Writer-in-Residence Sandra Jackson-Opoku. Her research of Harlem Renaissance great Nora Zeale Hurston led her to Seaside. Guest artist of Lace Archibald and Mark Wey.
Since our inception in 1993, the multi-disciplinary artist residency Escape To Create (E2C) and the town of Seaside have fostered exceptional talents from every arena of the arts. We have watched distinguished writers, musicians, scholars and artists of every discipline come and go, add their own special stamp to community life and leave enduring contributions that extend far beyond their residency. Along the way, E2C and its sponsors have cultivated a vibrant cultural dimension to Seaside’s signature ‘small town’ lifestyle enjoyed during the off-season.
At the close of our 2016 winter residency, we celebrate all who breathe life into our community through their generous support of Escape To Create. Sponsors Robert and Daryl Davis and their son Micah Davis, as well as Karen and Jack Holland, and David and Phyllis Scruggs along with the support of contributors throughout the community made it possible to introduce another exciting slate of internationally awarded artists to 30A, showcase their innovative works onstage at The REP Theatre, and expand E2C’s educational outreach initiative in meaningful ways throughout Walton County.
Homeowners Lace Archibald and Mark Wey, Fred and Linda Buehler, David and Marsha Dowler, Arthur Kahn and Lisa Mallory, Randy and Lynn Kurtz, Gerald and Bridey Meinecke, Ed and Cathy Toole, Bert and Sue Trucksess: your incredible generosity as artist hosts gave rise to seminal new works of visual art, environmental and social science, music, literature, and new works for theater that will continue to bring international distinction to Seaside as a cultural destination.
Through generous underwriting from the Karen and Jack Holland Family and the Goody Fellowship for Playwrights, the theater arts were especially vibrant this season. The dynamic British playwriting and acting duo Robertson and Collett brought their masterful performance of “The Six-Sided Man” from its near historic run on London’s West End to a sold-out performance at The REP Theatre. A one night only dramatic reading of Brooklyn playwright Adam Kraar’s awarded lyric drama “Dream Of A Deer At Dusk” established a new benchmark for the exceptionally talented company of repertory actors and provided a memorable theater-going experience that rivals anything seen onstage in larger metropolitan cities.
Seaside merchants Chef Jim Shirley of the Great Southern Café, Dave Rauschkolb of Bud & Alley’s Waterfront Restaurant and The Pizza Bar at Bud & Alley’s, and Modica Market extend a special hospitality to the artists of Escape To Create.
From all of us at Escape To Create, Thank You, Seaside, for illuminating the world of the arts in our beloved town. As a former Escape To Create artist once declared, “Seaside remains a beacon of hope for all artists.”
Visit Escape to Create.org online