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The ArtsXchange 404-624-4211 | Contact Us 2148 Newnan Street East Point, GA 30344 Office Hours | Tues - Sat | 10AM- 6PM

Dianne Mathiowetz 2018 Ebon Dooley Honoree Social Justice Champion https://www.facebook.com/dianne.mathiowetz Dianne Mathiowetz has been engaged in the struggle for social and economic justice for over 50 years. Anti-racist activist, workers’ rights advocate, anti-imperialist organizer, reproductive rights defender and community radio producer and host, Dianne credits her longevity in revolutionary change to her membership in Workers World Party. She has acted in solidarity with immigrants and refugees everywhere, incarcerated workers behind bars, political prisoners, LGBTQ2+ communities, environmentalists in defense of the planet, abortion and women's healthcare providers, housing activists and cultural workers. Women's Action for New Directions (WAND), Freedom University, Grandmothers for Peace, Dominican College, and the Nipponza Myohoji Atlanta Dojo have honored Dianne for her dedication to peace, equality and liberation. She received the inaugural Ebon Dooley Social Justice Champion award in 2018 from the ArtsXchange. Currently, Dianne is the vice-president of the Board of WRFG 89.3FM, as well as coordinator of both the Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition and International Action Center. She produces and co-hosts the weekly Labor Forum program on WRFG. Dianne appreciates and marvels at all the remarkable people who have enriched her life, educated her and sustained her to remain confident that "a better world is in birth. OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Omelika Kuumba 2023 Ebon Dooley Honoree Change Maker Omelika Kuumba has taught African dance for the past 25 years at Spelman College. She specializes in African Dance Forms, a cornerstone for dance majors, and introduced a new course, West African Rhythms. Kuumba, or Sister Omelika as she is affectionately called is a drummer, dancer, choreographer, musical arranger, and cultural arts educator. She is a Spelman alum and studied under the direction of master dancers and percussionists in the U.S. and in Senegal, West Africa. Her career accomplishments include: performing during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games; teaching and choreographing at Trollwood Performing Arts School in North Dakota, and teaching percussion and choreographing in Stuttgart, Germany, Hastings, England and Bermuda. Sister Omeika co-founded GIWAYEN MATA, an award-winning dance, percussion and vocal ensemble. She is a former Student Government Association member, Miss Maroon and White at Morehouse, and member of the Eta Kappa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Atlanta Collects Atlanta Collects 10 Notable Fine Art Collections Sept. 6, 2019 - Oct. 26, 2019 CURATOR Mike Harris ArtsXchange is honored to host 10 Notable Fine Art Collections in our Jack Sinclair Gallery. Our guest curator, Michael Harris shares his vision as an ongoing collector and its importance for the community. The Atlanta Arts scene has long been seen as trailblazing and of great historic and cultural importance. Atlanta is the home of the National Black Arts Festival, Atlanta Life Biennial, Hammonds House, Spelman College Museums and Clark Atlanta Galleries which is also home of the Hale Woodruff Murals. What many may not know is that Atlanta also boast several substantial and notable Art Collections. This exhibition will highlight a small sample of these Collections and the families that have amassed them. Some of the Collections have been documented in catalogs and articles, yet most have grown outside of the public eye as personal journeys and passions. The purpose of this exhibition is to share with the general public the depth and breadth of both these known and previously unknown Collections. Most importantly this exhibition is intended to demystify Art Collecting as an expression of elitist privilege and to show these collectors as Custodians of our Culture. The exhibition includes works from only ten of these Collections. The artworks and the stories behind the collections are as varied and as diverse as the families that have built the collections. The Collectors include notable Professionals from many fields as well as public servants and regular folks who have developed a passion for the Arts. Join us for the opening reception on September 6, 2019 from 7-10pm. Parking is free and located in the back of out building. We invite guests of all ages! Thank you to our collectors for trusting us with this special line up of artists. Art will is on display from September 6th - October 12th, 2019 Gallery hours are Tues.- Sat. from 12-8pm All Exhibits

Sarah Oso 2020 Ebon Dooley Honoree Emerging Leader https://www.facebook.com/sarah.oso.501 Sarah O. Oso (she/her) is a first-generation immigrant and proud Atlanta resident, she commits to honoring the human experience through highlighting the importance of spoken and written expression. Her poetry crosses the bounds of genre and language and often explores the intimacies of identity, heritage, human connection, and faith. Numerous local readings and art events, including the annual AJC Decatur Book Festival, Poetry at Tech, and 2019 Agnes Scott Writers’ Festival, have featured Oso’s work, and her poetry has been Pushcart Prize-nominated, currently appearing in New Ohio Review , Rigorous , and Helen Literary Magazine , among others. Oso is a recent Stamps President’s Scholar graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology (’19), where she earned B.S. degrees in both Public Policy and Applied Language/Intercultural Studies and engaged in the research of social themes, focusing on healthcare disparity, food security, diversity impact, multimodal storytelling, advocacy, and activism. By day, she works closely with the community as a legal team associate, with an emphasis on immigration rights and aiding and empowering immigrants in navigating regulations and obtaining protected status. OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Blood of the earth Blood of the earth A Corrina Sephora Art & Metalworks Exhibition June 1, 2019 - July 13, 2019 CURATOR / ARITST Corrina Sephora Corrina Sephora is a contemporary mixed media artist specializing in metal sculpture, painting, and installation. Throughout the past 24 years, Corrina has lived and worked in Atlanta, GA. For the last decade, Corrina has worked with the form of Boats as a point of inspiration in narratives of family, memory, and personal history, imbuing it with symbolism of the journey of life. Her work currently explores lunar images, cells, and the universe as meditation through making. Additionally a side project evolved into a body of work utilizing the material and spiritual transformation of Guns. She works individually and collaboratively creating a dialogue with personal psychology, social interest, and a current state of being in the world through art, producing work, teaching, and executing commissions for both public and private environments. Corrina received her BFA in Metals and Sculpture at Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA, in 1995. She received her MFA in Fine Arts and Sculpture in 2005 from Georgia State University, and has studied abroad extensively. Corrina teaches metalworking through her studio and has previously been an adjunct professor in the Art and Visual Culture department at Spelman College as well as a professor of art at Georgia State University, University of Georgia, and Savannah College of Art & Design. A selection of her awards include: “Best in Show” Annette Cone-Skelton of MOCA GA, “Best in Show “ , “First Place”, “Honorable Mention,” and “Second Place” at the North Charleston National Outdoor Sculpture Competition & Exhibition; the People’s Choice Award, Ocala, FL where the work was purchased and is now in the permanent collection, and a Silver Award at Icarus International, North Carolina. Corrina’s work is on permanent display at The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park, The Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Greenfield Hebrew Academy, and is in the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia and in national private collections, including Jane Fonda and Elton John. https://corrinasephora.com/blood-of-the-earth/ All Exhibits

0a50bc2d-f80f-4eca-8226-ac118efbd548 PRESS Reimagined Joy aims to recharge youth and families after pandemic slump April 15, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE REIMAGINED JOY: A Festival of Creativity & Learning May 6, 2023 | 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. More Info & Free Tickets ‘Reimagined Joy’ aims to recharge youth, families after pandemic slump Free festival to fuse arts, health and wellness at ArtsXchange East Point, GA — After the past few years, many communities need resources to counter the mental and physical toll of adjusting to a world changed by the pandemic. The ArtsXchange’s REIMAGINED JOY: A Festival of Creativity & Learning aims to help youth, families and seniors find relief and reinvigoration by exploring the arts, physical health and mental wellness all at once. The festival will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 6 at the ArtsXchange, 2148 Newnan St. in East Point. It is free and open to all ages. “We believe that a strong extended family unit is key to increasing the wellbeing of children,” said Executive Director Alice Lovelace. “This program allows us to focus on each participant's ability to improve their physical health, reduce stress and anxiety, and explore their creativity." Reimagined Joy’s various offerings include Sanskrit Moon Yoga, West African dance and drumming class and performances by I Am Arts, a Blues Legacy presentation by legendary photographer Jim Alexander, art by 7 Stages, beading with Sista Shaman, Tai chi, martial arts and Capoeira with Tabala Research Institute, trapeze and circus arts with Steve Seaberg and Earth to Sky Youth Aerialists, artmaking with Lisa Tuttle, seed planting with the Champion Gardeners Youth Entrepreneurs, an East Point Grown gardening class “Food as Medicine,” a sculpture installation, music, food, door prizes and more. “Art making and creative pursuits focus your attention while engaging multiple parts of the brain. We know that this type of cognitive challenge increases the feelings of self-worth and wellbeing,” Lovelace said. “This festival is a source of creative healing after being isolated by the pandemic. We want people to feel that sense of connection, to know they’re not alone.” The festival will also be the backdrop for the opening of our next exhibition, Now is the Day: A Life Well Lived, which celebrates the poetry, photography and collections of the late civil rights activist, SNCC Free Southern Theater founder and Georgia State professor Dr. Doris Derby. Reimagined Joy is funded by a grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts, which includes appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and National Endowment for the Arts. For more information or to get free tickets, see our event page. ABOUT THE ARTSXCHANGE The ArtsXchange, d/b/a the Southeast Community Cultural Center, was incorporated in 1983 and opened The Arts Exchange In 1984 in Grant Park, reshaping the landscape of Metro Atlanta’s arts scene. In East Point since 2017, the ArtsXchange is home to 14 multidisciplinary artist studios, ranging from photographers and muralists to djembe drummers and textile artists. We empower artists, social justice activists and creative entrepreneurs to engage communities with innovative artistic learning experiences and cultural exchange. Our programming is designed to be inclusive, diverse, and to encourage positive change as participants come to a better understanding of themselves and others. Our art is our activism. Visit www.artsxchange.org for more information. ABOUT GEORGIA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) is a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development whose mission is to cultivate the growth of vibrant, thriving Georgia communities through the arts. GCA provides grant funding, programs, and services statewide that support the vital arts industry, preserve the state’s cultural heritage, increase tourism, and nurture strong communities. Funding for Georgia Council for the Arts is provided by appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts. Visit www.gaarts.org for more information. DOWNLOAD THE PDF Press Contact Angela Oliver media@artsXchange.org She/Her

Counter Narrative Project 2024 - Ebon Dooley Honoree Social Justice Champion info@counternarrative.org https://www.thecounternarrative.org Founded by Charles Stephens in 2014, the Counter Narrative Project is a narrative change organization that stands in the tradition of Bayard Rustin, James Baldwin, Essex Hemphill, and other movement leaders, artists, organizers, and visionaries committed to countering narratives and speaking truth to power. CNP shifts narratives about Black gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men to change policy and improve lives. OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES

Climate Change FINAL WARNING Climate Change: FINAL WARNING ArtsXchange Juried Exhibition July 15, 2023 - Aug. 26, 2023 CURATORS Lisa Tuttle Ric Washington Cleigaie Narcisse ARTIST Ugo Agoruah - Lisa Alembik - Jim Alexander - Vanna Black - Carl D. Christian - Sharon B Dowdell - Samuel Guilford - Oscar Harris - Amber Higgenbottom - Amanda Hubbard - Oxana Kovalchuk - Kamille Mayes - Mery Lynn McCorkle - Herman McClenton - Michael Morgan - Marcella Muhammad - Cyrus Nelson - Shalea Niles - Claudia O'Steen - Elaine Pawlowicz - Mary L. Peng - Sandy Teepen - Lisa Tuttle - Ric Washington - Daniel Wingo The world has been pushed to the brink of irrevocable damage that only swift and drastic action can avert. Artists in this exhibition have an opportunity to raise awareness about this crisis, advocate for policy reform, and empower and inspire viewers to take action in their own way. Congrats to the winners, all applicants & thanks to guest judge Kevin Sipp! 1st - Mary L. Peng (Boston) 2nd - Kamille Mayes (Atlanta) 3rd - Carl D Christian (Atlanta) Honorable Mention - Samuel Guilford (Atlanta) Exhibit Video - Closing Event About the Judge Kevin Sipp is a fine artist, scholar and curator with expertise in printmaking, painting, sculpture and multimedia installation. His foundational aesthetic focus examines the spiritual, political, social, and historical influence of African-derived culture in the world, often making references to African Myth, Afro-Futurism, Cultural Identity, Colonial History, past and contemporary music, politics and comics. Sipp, who is also a poet and speaker, is the cultural affairs and public art coordinator for the city of Atlanta, a curator at the Hammonds House, and a teaching artist at the High Museum. About the Curators Lisa Tuttle is a mixed-media artist, curator, advocate, educator and writer. A former lead administrator with the Fulton County Public Art Program and gallery director for the Nexus Contemporary Art Center (now Atlanta Contemporary) and Atlanta College of Art, Lisa was also the visual arts director for the Arts Festival of Atlanta. Ric Washington , mixed-media artist, graphic designer and educator, studied at Kansas City Art Institute & School of Design. The former curator of art and graphics at Zoo Atlanta worked on award-winning conservation education projects throughout the U.S. and East Africa. He is now a designer and print specialist for Fulton County Schools. APPLICATION INFORMATION NEW APPLICATION DEADLINE: 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 19, 2023 Entry fee: $25 ArtsXchange members, $35 non-members, or $40 entry & membership Notification of Acceptance: Friday, June 23, 2023 Opening Reception: 6-9 p.m. July 8, 2023 Artists talk: 1-3 p.m. July 22, 2023 Cash Awards: 1st $300 | 2nd $200 | 3rd $100 Questions? Email info@artsxchange.org All Exhibits

Akbar Imhotep 2019 Ebon Dooley Honoree Change Maker 1951-2022 Akbar Imhotep committed his entire adult life to fostering social change by educating adults and children with his captivating stories and fascinating puppets. He began his artistic career in 1977 as an actor with the Proposition Theatre Company. In 1979, he was introduced to puppetry at the Center for Puppetry Arts. After a six-year residence at the Center, he launched his solo career, traveling around the city with his colorfully draped suitcases filled with magic, wonder and excitement. He impacts the community by affecting positive social change with his involvement in progressive cultural organizations and community improvement efforts including the Atlanta Kwanzaa Cultural Committee. His impact has grown to include the Southern region of the U.S. as well as nationally. OUR STAFF STUDIO ARTIST EBON DOOLEY HONOREES