Our team feels that it's important to give back to our community, both in Charlotte specifically and the larger photographic community as a whole. That's why we spend a great deal of time offering our time, energy and money to The Light Factory. The Light Factory is 40-year-old center based in Charlotte that focuses entirely on photography and film. Sean has been serving on the board for the past few years, and plans to continue that support well into the future. That's because The Light Factory is so beneficial. With the barrage of visual stimuli in our society it's nice to have an institution that can help sort through the madness and offer curated exhibitions to expand our understanding and appreciation of photography, classes to develop and grow our application of photography, outreach to provide artistic opportunities for all people, and a community to learn from and grow with as this ever-changing and exciting medium. This video does a great job of showcasing what The Light Factory is all about: http://vimeo.com/21496181
As some of you may have read in the news, The Light Factory had to suspend operations in October 2013 due to a funding crunch. It's been a tough road and a lot of work, but I'm happy to say a dedicate group (including several original founding members) has picked up where the previous staff left off and are taking the center to it's next iteration. The Light Factory is again conducting classes and exhibitions are in the works. The auction, ShootOut, and other events are also in the works, as well as some fundraising campaigns that should get the center kicked off in the right direction. Also exciting, there have been several individuals that have stepped up with challenge grants of $10,000 in matching funds for what we're able to fundraise in the coming months. All good things!
We also have a new building we're working out of, complete with gallery space, a classroom, a darkroom and a couple of small offices. The space is at 1817 Central Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28205 - right in the heart of the Plaza Midwood commercial/arts district. Here's a map of the location (it's right across from the new Harris Teeter):
There is a new website that's just launched too, which can be found at the usual location - lightfactory.org.
Sean plans to continue The City Block Project, a 24-hour photography competition that centers on a different block of Charlotte each year, and is hoping this year's event will take place at the Charlotte Knights' new stadium or at the new Bearden Park uptown. To learn more about the project visit www.cityblockproject.com.
Stay tuned for more updates down the road as The Light Factory continues to grow and re-emerge as the go-to destination for Charlotte photography.