Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Appleton.
Chris, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
WonderRoot was founded in 2004 with a vision of re-imagining Atlanta through arts and culture. Established as a community-based arts organization, WonderRoot began working in schools, community centers, and public spaces by connecting artists to underserved communities. While implementing a handful of public art and youth development projects from 2004 – 2007, the organization was primarily focused on building the foundation of an organization committed to long-term stability, sustainability, and community impact.
In 2008, we opened the WonderRoot Community Arts Center. The WonderRoot Community Arts Center serves as a community gathering space and launching pad for artists to engage a broader community. It hosts arts education programs for youth and adults, music, literary, and theater performances, and has been named “Best Advocate for the Arts” by Creative Loafing for six consecutive years and “Best Place to Create Art and a Better World” by Atlanta.
In the subsequent eight years, WonderRoot has emerged as one of Atlanta’s leading cultural organizations, partnering often with some of Atlanta’s most storied institutions such as the High Museum of Art, MARTA, Emory University, Georgia Equality, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, and the Atlanta BeltLine. During those years, WonderRoot launched signature programs such as Art Sign the BeltLine, Art on the BeltLine, WonderRoot’s Generally Local, Mostly Independent Film Series, the Walthall Artist Fellowship, En Route, and the WonderRoot CSA.
In 2017, WonderRoot is primed to embark upon a bold new chapter as it looks forward to opening the doors on the WonderRoot Center for Arts & Social Change – a 6-acre, 54,000 square foot campus that will enable WonderRoot to further its commitment to Atlanta’s arts and social change communities, enable a thriving business model for the organization, and increase the WonderRoot’s capacity to bring together diverse communities through the arts.
In its thirteenth year of existence, WonderRoot remains committed to its founding purpose creating a more equitable and thriving Atlanta by supporting artists and using the arts as a tool for civic intervention. It is governed by a Board of Directors which includes co-founder Alex West and led by a rapidly growing staff, including co-founder and Executive Director Chris Appleton.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In so many ways, predicting where WonderRoot would be nearly 15 years after its inception would have been impossible. We have exceeded many of the expectations that we had for ourselves. We’ve come up short in many ways as well. Our greatest obstacle remains that the demand and need for WonderRoot’s programs and services continuously outweighs our capacity to meet those needs.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the WonderRoot story. Tell us more about the business.
Founded in 2004, WonderRoot is an Atlanta-based 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization with a mission to unite artists and community to inspire positive social change.
WonderRoot is an arts organization that works to improve the cultural and social landscape of Atlanta through creative initiatives and community partnerships. The anchor of our organization is the WonderRoot Community Arts Center (and future WonderRoot Center for Arts and Social Change) — a full-service facility that supports artists, offers public programming and brings diverse voices together to envision and activate a stronger Atlanta.
Who does WonderRoot serve?
WonderRoot serves artists at pivotal stages in their careers, as well as the public at-large who might not traditionally engage with the arts. Each week, WonderRoot reaches someone from the age 5 to age 75 from diverse cultural backgrounds, with teens and artists in their early thirties making up a large percentage of our core constituency. In 2016, WonderRoot reached more than 60,000 Atlantans through programs and exhibitions, while many more are positively affected by our work throughout the city.
What does WonderRoot do?
WonderRoot has two primary areas of activity. The first being programs to support artists in their pursuit of working careers in the arts in Atlanta. We support artists in the areas of production, education and presentation. Examples of these programs are the WonderRoot CSA, Open Access Studios Program at the WonderRoot Community Arts Center, and the Walthall Artist Fellowship.
The second area of WonderRoot’s is at the intersection of art and civic intervention. WonderRoot partners with civic organizations by using the arts as a tool to improve the quality of life for Atlantans. Current and upcoming programs include a partnership with Jackson High School to provide arts enrichment programs for teenagers, a major public art initiative with MARTA to advance equitable transit oriented development, and a pilot program with the Atlanta Municipal Court using the arts as a restorative justice tool.
Who are our partners?
This past year, WonderRoot partnered with more than 55 organizations, businesses and institutions to better serve our community. We believe that by working in collaboration with others we are more effective at creating meaningful and lasting impact. Our partners include: MARTA, Emory University Center for Ethics, High Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, Atlanta Public Schools, Partnership for Southern Equity, Atlanta Film Festival, the Atlanta BeltLine, and many more.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Good fortune has most certainly played a significant role in my life and career. I’m not so sure that I would call it luck, but I have most certainly benefitted to have been raised in a home and community that nurtured me at every turn and gave me countless opportunities and resources to succeed.
Pricing:
- Membership: $60/year
Contact Info:
- Address: 982 Memorial Drive SE, Atlanta, GA 30316
- Website: www.wonderroot.org
- Phone: 404-254-5955
- Email: info@wonderroot.org
- Instagram: instagram.com/wonderroot
- Facebook: facebook.com/wonderroot
- Twitter: twitter.com/wonderroot
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