A gathering at Appalshop’s building a year after the flood (Photos by Jon Cherry, The New York Times) |
Appalshop began as a War on Poverty film workshop in 1969, but branched into a storehouse "celebrating Appalachian culture through theater, music, photography and literary programs," Tumin writes. "The organization has managed to recover more than 13,500 archival items since the flood. . . . Most of Appalshop’s audio and visual materials have been recovered, including rare recordings of musical performances and interviews with Appalachian activists; a 1970s interview with an Eastern Band of Cherokee leaders; and recordings, images and film footage of Black leaders from across the region." But the building may need to be replaced. "It is likely to cost upward of $5 million to restore or rebuild. The flood eviscerated the ground floor, which housed its theater, radio station, gallery space and climate-controlled vault, where photo negatives and other archival materials were stored."
Community members gathered at "All is Not Lost" premiere. |
Executive Diretcor Alex Gibson said the lifesaver was Iron Mountain's donation of storage and services. "It largely allows us time to recover and think about how we can afford full restoration," he said, noting that staff members have spent months seeking grants and other funding. "As it has documented and celebrated Appalachian culture, Appalshop also has countered narratives of what it means to be from Appalachia, Gibson said. Still, the flood highlighted the economic inequality in the region, he said," as well as the effects of trauma on poor people.
With its WMMT-FM radio station and website, Appalshop has a wide reach, "but its roots in Appalachia provide a signal for people far from home," Tumin reports. Téa Wimer, the station's manager, told her: "It serves a very specific purpose that nothing else in the world can really serve, and that's feeling connected to people and tradition, and hearing people that sound like you on the radio. . . . Those things are really special and important because listeners don't get to hear it anywhere else."
No comments:
Post a Comment