Participation Type
Discussion
Session Title
Session 11.16 Folklore and the Arts
Presentation #1 Title
Imagining Appalachia: Exploring the Steps Toward Creating a Documentary Arts Center in Southern West Virginia
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
There is a notable absence of documentary arts centers and programs in the coalfields of southern West Virginia, yet there is no shortage of photographs and stories flowing out of the area. I am interested in exploring the creation of a space that offers communities a place to tell their own stories, develop and hone their storytelling skills through a variety of mediums: photography, video, audio, writing, and performance, and a center for community gathering and organizing. This space would serve as an exhibition center as well as a community archive of stories and photographs. I envision the creation of such a place that would combine the community engagement and tradition of Whitesburg, Kentucky’s Appalshop, the rich continuing education curriculum of Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies, and the new technology mastery and community collaboration of Elaine McMillion’s Hollow: An Interactive Documentary. The establishment of a non-profit center, or centers, could be realized through grants, private donations, and partnerships with regional colleges and universities. This is an opportunity to truly employ the conference theme - New Appalachia: Known Realities and Imagined Possibilities.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Roger May is an Appalachian American photographer currently living in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was born in the Tug River Valley, located on the West Virginia and Kentucky state line, in the heart of Hatfield and McCoy country. His photographs embrace the raw beauty of the mountains while keeping at arms length the stereotypical images that have tried to define Appalachia for decades. His first book, Testify: A Visual Love Letter to Appalachia, will be published in December 2013.
Imagining Appalachia: Exploring the Steps Toward Creating a Documentary Arts Center in Southern West Virginia
Corbly Hall 354
There is a notable absence of documentary arts centers and programs in the coalfields of southern West Virginia, yet there is no shortage of photographs and stories flowing out of the area. I am interested in exploring the creation of a space that offers communities a place to tell their own stories, develop and hone their storytelling skills through a variety of mediums: photography, video, audio, writing, and performance, and a center for community gathering and organizing. This space would serve as an exhibition center as well as a community archive of stories and photographs. I envision the creation of such a place that would combine the community engagement and tradition of Whitesburg, Kentucky’s Appalshop, the rich continuing education curriculum of Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies, and the new technology mastery and community collaboration of Elaine McMillion’s Hollow: An Interactive Documentary. The establishment of a non-profit center, or centers, could be realized through grants, private donations, and partnerships with regional colleges and universities. This is an opportunity to truly employ the conference theme - New Appalachia: Known Realities and Imagined Possibilities.
