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High-Tech Digital Arts Studio Opens At The Harvey B. Gantt Center 

@SpectacularMag

CHARLOTTE, NC – High tech is coming to the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture in a big way. After four years in the making, the center’s digital arts studio is now open to the public. Center officials describe it as an innovation lab, filled with cutting-edge equipment and software, that artists and others can use to unleash their creative juices. Digital art classes will be offered at the studio as well.

Gantt
A state-of-the-art digital art studio is now open at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture. (The Gantt Center)

In addition to Friday’s grand opening (March 24) of free ticketed festivities, on Saturday, all were welcome to experience the new studio and exhibit at the “Digital Arts Studio Community Opening Day: The Phygital Funk,” and it was also free. Activities for the community opening day — a time for more residents to explore the digital studio, create artwork and animation stories, view virtual galleries, and learn about upcoming workshops. Martin McNeese, the center’s director of technology and innovation said the digital arts studio is a much-needed addition.

“We want to be at the intersection of technology and art and we felt that having a place to learn to build community and allow creatives to come and create works and express themselves would be a good mix to the programs, exhibitions, and initiatives we currently have here at the center,” McNeese said.

Gantt Center for African American Arts and Culture’s new digital arts studio. (The Gantt Center)

On Saturday, various activities took place in the new digital arts studio to give residents a chance to engage in hands-on activities, such as creating artwork and animation stories or viewing virtual galleries featuring works from the Gantt Center’s permanent collection. LISTEN • 5:55

  • 20 computers with the latest software installed on them are available in the digital studio for basic editing, graphic design, game design, animation, and other uses.
  • Classes will be offered periodically and taught by top-notch instructors.
  • There is no charge to use the digital arts studio.
  • The studio is seen as a way to make high-tech digital art tools accessible to all residents.
  • Gantt officials view the digital arts studio as a way to attract more people to the center who may never have visited in the past.

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture is located at 551 South Tryon Street.