Mccoll Center For Art & Innovation

WE CHAMPION CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS AND SPARK CREATIVE EXPERIENCES FOR POSITIVE COMMUNITY IMPACT.

STUDIOS, CO-OP, + LABSTHE STUDIOS AT MCCOLL CENTER IS A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO BUILD A CREATIVE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT EMERGING LOCAL ARTISTS IN THE REGION. OUR STUDIOS ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE BY ARTISTS AT SUBSIDIZED RATES, WHILE OFFERING ACCESS TO OUR COMMUNAL LABS FOR PRINTMAKING, 3D PRINTING AND LASER CUTTING, DIGITAL MEDIA, CERAMICS, WOODWORKING, AND SCULPTURE FABRICATION. ARTIST STUDIOS AT MCCOLL CENTER MAINTAIN A THRIVING COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS WHO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC EVENTS, SHARE THEIR PRACTICES AND IDEAS, AND ENRICH FELLOW ARTISTS BOTH WITHIN THE BUILDING AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.THE CO-OP PROGRAM IS AN ADDITIONAL WAY TO OFFER TANGIBLE, DIRECT OPTIONS THAT EMPOWER ARTISTS AND CREATIVES TO THRIVE BY OPENING FLEXIBLE ACCESS TO MCCOLL CENTER LABS, TOOLS, SPACE AND RESOURCES. OUR CO-OP PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO GIVE LOCAL ARTISTS ACCESS TO OUR FACILITIES AND JOIN OUR COMMUNITY. WE LOOKED FOR ARTISTS WHO RECEIVED A GRANT AND NEEDED FACILITIES AND SPACE TO CREATE THE WORK, WERE EXPANDING THEIR CURRENT CONCEPT IN SCALE OR MEDIUM, NEEDED TEMPORARY ACCESS TO OUR LABS TO CREATE NEW WORK OR DEVELOP AN IDEA, AND WERE PROFICIENT IN THEIR CHOSEN MEDIUM BUT WANTED TO HAVE ACCESS TO EQUIPMENT LIKE A LARGER PRINTING PRESS OR TABLE SAW TO WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY OR TRY OUT BEFORE THEY PURCHASE ONE FOR THEIR OWN STUDIO.MCCOLL CENTERS CO-OP PROGRAM GAVE CHARLOTTE ARTISTS ACCESS TO OUR COMMUNAL LABS FROM A MONTH-TO-MONTH BASIS WITH 24/7 ACCESS. UNLIKE OUR STUDIO PROGRAM, THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE AN ANNUAL COMMITTMENT . THE MCCOLL CENTER IS EQUIPPED WITH A WOODSHOP, CERAMIC LAB, METAL LAB, MEDIA LAB, PRINTMAKING LAB, AND A 3D PRINTING AND LASER CUTTING LAB ALONG WITH VARIOUS TOOLS.VENUE RENTALSVENUE RENTALS PROVIDED A UNIQUE AND ARTISTIC SPACE FOR CELEBRATIONS, CORPORATE EVENTS, AND SOCIAL GATHERINGS. THEY WERE SET INSIDE A VERSATILE AND UNIQUE CONTEMPORARY ART VENUE WITH EXPOSED BRICK WALLS, TALL INDUSTRIAL CEILINGS, AND ARCHED WINDOWS -- ALL INSIDE A HISTORIC GOTHIC REVIVAL BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN CHARLOTTE. THESE VENUE RENTALS GENERATED UNRESTRICTED INCOME FROM $600 TO $2,700 DEPENDING ON THE SPACE RENTED.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT:CREATIVITY CAMPS (JULY-AUGUST 2023, JUNE 2024) ARE A SERIES OF WEEK-LONG, HALF-DAY ART CAMPS DESIGNED FOR YOUNG ARTISTS TO SPARK IMAGINATION, ENCOURAGE SELF-DISCOVERY, AND MAKE LIFELONG CONNECTIONS TO MANY EXPRESSIONS OF ART. CAMPS INCLUDED CERAMICS, DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION, AND MIXED MEDIA.YOUNG ARTIST STUDIO SERIES (6 WEEK SERIES) IS DESIGNED FOR YOUNG ARTISTS IN GRADES 2ND THROUGH 8TH WHO WANT TO DELVE INTO AND MASTER THE BASICS OF A SPECIFIC MEDIUM. PARTICIPANTS CHOSE FROM SEVERAL EXCITING COURSES: PRINTMAKING, DRAWING & PAINTING, AND CERAMIC SCULPTURE. TEACHING ARTISTS GUIDED STUDENTS THROUGH THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THEIR CHOSEN MEDIUM; FOSTERING CREATIVITY AND ENCOURAGING EXPLORATION.ADULT ARTIST STUDIO SERIES (6 WEEK SERIES) IS FOR ARTISTS OF ANY SKILL LEVEL WHO WANT TO LEARN NEW TECHNIQUES AND EXPAND THEIR PRACTICE. WHETHER THEY ARE JUST BEGINNING THEIR JOURNEY OR LOOKING TO TRY A NEW MEDIUM, OUR TEACHING ARTISTS GUIDED THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS AND HELPED THEM MAKE IT THEIR OWN. RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC PROJECTS OR A FINISHED PRODUCT, THESE CLASSES HELPED ARTISTS APPLY NEW SKILLS TO PLAY AND TAKE RISKS AND CREATE WORK IN THEIR OWN VOICE. WE HELD 11 ARTIST STUDIO SERIES THROUGH THE YEAR.BEYOND THE STUDIO SERIES (9 WORKSHOPS) EXPLORED EVERYTHING AN ARTIST NEEDS TO KNOW BEYOND MAKING ART, TO GROW AND EXPAND THEIR PRACTICE. THEY LEARNED A VARIETY OF SKILLS, LIKE WRITING ABOUT THEIR WORK, APPLYING FOR EXHIBITIONS AND RESIDENCIES, PHOTOGRAPHY, PRICING THEIR ART, INSTALLING IT, AND PACKING IT SAFELY. THESE WORKSHOPS WERE TAUGHT BY ART PROFESSIONALS WHO HELPED THEM TO NAVIGATE THE MANY PATHS TO BEING AN ARTIST. MCCOLL CENTER AIMED TO HELP ARTISTS FIGURE OUT WHAT SUCCESS MEANS TO THEM AND SUPPORT THEM IN BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE CAREER AS AN ARTIST.WORKSHOPS WERE AVAILABLE FOR 11 INTENSIVE STUDIO PRACTICES WITH LOCAL AND VISITING ARTISTS TO EXPAND THEIR ARTIST PRACTICE AND LEARN NEW SKILLS.EACH ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PARTICIPATED IN A UNIQUE AND INTENTIONAL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY, FULFILLING OUR MISSION TO SPARK CREATIVE, RELEVANT, AND ACCESSIBLE EXPERIENCES TO AN ENGAGED PUBLIC. FOR EXAMPLE, THE EXHIBITION BODY/POLITICS FEATURED THE WORKS OF MCCOLL CENTERS 2023 PARENT AND EDUCATOR ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE OLANIYI AKINDIYA AKIRASH, PABLO GARCIA-LOPEZ, NICOLE HAVEKOST, AND MARY VALVERDE, WHOSE PERSPECTIVES EMBRACE AND QUESTION OUR COMPLICATED RELATIONSHIP TO THESE QUESTIONS AND DEFINITIONS OF THE BODY.

ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE: MCCOLL CENTER'S NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM PROVIDED SPACE AND TIME TO 14 ARTISTS TO DEVELOP THEIR PRACTICE, TAKE RISKS, AND EXPLORE IDEAS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF CHARLOTTE: OLANIYI AKINDIYA (NIGERIA/TX), SARAH CORNEJO (TN), JOHNNY FLOYD (GA), PABLO GARCIA (SPAIN/NY), JAKI SHELTON GREEN (NC), NICOLE HAVEKOST (MN), ASA JACKSON (VA), MONIQUE LUCK (SC), MAY PARLAR (TURKEY/NY), LEONARDO REMOR (BRAZIL), ADRIAN RHODES (SC), DENIS RODRIGUEZ (BRAZIL), CARLIE TROSCLAIR (LA), MARY VALVERDE (NY).