Art and innovation will converge at the first END-to-END festival – CharlotteFive

Camp North End calls on Charlotte’s innovators to celebrate the creative process at the first annual END-to-END festival, a two-day “confluence of innovation” on May 10-11.

Known as a hub for creativity and forward-thinking ideas, the 75-acre historic site acts as the ideal location to deepen connections between mediums, industries and people. Attendees can look forward to digital art installations throughout WWII-era buildings, live music in the rusty water tower and cutting-edge tech demonstrations in the Ford Factory, as well as presentations from thought leaders on design, technology and the creative process.

The Events

Film Screenings

Drawing upon the history of the space, films will be shown in “drive-in” format, where guests will watch films and digital shorts while sitting in original Model A vehicles.

“Our goal with the END-to-END Festival is not just to showcase contemporary art & films, but to elicit conversation about current events and topics that impact society, our community and our future,” said Damon Hemmerdinger, Co-President of ATCO Properties and Management. “By hosting this special drive-in cinema experience, we expect to open more people’s eyes to independent film by displaying it in such an unorthodox and progressive space.”

The festival will hold the first public screening of the short film, I Snuck Off the Slave Ship, an official selection at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. The film, directed by artist Lonnie Holley and filmmaker Cyrus Moussavi, will depict Holley’s interpretation of Black American life. Other films will include selections from Charlotte’s Joedance Film Festival and Seed & Spark, the nation’s largest crowdfunding platform for independent film. Attendees can also catch shorts from Adult Swim’s “Off the Air” and digital art projections from DAATA Editions artists.

One-on-one Braindates, or peer-learning sessions, will afford attendees the opportunity to speak with subject-matter experts who they may not otherwise meet in a relaxed, intimate setting. Braindate seeks to encourage the cross-pollination of ideas to celebrate Charlotte’s diversity.

At e180, we believe that conversations are at the heart of truly boundary-defying communities. When we learn from the people around us, we tap into knowledge that transcends industry, background, and expertise. And we start to propel each other forward in unexpected ways,” said Sophie Silkes, Marketing and Communications Director at e180.

“That’s why we’re so thrilled bring braindates — in other words, boundary-defying conversations — to END-to-END. We’re excited to watch these knowledge-sharing conversations help cultivate community in Camp North End, and to catalyze those special ‘collaborations that challenge and inspire’ that are at the heart of END-to-END’s vision.”

Interested parties can sign up or lead topic-specific conversations by signing up here with the code CONNECT. Check the event page for updates as they become available.

The END-to-END festival will also include live music and interactive exhibitions.

The Artists

Local, national and international artists will work together to deepen connections between mediums throughout the festival.

“END-to-END will be the further proof that Camp North End leads the charge in positively changing the creative climate in Charlotte,” said Matt Hooker, who is working on a giant mural for the festival.

“We knew the potential when we were the first to sign a lease here. END-to-END will surpass our hopes and leave a lasting mark on how the arts are presented in this city. How could we not be a part of it?”

Get to know more of the artists:

DAATA Editions commissions digital media from a generation of artists who work with moving image and sound to collect art in a native platform to be viewed and acquired as digital downloads. This year, they’re collaborating with Phillips NY, Black by Matte and Vanity Projects NY & Miami, among more.  

Fabian Williams is a local North Carolina visual and performance artist known for his work interrogating both the liberatory and oppressive forces at play in black American life. Williams formerly worked in the advertising industry, and changed gears to express socially-relevant themes outside of the commercial space.

Hieroglyphic Being is a sound artists and experimental composer who founded Mathematics Recordings and became a pioneer of avant-garde House music in Chicago. His “Rhythmic Cubism” has been featured alongside The Sun Ra Arkestra and Janelle Monae.

James Moore merges technology and art. Highlighting themes of dystopia and futurism, Moore builds sculptural, installation, and mural artwork to create works that push boundaries. He also uses his talents and passions for sounds, light, and design in the NYC event scene.

Kim Keever is a former NASA thermal engineer who innovated a new art form after feeling caged in his painting career. Keever is now known for his photographs of pigments dropped in water, which create fantasy-scapes that merge the relationship between art and science. His works are currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Museum of Modern Art in New York, as well as the Jerald Melberg Gallery in Charlotte.

MSHR is the art collective of Birch Cooper and Brenna Murphy, which combines digital sculpture, analog circuitry and ceremonial performance. Their exhibitions are installments of micro-arrangements of sculptural instruments that create immersive light-sound-scapes.

Sinjin Hawke is a specialist in choir manipulation and orchestral arrangements who’s produced for Kanye West and Frank Ocean. Hawke joined forces with Zora Jones to create immersive installations using live electronic instruments.

The London Police is an artist group from Amsterdam that pioneered Holland’s new street art movement. They’ve attended more than 100 shows and events in 35+ countries to welcome viewers into their fantasy world.