Page 3 - EOMS Catalog 2nd Edition 2016

I am pleased to announce the second edition of Eyes on Main Street, Wilson Outdoor Photo Festival. On April 9, 2016, Nash Street, the main street of Wilson, will be transformed into a vibrant gallery of large-scale photographs. For 100 days, 100 photographs will be displayed on storefront windows, spanning six city blocks. Taking visitors across the railroad tracks, the exhibition will link east and west Wilson into one shared community. We are most proud of this achievement.
Focusing on the theme of “Main Street, a Crossroad of Cultures” the exhibition, curated by myself and co-curated by Catherine Coulter Lloyd and Régina Monfort, features the work of 100 photographers from 29 countries with an equal number of men and women. The photographs on display show us 48 different countries.
The inaugural 2015 exhibit garnered international publicity and earned the 2015 Gertrude S. Carraway Award of Merit from Preservation North Carolina.
The Eyes on Main Street festival launches on the corner of Nash & Douglas Streets on April 9th with an outdoor party featuring live music and runs until July 10, 2016. Over the 100 days, a number of events will celebrate Wilson’s commitment to the arts, including a partnership with Columbia College in Chicago. Sponsored by Columbia College Alumni Association, Peter Fitzpatrick, Chair of the Photography Department, School of Fine and Performing Arts of Columbia College will supervise senior photography students who will travel from Chicago to Wilson to conduct workshops for more than 100 Wilson youth who are part of Wilson’s Save A Youth program, St. John Community Development Corporation with Rev. Michael Bell, Executive Director and Wilson City Councilman. Investing in our Youth is the best way to invest in the future of our Historic Downtown.
Please, show us your support by visiting this wonderful exhibition over and over again.
Lastly, I’d like to give a special thanks to our participating photographers and to the volunteers in Wilson for making this possible.
Artistic Director
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