (a mix of beer and fruit soda, also known as a shandy).

Each of Two Pitchers’ cans displays a specific character, such as the “Disco Queen,” “Water Boy,” or even a pop-top van. Hester and Barr come up with each character, the concept and the layout, then their graphic designer, Marlene Silveira, creates the final design. Hester said the goal is keeping things fun and approachable.

“You don’t need to have a triple IPA that tastes like you’re biting into a pine tree to have something that’s craft beer,” Hester said. “It can be light, it can be fruity, it can be approachable but still keeping that quality. And that’s what we want our branding to be as well.” 

Hester figures that on the shelf, you’ll get a quarter of a second of someone’s time, so it’s important to make sure their label pops and conveys the feeling of their beers. Part of this is having the fruits in the beer included on the label, so people quickly understand what they’re getting into. 

“It’s basically trying to kind of thread that needle,” Hester said, “and both inform and attract in a fraction of a second.”

Courtesy image Wynn Whisenhunt, owner/head brewer at Wondrous. Artist credit: Andreas Pedersen
” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?fit=360%2C247&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?fit=1200%2C822&ssl=1″ decoding=”async” width=”1200″ height=”822″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?resize=1200%2C822&ssl=1″ alt=”Wondrous brewing can” class=”wp-image-491843″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?w=1770&ssl=1 1770w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?resize=360%2C247&ssl=1 360w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?resize=200%2C137&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?resize=768%2C526&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?resize=1536%2C1052&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?resize=1200%2C822&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?resize=1568%2C1074&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/newspack-berkeleyside-cityside.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/wondrous.png?resize=400%2C274&ssl=1 400w” sizes=”(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px” data-recalc-dims=”1″>

Wondrous Brewing
1306 65th St. (near Hollis Street), Emeryville

After working in Bay Area breweries for a while, Wynn Whisenhunt, the owner and head brewer at Wondrous Brewing, moved to Germany for eight months to study beer making. After learning more about the craft, he moved back to the Bay, opening his own brewery in May 2021. 

Wondrous’ focus is lagers, but it also brews a fair amount of West Coast-style hoppy beers, mixing Whisenhunt’s love of classic German-style beers and his West Coast roots. 

When looking for a logo, Whisenhunt found a Sweden-based designer Andreas Pedersen online. The working relationship was so good, that Wondrous has been collaborating with Pedersen on can designs ever since. 

Whisenhunt will come up with the idea for the label and then email Pedersen to come up with a design. “95% of the time I’m so amazed that he comes up with something, like, so perfect,” Whisenhunt said of Pedersen’s can art.

“I’ve never met him in person, I’ve never even talked to him over the phone,” Whisenhunt said. “We’ve just been pen pals pretty much for the last three years.” 

Whisenhunt said that the goal is a simple, consistent style that people can look at on the shelf and think, “oh yeah that looks like a Wondrous beer.” Wondrous uses its own shape and size of label to help differentiate the cans, Whisenhunt said.

To Whisenhunt, being true to the Wondrous brand is more important than having a complicated design to stand out. 

“Beer gets fun and technical and crazy and artsy,” he said. “But sometimes just having something simple and comfortable and easy to read is great.”

Some additional can artists to know

Erina Davidson poses with the cans she designed for Temescal Brewing (left), Davidson’s can design for Rare Barrel (right). Courtesy: Erina Davidson
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Erina Davidson is an education program coordinator and artist at Kala Art Institute. While her main focus is in printmaking, she has designed beer can labels for Temescal Brewing and the recently-closed Rare Barrel brewing’s Hello Friend offshoot. 

For Davidson, these labels were one of the first chances she had to showcase her illustrations in a public space. For her first label with Hello Friend, she was chosen from a call for customers to tag local artists through Instagram. Similarly, Davidson was chosen for Temescal Brewing through a call for artists for their sixth anniversary label. 

“I know that there are a lot of graphic designers where it’s just kind of a regular part of their job,” Davidson said, “But for me, this kind of design work is really kind of just a fun way for me to think about illustration or color design, and I just consider myself lucky if I get paid to do it.”

Designing a beer label has very different expectations and parameters than Davidson’s usual art: it has to be a particular size, it has to appeal from different angles, and you have to consider the 360-degree view on the can.

Davidson makes a mix of art that’s fun to look at and with personal style, as well as work that involves her personal narrative and digs deeper. She felt she had to approach the beer labels differently than her other work, by just letting go and making something fun. 

“I personally appreciate all the different designs that I see and I just like seeing other artists take on that format,” Davidson said. “So it was nice to have been able to do that as well, and it was really fun to see something you design on the rack at Berkeley Bowl.” 

The name “Martian City” came from an inside joke from artist Scott Kimball’s childhood. Courtesy: Scott Kimball
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Scott Kimball was riding his bike around Richmond when he decided to stop into the now closed Benoit-Casper Brewing. While there, he ran into Scott and Veronica Davidson, who now own Ocean View Brew Works. This coincidental meeting led Kimball to become the artist behind Ocean View’s logo and labels.

The most recent label that Kimball designed for them was a collaboration beer with Federation Brewing. Because Federation’s brand is science fiction-themed, the name for the beer was “Martian City,” which Kimball said is a name taken from a family inside joke: As kids, Kimball and his brother would marvel at the complexity of a big freeway exchange in the Bay Area. 

“It looked like something out of the Jetsons with the swooping going every which way,” Kimball said. “And we as kids, we called it Martian City.”

From that name, Kimball designed a label with hop martians in high tops, a futuristic city and space whales – combining the themes of both breweries. 

For Kimball, the process of can design is pretty flexible. He shows the Davidsons a sketch and if they like it, they go with it.

Kimball said there’re some things that you have to keep in mind when designing a label that don’t come up much in other art styles, such as keeping the front image centered and making it “attractive enough to grab somebody,” while still making space in the design for the legal requirements on the can. 

At the end of the day, though, Kimball says this kind of work is simply fun. 

“It’s just good to work with a fun product that everybody loves,” He said. “Everybody likes a nice beer.”

Stumbling upon a coin purse, a lone consumer finds himself in possession of a bit of extra change in the stop-motion animation “Five Cents.” Aaron Hughes created the film by using thousands of market analysis pages from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Financial Times, on top of which he applied layers of ink, Wite-Out, gold leaf, and gouache. A symbolic and witty criticism of capitalist society and how economic mechanisms like inflation impact the everyday cost of living, Hughes’ solitary character purchases essentials like glasses and an umbrella before being hoodwinked into unnecessary purchases.

“Five Cents” won the 2022 South by Southwest Animated Short Audience Award, and you can see more of Hughes’ work on Vimeo.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article An Unwitting Consumer Finds Himself Out of His Depth in the Stop-Motion Animation ‘Five Cents’ appeared first on Colossal.

CMT’s successful Black, Native, Indigenous, Latino, LGBTQ+ and female country music advocacy Equal Access program partnership with mtheory — a leading national artist development, marketing and strategy company — has entered year two. On Monday evening at Nashville’s City Winery, CMT’s Senior Vice President, Music & Talent SVP, Music & Talent Leslie Fram, plus mtheory CEO Cameo Carlson announced the 2023-2024 Equal Access class.

For Fram, Equal Access allows her to answer her most perpetually self-asked question, “How can I — and we, as CMT — do better?”

A press release refers to the year-long Equal Access program as an “intensive artist and management training initiative designed to support underrepresented voices in country music,” offering “funding and training and unprecedented access to industry leaders” to its recipients.

“CMT, along with Paramount Global and its Content for Change initiative, [is continuing to] ignite systemic change,” Fram adds, citing Equal Access alongside CMT Equal Play and CMT Next Women of Country as programs excelling in “leveling the playing field in country music.”

For Fram’s longtime friend Carlson, implementing her long-developed action-based curriculum for industry change finds the three-decade-long music industry executive successfully applying her years of studying how the country music industry markets itself.

Carlson adds that breaking a “racial and gendered hierarchy” within the country music industry via Equal Access’ “deliberate, consistent effort” creates a “ripple effect” impacting radio airplay, songwriting, publishing, streaming, record label signings, artist development, and touring, among many business interests.

The artists and managers represented impressively broaden the program’s intersectional swath, plus lean far deeper into faces already from visible places looking to be heard in greater regard.

The 2023-2024 Equal Access cohort includes the following:

Artists:

• Angie K – Familiar to The Voice viewers, the queer El Salvador-born veteran Nashville country artist marks yet another CMT Next Women of Country class member (2023) to receive Equal Access highlighting. 2022 saw her — similar to first-year Equal Access member Madeline Edwards — appear onstage during CMA Fest’s Nissan Stadium presentation
• Camille Parker – Fresh from appearing on the star-laden Apple TV+ program My Kind of Country, Parker is a California-born and North Carolina-raised 2022 CMT Next Women of Country class member who is completing her debut EP with producers Chris McClenney (DRAM, Khalid) and David Phelps (Gaither Vocal Band)
• Denitia – A queer native Nashvillian steeped in country and gospel music with musical roots in Brooklyn’s soulful, rocking singer-songwriter scene, she’s re-emerged in Music City, appearing nationally with the Black Opry Revue

Management professionals:

• Ahsaki LaFrance-Chachere – Born of Navajo and African-American ancestry, the Arizona-born and Houston-based entrepreneur is involved in the beauty, cattle ranching, music management and music publishing industries. Now also based in Nashville, her diversity informs the intentionality in her work.
• Alex Evelyn – The Belmont University audio engineering program alum is currently an artist manager also doubling as a radio and TV producer, plus show host at YoCo 96.7 FM, Nashville’s only genre-less radio station.
• Roberto Martinez – A native of Mishawaka, Indiana, the songwriter, producer, recording engineer and live event curator arrives at the Equal Access Program after a five-year consultant stint at Warner Music Nashville. He now aims to expand into management in the country music space.

In conversation with the Tennessean, the class’ uniqueness takes a deeper shape. If country music is a genre that has a historical precedent established by rewarding those with vibrant backgrounds and jaw-dropping stories to tell, the class doesn’t disappoint.

LaFrance-Chachere’s desire to advocate for Black, Native and rodeo voices in country by “continuing to craft and reshape the genre’s expectations” isn’t unique. For example, Randy Savvy’s Compton Cowboys are routinely featured at the Stagecoach Festival and in national brand advertising.

However, LaFrance-Chachere’s desires are different.

“John Wayne cowboy movies were shot on the reservation where I grew up. As a half-Native person, I see over 500 tribes and 5 percent of the country that are a community of people who demand representation — and many of them love country music.”

“Also, my land’s chickens, cows, horses and sheep still need to be fed. Taking my success from the board room and stage to the farm is actually necessary,” jokes LaFrance-Chachere.

For Parker, she’s yet another “genre-fluid” artist in the country and Americana-adjacent space. Being as vocally adept and intellectually aware in the artistic catalogs of Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige as she is in those of Miranda Lambert and Carly Pearce allows her to uniquely appreciate how the Equal Access program both “values country’s traditions” but is also keenly aware of the value of progression.

“Where I’m from in North Carolina, there’s only church, Walmart and country music,” continues Parker, laughing.

“But, I’m also a Black woman inspired by my race and culture’s progressions. Being a ‘daughter of diverse traditions’ in some respects reflects who I and a growing number of other Black female artists represent. Sustaining space in country’s expanding musical ecosystem — while maintaining self-respect and a credible artistic vision for powerful American music — requires the aid of a program like Equal Access.”

Angie K’s desires expand far past increasing American renown for her art.

Ask her where she’d like to be heard and seen as an Equal Access program member and she mentions San Salvador, El Salvador’s Teatro Presidente.

With the program’s aid, the 50-year-old, 1500-seat theater dear to the country artist’s native roots will host a fundraising event that she will headline — ideally in the next 12 months.

When asked about that event’s country-adoring attendees, she makes a statement speaking to the globalization of the genre’s fundamental values of faith, family and fun — especially the latter.

“I’ll be there for the people back home who can out-fish the best [anglers] in Alabama,” says Angie K.

Martinez is a soft-spoken small-town guy with earnest aspirations reflecting his blue-collar work ethic.

“It’s surreal to take the faith and trust that artists put into my work and not feel like it’s a one in a million chance that they’ll get seen and heard in the [country music’s highest echelons],” he states.

Denitia, in a manner feeling complimentary to her stylings as a performer, gently slides a notion she borrowed from queer African-American actress, producer, and screenwriter Lena Waithe into the conversation.

“When standing on the shoulders of so many people who have walked up to the door and pushed on it, it makes it easier for me to finally be able to stand up and open the door with [relative ease].”

She continues with an even more powerful voice, all her own.

“The six of us in this cohort are walking through unprecedented doors, taking beautiful, diverse, valuable strides to change.”

“The people after us will hopefully not even have a door to concern themselves with,” adds Evelyn.

For Carlson, she draws a bottom line based on money, power and respect that feels like a table-shaking endeavor with the potential for accountability, excellence and change.

“We’re putting action behind calling people out to do the right things — and they’re getting done.”

Parker underscores Carlson’s point with an empathetic note.

“We all just want country music to love us as much as we love it.”