Atlanta – South Arts announces the participants of two programs connecting artists and arts professionals to harness the power of shared knowledge. The Emerging Leaders of Color program is convening a cohort of cultural leaders of color in the southern United States who are committed to the advancement of the arts. The Folk & Traditional Arts Cross-Border Mentor-Apprentice program supports mentor artist and apprentice relationships that cross state borders to further cultivate shared cultural heritage in Central Appalachia. Both opportunities illustrate South Arts’ commitment to investing in the region’s arts networks, and ensuring new leaders have access to deep resources.
Meet the First Cohort of Emerging Leaders of Color Meet the Folk & Traditional Arts Mentor-Apprentice Teams
With the goal of building a cohort of BIPOC cultural leaders representing the new generation of workers in arts and culture, the participants of the Emerging Leaders of Color program will take part in a series of professional development and team-building workshops. Over the course of the program, they will take part in activities designed to strengthen competencies and prepare participants for leadership positions in the field.
This is the pilot of Emerging Leaders of Color for South Arts. Building on the success of the Western Arts Federation’s Emerging Leaders of Color program which has been attracting, training, networking and promoting a new generation of diverse arts leaders since 2010, the South Arts program serves to advance Southern vitality through the arts through leadership development.
The inaugural cohort of the Emerging Leaders of Color program includes:
- Melanie Colclough, Sumter County Cultural Center/Patriot Hall. Sumter, SC
- Jemimah Ekeh, One Columbia for Arts and Culture. Columbia, SC
- Nathalie Nia Faulk, Alternate ROOTS/Last Call. New Orleans, LA
- Carey Fountain, Birmingham Museum of Art. Birmingham, AL
- Brandall C. Jones, Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company. Atlanta, GA
- Carly Jones, North Carolina Arts Council. Raleigh, NC
- Victoria Jones, The Collective The CLTV Inc. Memphis, TN
- Chad Locklear, Givens Performing Arts Center. Pembroke, NC
- Chase Miller, Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra. Lexington, KY
- Viola Ratcliffe, Bib & Tucker Sew-Op. Bessemer, AL
- Cecilia Reyna, Community Citizen. Louisville, KY
- Stacey Wilson, Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience. Meridian, MS
To further cultivate shared cultural heritage in Central Appalachia, the Folk & Traditional Arts Cross-Border Mentor-Apprentice program supports mentor artist and apprentice relationships that cross state borders. These collaborations preserve and pass on the traditions of their local communities and shared culture of Central Appalachia through hands-on experience and teamwork. The Folk & Traditional Arts Cross-Border Mentor-Apprentice program is part of the In These Mountains: Central Appalachian Folk Arts & Culture initiative.
The 2020 Folk & Traditional Arts Cross-Border Mentor-Apprentice participants are:
- Traditional Appalachian Ballads, with mentor artist Sheila Kay Adams (Madison County, NC) and apprentice Ian Kirkpatrick (Claiborne County, TN)
- Handmade Stone Marbles, with mentor artist Timothy Walden (Monroe County, KY) and apprentice Shawn Hughes (Overton County, TN)
- Appalachian Music/Fiddling, with mentor artist Bobby Taylor (Kanawha County, WV) and apprentice L Scott Miller (Boyd County, KY)
More information about Emerging Leaders of Color, the Cross-Border Mentor-Apprentice program, and other South Arts programs is available by visiting www.southarts.org.