About Us
Goodyear Arts is an arts space that provides paid studio residencies to local artists and free innovative programming for Charlotte audiences. Our artist-led nonprofit has spent the past decade supporting fellow artists, curators, and organizers in a casual, friendly, and inclusive setting that nurtures a vibrant sense of community. Core to our mission is our residency program which provides time, space, money, and community to local artists each year. Alumni of the residency program are invited to join the Goodyear Arts Collective, who make use of free studio and rehearsal space at Goodyear Arts.
The Artist-Run Difference
Where most arts organizations are run by administrators who dictate the terms of engagement to the arts community, Goodyear is led by artists who have created a supportive and diverse grassroots collective. Uniquely attuned to the needs of local artists, the collective provides essential resources like space and time, as well as access to technology and connections in the art world. The artist-run difference is evident in our programming and exhibitions that feature cutting-edge artists from far-flung disciplines— exciting work you won’t find anywhere else in Charlotte.
Waste >>> Space: A History of Goodyear Arts
For artists in Charlotte, finding space is a huge challenge. Goodyear Arts started with the innovative idea of transforming underused commercial buildings into places where artists can create and show work. Local artists Amy Bagwell, Graham Carew, and Amy Herman took over the abandoned Goodyear tire factory in uptown Charlotte in 2015 and launched the initial residency program for a cohort that included painters, photographers, sculptors, musicians, and dancers. Goodyear stayed in Uptown but moved in 2016 to take over the former Comedy Zone building several years before its planned demolition. The residency program was expanded to include more artists and we added a dedicated exhibition space and shared studio space for the growing collective. Our current home is a large warehouse in Camp North End. Goodyear Arts relocated here in 2018 and outfitted the raw factory space so it now contains a sprawling exhibition and performance space, individual artist studios, rehearsal spaces for musicians and dancers, a screen-printing press, and a wood shop. Our residency program has grown along with the collective and our ability to serve the needs of the Charlotte arts community. During our time here, Camp North End has transformed from an industrial zone to a thriving campus filled with restaurants, bars, boutiques, and meeting spaces. We hope to remain part of this hive of activity for some time to come.
Commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Goodyear Arts seeks to establish a sense of belonging for everyone. We believe that starts by removing economic barriers, which is why our exhibitions and events are always free and open to the public. We believe all audiences deserve to engage with exceptional and challenging contemporary work. As part of our mission, we work to support artists and programming that reflects diversity in identity, orientation, geography, and perspective. We seek to provide additional resources to independent artists and organizers who challenge dominant discourses. We’re committed to equity, accessibility, and inclusion in terms of race, ethnicity, diversibility, neurodiversity, and gender identity for artists and audiences. All applications—including open calls for residencies, exhibitions, proposals, and other opportunities—are always free of charge and designed so artists don’t have to jump through needless hoops. We present all opportunities in both English and Spanish.
Staff
The Goodyear Arts staff members are all practicing artists, alumni of the residency program, and members of the GYA Artist Collective. Drawing on their professional skills and ties to the Charlotte community, they plan, produce, promote, and document GYA's year-round multidisciplinary arts programming, always with an eye on further the organization's mission of providing Charlotte-area artists time, space, money, and community. For more about them, please see the GYA Collective page.
Seirin Nagano
Director
Quynh Vu
Facilities Manager
Dana White
Documentarian
Board
The members of the GYA Board are all longtime supporters of the organization. They are artists, curators, small business owners, civic leaders, and individuals with professional skills essential for operations. The current board slate includes: Amy Bagwell (Secretary), Chuck Barger, Jen Sudul Edwards, Russell Fergusson, Nadine Ford, Richard Grimstad (Treasurer), Jason Michel, Tyler Niess, William Satterfield, Hannah Shaban (Collective Artist), Julia Simon (Chair), Krizia Torres (Vice Chair), Andy Smith, Jim Williams, Dana White (Collective Artist), Liliya Zalevskaya (Collective Artist)
