In April 2019, Synergies Work piloted our first ever Art Incubator in partnership with the Spruill Center with the goal of providing a physical co-learning space for artists to develop their skills as well as receive business training from industry experts.
Our program met once a week – every Friday from 9:30am to 12:30pm – for five weeks at the Education Center Spruill Center for the Arts. During this time, our artists learned from experienced art facilitators Bill Ruck and Minna Hong, met with local business leaders, and experimented with different techniques, mediums, and subject areas with their peers.
The art forms covered during our program included
- Aromatic Paints
- Charcoal
- Jewelry Making
- Metal Crafts
- Visual Arts
The Synergies Work Art Incubator pilot underscores the belief that everyone thrives when we work together in an inclusive setting. Over the course of five weeks, we gave nearly a dozen artists the opportunity to explore their creativity, gain confidence in their skills, and most importantly, feel like they were part of a community.
The biggest impact that we’ve had through this pilot has been bringing together an incredible group of individuals. Their unique talents, life experiences, and points of view came together to create an electrifying atmosphere of creativity and inclusiveness. We had everyone from career artists to first timers participating in our program and by the end we all felt like we belonged there.
At the end of our five weeks, we finished our program with an Art Exhibition where we exhibited for sale the pieces created by our artists. The proceeds went back directly to each artist with the goal of showing them that they can turn their passions into a career.
