The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design invites audience participation for “The Song Book Project” with artist David Wilson

Join The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design (CCCD) on May 1st and 2nd for In Song: Sing On, an evening songbook workshop and an afternoon adventure to a hidden Asheville site for a sing-a-long led by Oakland-based artist David Wilson. 

In the field recording tradition of folklore historians Alan Lomax, Harry Smith, and Pete Seeger, artists David Wilson and Colter Jacobsen have collected and recorded songs since 2013 to support and encourage occasions for people to gather together and sing. This collecting has led to the development of a song book, which has been used at sing-a-longs at homes, campfires, and various institutions including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, The Heliopolis Gallery (New York), and A.C.R.E (Steuben, WI).

“Wilson’s project focuses on crafting community,” CCCD Assistant Director Marilyn Zapf says, “He skillfully works to organize people, places, and events to create unique, one-off art experiences. This is an exciting opportunity for Asheville residents and visitors to participate in an ongoing, nationally recognized art project.”

For In Song: Sing On, Wilson invites CCCD visitors to add to this song book. He will work with each participant on Friday evening to transcribe lyrics and simple chord progressions so songs can be easily played and others can easily join in the singing. A recording of each contributor singing or playing their selection will accompany the song book so that new songs can be learned and old favorites can be appreciated. On Saturday afternoon, participants will be invited to explore their city and join a roaming group sing-a-long led by the artist. 

In Song: Sing On is the second project in CCCD’s Back to the Drawing Board series that provides six artists the opportunity to “take-over” CCCD’s Benchspace Gallery & Workshop and invite the audience to participate in the creation of a final work of art.