Contemporary Arts Memphis Celebrates New Building with Ceremonial Ribbon Cutting

Representative Steve Cohen, Memphis Mayor Paul Young Join World-Renowned Artist, Native Memphian, and CAM Founder Derek Fordjour and others for Grand Opening Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

MEMPHIS, Tenn., October 24, 2024 – Contemporary Arts Memphis, “CAM,” a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to identifying and empowering under-resourced student artists, held an open house where they cut the ceremonial opening ribbon at the newly renovated Contemporary Arts Memphis building today at 652 Marshall Avenue in the Edge District near downtown. 

“The opening of this studio building is a direct response to the need for ongoing support and studio space year-round for our young people. I am overjoyed to know that we can now reach so many more young artists and express our mission even more fully. The barriers of a lack of dedicated space and the cost of art supplies or even art instruction have been removed.” said Derek Fordjour, Contemporary Arts Memphis founder. Fordjour continues, “There is inequitable access to quality art instruction across the city and county. In partnership with all schools, public, private, and charter, CAM aspires to offer a credible solution.”

The new Contemporary Arts Memphis building comprises 4,700 square feet of space renovated to include working studio spaces for student artists, a computer lab for college applications, and an art library stocked with donations from leading art museums, blue chip galleries, and A-list art world book publishers. A student gallery with rotating exhibitions will offer premiere examples of student artwork shown occasionally in concert with Fordjour’s original artwork. In partnership with a local gallery in the neighborhood, Sheet Cake Gallery, a dedicated exhibition space, will feature the work of a local Memphis artist. Local contemporary artists also serve as mentors and instructors.

Contemporary Arts Memphis offers a no-cost Summer Fellowship to Memphis-area high school students in the 11^th or 12^th grades with an interest in the visual arts. The Summer Fellowship Program consists of a three-week sleep-away camp at St. Columba Retreat Center in North Memphis and a one-week out-of-town travel experience. CAM Fellows receive college-level dual enrollment instruction from the University of Memphis, specialized workshops from industry professionals, studio time, peer-focused group discussions, plus one week in New York visiting world-class museums and top-ranked art colleges and art galleries, and exposure to a broad range of art world professionals. In prior years, visits included The Cooper Union, the prestigious Pratt Institute, The Whitney Museum, The Metropolitan Museum, and leading visual arts such as Lorna Simpson and Nina Chanel Abney.  

The program is designed to empower young artists early in their development in ways that improve their artmaking, expand their thinking, inspire ambition, and expose them to experiences that better inform their professional journey. Following the conclusion of the Summer Fellowship, all Fellows participate in year-round programming, including collaborations with other arts institutions, mentoring, portfolio development, and continued skill-building. CAM’s ultimate goal is to strengthen the community’s visual arts presence through investment in young artists. CAM has also launched Teen Art Labs, which are open to 9th-12th graders and will help them deepen their art skills. All programming is provided at no cost to participants.  

Photos:

Derek Fordjour Cuts the Ceremonial Ribbon for the opening of the new Contemporary Arts Memphis Building Thursday, October 24

Front Door of the Contemporary Arts Memphis Building

Art Library at the new Contemporary Arts Memphis Building

2024 CAM Fellows

Derek Fordjour, a native Memphian and world-renowned contemporary artist, founded Contemporary Arts Memphis to empower under-resourced student artists and develop their talent.

Find CAM Online:

https://www.camsummer.org

https://instagram.com/camsummerfellowship

ABOUT CAM:

Contemporary Arts Memphis (CAM) is the Mid-South’s first nonprofit focused on identifying and nurturing the next generation of contemporary artists. CAM is a 501(c)3 founded in 2021 by native Memphian and New York based artist Derek Fordjour. CAM’s mission is to empower young artists from under-resourced Memphis-area public high schools by offering mentorship, education, travel, and partnership with professional artists and models to student artists participating in the CAM Summer Fellowship Program. This program’s long-range goal is to build a rich, vibrant contemporary arts scene in Memphis and help spur the city’s creative growth.

###