Aaron Grayum, Rashad Rayford, Melba Williams-Kirk and Mark Schlicher chosen by notable Nashville judges, crowd and peer voting for top honors at Periscope Pitch + Artist Entrepreneur Showcase
The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville is pleased to announce the winners of its 5th annual Periscope Pitch held at OZ Arts Nashville last week on September 6 in front of the event’s largest-ever crowd. Four artists won $7,000 in cash prizes to grow their creative businesses.
After eight weeks of intensive training and three months of one-on-one mentorship, 20 artist entrepreneurs from a wide variety of disciplines showcased their artwork and business plans to community patrons and competed for cash-prize investments. The event was the culmination of the Arts & Business Council’s 2018 Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training program, presented in partnership with the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, Metro Arts, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Mayor’s Office of Economic Development.
Aaron Grayum
The top honor of the evening, the Pitch Perfect award of $3,000, was awarded to Aaron Grayum, an artist inspired by his own elementary school drawings to give his childhood new life through his artwork. Aaron hopes to grow his creative business by placing his art in children’s hospitals, nonprofits, schools, foster care agencies, and through relationships with interior designers.
Rashad Rayford
The Judges’ Choice award of $2,000 was presented to Rashad Rayford, a spoken word poet who uses his unique talents to help individuals and employees “elevate [their] vibe” and reach their goals. He believes, “Art isn’t a break from your message, it’s a vehicle to help deliver your message.” Rashad hopes to connect with companies, both locally and worldwide, in order to bring his voice to inspire employees to achieve greatness.
Melba Williams-Kirk
The crowd-voted Audience Choice award of $1,000 went to writer/producer Melba Williams-Kirk, who is raising funds and awareness for brokeher, a six-episode, short form film project ideal for digital streaming platforms. Along with raising funds for production, Melba is seeking access to locations, such as office space, restaurants, boutiques, and houses, as well as vendors for equipment rental, catering, and costuming.
Mark Schlicher
The Arts & Business Council introduced a new prize of $1,000 in 2018, the Periscope Prize, a peer-voted award for the Periscope artist who best exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit of the program. The first-ever Periscope Prize winner was sculptor and filmmaker Mark Schlicher, who asked the audience to help him “go big” with both his sculptures and his documentary film on the life and legacy of sculptor William Edmonson. Along with producing the documentary, Schlicher is working to establish the Edmondson Homesite Sculpture Garden & Community Center in Nashville.
On top of cash prizes, all four winners received a round-trip flight from sponsor Southwest Airlines.
Periscope Pitch was hosted by Stephanie Pruitt (Poet and CEO, Mind Your Creative Business) and featured an all-star panel of judges, including Tim Ozgener (CEO, OZ Arts Nashville), Ryan Pruitt (owner, Frothy Monkey), and Anasa Troutman (CEO, Culture Shift Creative).
Periscope Pitch featured an all-star panel of three judges including (l-r) Ryan Pruitt (owner, Frothy Monkey), Anasa Troutman (CEO, Culture Shift Creative), Tim Ozgener (CEO, OZ Arts Nashville). ABC intern Rachel Overby (right) assisted the judges during the event. Photo by Ethan Palm.
The 2018 Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training participants were Aaron Grayum (visual art), Amanda Lomax (photography/visual art), Amanda Downs (visual art), Audry Deal-McEver (visual art), Cailin Manning (dance and film), Diane Marsella (visual art), Elaine Slayton Akin (mixed media), Erin Hewgley (mixed media), Georganna Greene (visual art), Jennie Schut (visual art), Jesse Hale (multidisciplinary), Joseph Patrick (photography), Mark Schlicher (sculpture and film), Melba Williams-Kirk (film), Michael Ewing (visual art), Rashad Rayford (poetry and performance), Regina McCord (film and television), Sarah Shearer (visual art), Stephie G. (music performance) and Thaxton Waters (visual art).
Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training provides a cohort of artists with the tools to see their artistic vision through an entrepreneurial lens including training, exchange, mentorship, and exposure opportunities like the Periscope Pitch. Applications for the class of 2019 will open in January 2019.
About the Arts & Business Council
The Arts & Business Council (ABC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that leverages and unites the unique resources of the arts and business communities to create a thriving, sustainable creative culture in Nashville. To deliver its mission, ABC offers four core programs: Volunteer Lawyers & Professionals for the Arts, Education for the Creative Community, Arts Board Matching, and WorkCreative.