Visit the Atlantic Center for the Arts on any day, and one might wander between studios to see dancers expressing themselves through motion, musicians conjuring soul-stirring melodies and painters manifesting their visions onto canvas.
But rather than working in silos, a unique “cross-pollination” of artists is encouraged on the thoughtfully-designed 69-acre campus in New Smyrna Beach, where the natural design of architecture helps foster an environment of creativity. The legacy of hosting artists-in-residence has been going on since the 1980s, starting in alignment with the vision of ACA founder Doris “Doc” Leeper, the Florida renowned artist and environmentalist.
During the 194th residency, now underway with 21 participants, mentoring artist and painter Angela Dufrense painted a portrait of saxophonist Ziaire Trinidad Sherman, who worked to craft a flute out of bamboo that same day. Meanwhile, multimedia artists worked together to produce a stop-motion film, and dancers worked to connect through the expression of movement. In an unexpected turn, musician and poet Adebola Oyekanmi learned from another artist how to use a sewing machine.
“The organic way that people are allowed to interact across disciplines is great,” Dufrense said. “I knew ACA had a national and international reputation as a great place to develop — but also to expand your practice and experiment with a group of people that you might not necessarily find yourself with.”
Several artists agreed it’s like going to their dream art school for three weeks or feels like a summer camp for creators where the visual and performing arts meet. While these performers, musicians, dancers and visual artists are likely to produce tangible works by the end of their time living and creating in New Smyrna Beach, the program is designed to inspire the artistic process and not necessarily a final destination.
“It is process-based, not product-based, which makes us a very unique residency in the country, if not internationally. We’re here to serve the artists. This is their time,” said Jennifer McInnes Coolidge, the executive director at ACA. “When you put all of this together with the energy here and the muse of nature, who knows what you’re going to see?”
Visitors aren’t permitted back into the studio spaces or living quarters during residencies, but the upcoming INsideOUT showcase allows artists a forum to present their new work and works in progress and host informal studio visits for the public.
Okwui Okpokwasili, a multidisciplinary performer, said she hadn’t heard about the residency but was drawn to the interaction between creators working in different areas.
“I was really attracted to people who have an interdisciplinary practice. It feels like everyone seems to be moving with each other in this beautiful way across the disciplines,” she said. “I’m thrilled to be here. This is how we live and make things.”
Photographer Manal Abu-Shaheen said she thought her practice would involve photographing strangers in the community more until she found herself immersed in the experience of spending time on the natural campus with fellow artists.
“Everyone here has been so amazing and interesting to be around. We have meals and spend a lot of time together,” she said. “I’m enjoying being around everybody here so I’m spending a lot more time than I expected here. The natural environment is beautiful and fun to photograph.”
All of this continues the legacy started by Leeper in the 1980s, carried on by a dedicated board and staff who share the same vision, now almost 25 years after her passing.
“I think Doris Leeper’s whole idea is, ‘What happens when you have nature as the muse here?’ You give them space and time here uninterrupted where they can interact with people from their own discipline,” Coolidge said. “They can also cross-pollinate and have ideas feed off one another. Something might germinate here and then go off and become something else, whether it’s a performance or exhibit, a book or a play.”
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If you go
Atlantic Center for the Arts has gallery hours from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at 1414 Art Center Avenue in New Smyrna Beach. INsideOUT is from 6:30-9 p.m. July 11 on ACA’s main campus. ACA Downtown: Arts on Douglas is open Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at 123 Douglas Ave. in New Smyrna Beach. More information: atlanticcenterforthearts.org
