The Power of Community - Host Committee
Co-Chairs
Kevin King
The King's Canvas
Kevin King relocated to the historic Washington Park neighborhood in 2007, where he and his family aimed to become woven into the fabric of a historically marginalized community to partner with the community in fostering its transformation. Here he founded The King’s Canvas Gallery and Studio in 2018, which operates as a creative haven that caters to an art community in Montgomery that was underserved and unseen. Through artistic expression and creative placemaking, they channel efforts towards revitalizing the neighborhood and individuals by empowering entrepreneurship and teaching financial literacy and life-skill development.
Jackie Viskup
Alabama State Council on the Arts
Dr. Jackie Viskup currently serves as the Community Arts and Arts Facilities Program Manager for the Alabama State Council on the Arts. In this capacity she advises and manages grant funding for programs, administration, and art facilities across the 67 counties in Alabama. She also collaborates on planning and implementation of Council programs such as the Bill Bates Leadership Institute and is the director of the bi-annual Celebration of Alabama Arts event, an awards program that honors artists who have made significant contributions to the arts and their communities. Dr. Viskup holds a PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies from University of California, Santa Barbara. Her artistic practice focuses on community engagement and education through the performing arts. Individually and through her theatre company, Raw Materials Theatre, Dr. Viskup works with professional and amateur artists to create performance events that speak to community issues. Previous works have dealt with relationship abuse, workers’ rights, immigration, war, and mental health. She is currently facilitating a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Forces grant-funded project with military veterans, using performance and creative writing to communicate their experiences of service and war.