If These Walls Could Talk audience
photo by Kelly Lacy
As part of their ongoing efforts to revive a forgotten corner of Chattanooga, Collier Construction and The Pop-up Project are reprising last year’s creative partnership in Mill Town.
Ethan Collier, founder and president of Collier Construction announced Monday that The Pop-up Project has been named Mill Town’s artist-in-residence for 2023. Within this partnership, Pop-up performers and artists will create an immersive experience inside Mill Town’s historic Coosa Mill, as well as continuing to provide dance classes and other educational programming to the students of East Side Elementary on the northern edge of the Mill Town neighborhood. Performances will be Nov. 3-11.
“Over the last several years, The Pop-up Project has built a reputation for not only producing outstanding original works of dance and theater, but doing so in locations and venues that completely change the way that people experience our community,” says Mr. Collier. “Our collaboration with them last year introduced the Mill Town neighborhood to countless people who would never have found us otherwise. We’re excited to build on that success this November and move forward.”
“The Pop-up Project works to not only create excellent original performances, but to do so in a way that builds up our city’s creative economy,” says Jules Downum, The Pop-up Project’s founder and director. “Ethan and his team have always understood that and we applaud their dedication to Chattanooga’s professional arts community. Mill Town is an ideal platform for our work, especially as we expand our youth and educational programming. We can’t wait to return to the Mill for another season.”
Pop-up Project’s 2022 show inside the Coosa Mill, If These Walls Could Talk, brought thousands of adventure-seekers from throughout the Chattanooga area and across the country to Mill Town for two weeks of dance, music and art. This year’s original production, written and produced Downum and Jeri Eduave and titled Until the Sun Rises, will expand on this unique storytelling format, opening up more spaces within the Coosa Mill than ever and inviting guests to explore, experience, and interact with dozens of local artists over the course of five evenings.
Tickets for Until the Sun Rises’ opening night are on-sale now during an exclusive pre-sale for Mill Town residents and Pop-up Project supporters, including ticket-buyers from last year’s performances. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, Sept. 18. Presale registration is currently open at thepopupproject.org.
Airada in If These Walls Could Talk
photo by Kelly Lacy