Creative Professionals Edition
Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
RMCAD Library
Lunch will be provided!
What does it take to succeed in a creative career? Get advice from artist, designer, and educator J.C. Futrell!
About the Speaker
John-Claude (J.C.) Futrell is a spoken word artist, hip-hop performer, husband, father, and educator. He is the Executive Director of Education at RedLine Contemporary Art Center in Denver. His dedication to assisting youth in Denver as a mentor and educator has been demonstrated through his work with The Denver Housing Authority, Red Cross Blue Shield, The Urban League, The Downtown Aurora Visual Arts and ArtsStreet. He is a National Poetry Slam Champion. He has toured institutions of higher learning as one of the country’s top spoken word artists. He is also the co-founder of the World Champion Slam Nuba poetry venue. His work has been featured on National Public Radio (NPR), The Huffington Post and the PBS special, “The American Graduate.” In 2015 he was awardedMetropolitan State University’s Distinguished Alumni Award and in the same year won Diversity Artist of the Year from the National Association of Campus Activities. In 2016 he was also awarded the Distinguished African Americans Who Make A Difference Award by the Denver Urban Spectrum. He has even shared his poetry during two very special TEDTALK events at Colorado State University. He is also a self-published author, keynote speaker, and visual artist. He was an invited performer for The Black Panther Party’s 40th Anniversary in Harlem, NY and has shared stages with Gil-Scot Heron, Pulitzer Prize winner Yusef Komunyakaa, Public Enemy, Rakim, Talib Kweli, and The Pharcyde. He currently sits on the Denver Art Museum and Central Denver Library’s Public Art Selection Panel Committee.
About the Wayfinding Series
The Wayfinding Series connects students to local creative professionals. With equal parts inspiration and honesty, speakers will share their path towards a successful creative life and all of the twists and turns involved in that journey. Addressing career-focused issues such as industry trends, relevant skills, making connections, and professional fulfillment, speakers will highlight that there is no one way to find and live a successful, creative career. Speakers will represent a variety of creative employment opportunities, connecting to multiple academic departments and revealing that professional creatives are found in diverse and sometimes surprising fields. Questions? Contact Nicolle Dale.
