Crowdfunding platforms make it possible for individuals and organizations of any size to harness social networks and raise start-up capital for projects that might otherwise fail due to lack of funding. Each week, Xpress highlights notable Western North Carolina crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd.
TRANSFORM: A response to HB2
Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance’s artistic director Heather Maloy was planning a dance premiere inspired by Zelda Fitzgerald when House Bill 2 passed and provided a louder artistic calling. “She quickly changed course,” reads a crowdfunding page by the nonprofit. “Instead, Terpsicorps is devoting its season to protest, to aligning with those most affected by these laws and to offering the Asheville community a profound artistic response to HB2.” The resulting professional show TRANSFORM:A Response to HB2, applies Maloy’s praised choreography skills to a topic that already prompts visceral reactions from both sides of the controversy. Her work explores themes of human dignity, compromise and transformation under various circumstances and sees her “pressing the audience to examine that no one person’s struggle is more valid or deserving of our understanding than another, to celebrate the beauty and importance of living a full life in all of its forms.” TRANSFORM runs Thursday-Saturday, June 23-25, at Diana Wortham Theatre. But before then, Terpsicorps aims to raise $20,000 to employ the dancers, create impactful visuals and meet the nonprofit’s seasonal fundraising goals.
Come Dye With Us
Weaved into the fabric of Asheville’s creative scene are actual fabric workers, who spin, dye, weave, design and even farm the raw materials needed for various textile uses down the line. Local Cloth chair Judi Jetson’s work lies in growing that local fiber economy and bringing its supply chain links closer together through exhibits, discussions, fashion shows, study groups, a fleece and fiber tailgate market and other networking opportunities. And one more possibility for community connection has opened up following Local Cloth’s invitation to occupy a headquarters within Asheville Area Arts Council’s muti-discipline incubator, The Refinery Creator Space. “While we are fortunate to be in the midst of one of the richest concentrations of fiber artists in the U.S., there are few places residents and visitors can take short fiber arts classes – a situation our studio will remedy with a ready supply of highly skilled teachers,” reads Jetson’s campaign page. Local Cloth aims to raise $10,000 by Monday, June 27, to transform its new 900 square-foot space into a community dye center with equipment like stainless steel sinks and pots, induction burners, a skein winder, natural gas ranges for dyeing, work counters, shelving, a washer and dryer, drying racks and more.
Send your crowdsourcing campaign news to kmcreynolds@mountainx.com. A limited number of campaigns will be highlighted each week, at Xpress’ discretion. Campaigns must be locally based and should represent a current project with an achievable goal. Conditions are subject to change. Read about more Western North Carolina projects here.
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