This week the Campaign for Southern Equality announced the 2021-2022 Artist in Residence for Southern Equality Studios, a project that explores how the arts can be a catalyst and force in achieving lived and legal LGBTQ equality across the South.
The new Artist in Residence, Carolyn Rose-Grayson (she/they) is an emerging mixed-media artist based in Fayetteville, NC who is best known for digital creations. Carolyn’s creative vision is often inspired by the intersections of identity and existence in an ever-changing landscape. Her work pays homage to the exploration of the self, all while embodying a playful and visionary style. Carolyn works to continually develop her craft by exploring unfamiliar avenues of creative expression, as well as by challenging her ability to adapt and transform.
During the residency, Carolyn plans to examine the legacy of QTBIPOC resistance through various forms of artistic media, while also forming new visions of radical healing through creative agency and expression. The culmination of her work is anticipated to be produced through a variety (exhibition, zine, documentary, etc.) of artistic means.
Carolyn Rose-Grayson (she/they), the Southern Equality Studios Artist in Residence, said today:
“As a queer Black artist living in North Carolina, perseverance and self-exploration have both played a pivotal role in the development of my identity, as well as my craft; they have also been instrumental in strengthening my desire to uplift and empower other QTBIPOC artists within the community. I know the CSE team will be unwavering in efforts to support artists from underserved communities, challenge various forms of oppression, and affect change within countless communities, particularly those which are home to QTBIPOC artists.”
Liz Williams (she/they), Southern Equality Studios Director for the Campaign for Southern Equality, said today:
“We’re excited for this residency to provide spaces and opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community and our allies to engage in practices centered in creative agency and community empowerment. We’re eager to take the Southern Equality Studios program to the next level, and being able to bring a talented artist into the CSE community is a huge part of that. We’re so impressed by Carolyn Rose-Grayson’s work and excited to see what she does through this residency.”
