About The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts+Culture
The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts+Culture is a non-profit organization that was established in 1974 to celebrate the contributions of Africans and African-Americans to American culture. The center is located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and serves as a community epicenter for music, dance, theater, visual art, film, arts education programs, literature and community outreach.
The center was named after Harvey B. Gantt who was the first African-American student admitted to Clemson University in South Carolina. He later became the first African-American mayor of Charlotte from 1983-1987. The center's mission is to promote understanding and appreciation of African-American art and culture through exhibitions, performances and educational programs.
One of the main goals of the Harvey B. Gantt Center is to provide a platform for emerging artists from diverse backgrounds to showcase their work. The center has hosted numerous exhibitions featuring works by both established and emerging artists such as Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Elizabeth Catlett among others.
In addition to its exhibition programing ,the center also offers educational programs that are designed to engage visitors with various aspects of African-American history and culture . These programs include workshops on traditional crafts such as quilting , basket weaving ,and pottery making . There are also classes on music ,dance ,and theater .
The Harvey B.Gantt Center also hosts several annual events including Jazzy Holiday Gala which features live jazz performances by local musicians . Another popular event is MLK Day Celebration which honors Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy through music,dance,and spoken word performances .
Apart from its exhibition programming,the Harvey B.Gantt Center has an extensive collection of artworks that document the history of Africans Americans in America.The collection includes paintings,sculptures,mixed media works,and photographs.The collection spans over several decades starting from early 20th century up until present day.
The Harvey B.Gantt Center's building itself is an architectural masterpiece designed by Phil Freelon who was one of America's most prominent architects before his death in 2019.The building features a unique design inspired by traditional West-African architecture with modern elements incorporated into it.Its exterior walls are made up entirely out glass panels which allows natural light into galleries creating an immersive experience for visitors.
In conclusion,the Harvey B.Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture plays an important role in promoting understanding and appreciation for African American art,culture,and history.Its exhibitions programming provides opportunities for emerging artists while its educational programming engages visitors with various aspects of african american history,culture,and traditions.The centers extensive collection documents african american experiences over several decades making it an invaluable resource not just locally but nationally as well.With its unique architectural design,it stands out not just as cultural institution but also as landmark within Charlotte cityscape .
ganttcenter.org
