Gantt Center Hosts Children's Poetry Workshop with New York Times Best-Selling Author Carole Boston Weatherford on Feb 17

Author and Illustrator to feature children’s book on Tuskegee Airmen; visit with Charlotte students

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture and Novant Health have forged a partnership to host Family First Presented by Novant Health, monthly art-making workshops that provide creative time for families.  On Saturday, February 17 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, the series will feature You Can Fly: Literary + Spoken Word Workshop at a special date and time. Participants will enjoy an interactive book reading with the author and illustrator as they share excerpts from You Can Fly, their award-winning children’s book about the Tuskegee Airmen, then learn first-hand what it takes to write a story with Carole Boston Weatherford and perform spoken word with illustrator and poet Jeffery Boston Weatherford.  Elementary and middle school students are welcome. 

“You Can Fly tells the heroic story of the Tuskegee Airmen in a manner that children of all ages can relate to,” says David Taylor, President & CEO of the Harvey B. Gantt Center. “Carole uses a poetic style to bring the words to life and we are excited to host both she and her son Jeffery at the Gantt Center.” 

“Pairing such a historic lesson with spoken word and creative writing is a way of helping students to learn in a fun environment and we thank our partners Novant Health for supporting these family-friends programs each month,” says Taylor.

Publishers Weekly says You Can Fly [is a] gripping historical story, reinforced by dramatically shaded scratchboard illustrations by [Jeffery Weatherford], making a notable debut.” The duo will also host workshops on Friday, February 16 at Northwest School of the Arts. Participants can register for both the writing and poetry workshops for the cost of museum admission; the reading, however, is free for all. Workshops are free for Gantt Center members. To RSVP for the program, visit www.ganttcenter.org

ABOUT FAMILY FIRST SERIES

Held monthly at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture, Family First consists of art-making workshops that provide creative time for families. Adults and children are invited to participate in a range of discussions, workshops and experiences sometimes inspired by current exhibitions at the Gantt Center.

ABOUT HARVEY B. GANTT CENTER

The Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture is a multi-disciplinary arts institution located in the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 1974, the Gantt Center’s mission is to present, preserve and celebrate excellence in the art, history and culture of African-Americans and those of African descent through visual and literary arts, dance, music, film, educational programs, theatre productions and community outreach. The Gantt Center features fine art exhibitions from around the world and is home to the nationally celebrated John and Vivian Hewitt Collection of African-American Art, which was generously donated by Bank of America, and is accessible online.

Named for Charlotte civic leader and former mayor Harvey Bernard Gantt, the Gantt Center is housed in an inspired and distinguished award-winning structure designed by architect Philip Freelon, co-designer of the new Smithsonian National Museum for African American History and Culture. For more information, visit ganttcenter.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT NOVANT HEALTH

Novant Health is a not-for-profit integrated system of 15 medical centers and 1,514 physicians in 529 locations, as well as numerous outpatient surgery centers, medical plazas, rehabilitation programs, diagnostic imaging centers and community health outreach programs. Novant Health's over 25,000 team members and physician partners care for patients and communities in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia.

Posted on Friday, February 09, 2018

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