A Sense of Place

Clemmons Family Farm

Funding Received: 2017
Charlotte, VT
$350,000
Funding Period: 2 years and 6 months
http://www.clemmonsfamilyfarm.org/
Craft & Culinary Arts, Dance, Literature, Visual Arts | Health | Rural
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The first Annual Vermont African Diaspora Artists' Summit, held on the Clemmons Family Farm in June 2019, catalyzed a number of new creative collaborations among artists, including between artists Mikahely Rakoto and Kaylynn Twotrees. The artists met for the first time a few months ago at and subsequently received an artist co-residency grant from the Farm to support their new co-creation: "Falling into Language: a Travelogue". A collaborative video/installation/performance work-in-progress. The multi-media project is based on a series of paintings by TwoTrees, who also serves as videographer and director of the co-creation project. Razafy, who is a composer, musician and sound engineer is creating a musical score to accompany the paintings. Community members and visitors to the Farm have a series of opportunities to meet the artists, observe the co-creation work in progress, ask questions and engage in discussions. Both the Summit and the artists' residency were made possible through a grant from ArtPlaceAmerica to the 'A Sense of Place' project
photo credit: Clemmons Family Farm
Through the "A Sense of Place" project, the Clemmons Family Farm has been building a network of more than 150 collaborating artists of African descent to engage in community-building arts and culture programs. This video features just a few of the many phenomenal artists who helped us to foster a culture of love and who have received mini-grants, paid engagements, and professional development through the "A Sense of Place" project funded by Artplace America.
photo credit: Clemmons Family Farm
ArtPlace America grant funds enabled the "A Sense of Place" project to hold an exciting creative placemaking charette to plan work on the historic "Big Barn" at the Clemmons Family Farm as a venue for African-American and African Diaspora visual and performing arts and multicultural community-building. The charette was led by FAIA-Architect Zena Howard, one of the lead architects who designed the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture in our nation's capital.
photo credit: The Clemmons Family Farm
A culinary artist-in-residence discusses African American culinary heritage of pies in the beautiful storytelling room of the historic Barn House at the Clemmons Family Farm. The "A Sense of Place" project will help bring more African American/African diaspora culinary arts to the rural community of Charlotte, Vermont.
photo credit: Clemmons Family Farm
The "Art that Binds" painting class led by Burlington-based Julio Desmont and Jude Desmond fostered multi-cultural community-building through their Haitian culture, storytelling and painting techniques at The Clemmons Family Farm. Julio and Jude are among the local artists who received an African diaspora arts and culture grant from the "A Sense of Place" project, using some of the funds provided by ArtPlace America to support visual arts programming.
photo credit: Brett Simison
Vermont aerialists Patti Burnheim and Pamela Donohoo discuss future performance space that will include the area high up near the rafters of the historic Big Barn at the Clemmons Family Farm.
photo credit: The Clemmons Family Farm
With support from ArtPlace America, FAIA-Architect Zena Howard, who co-led the design of the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington, DC, spent time at the Clemmons Family Farm and the "A Sense of Place" project to mentor Vermont middle-school girls of African descent in applying creative placemaking and architecture skills to brainstorming ideas for the "Big Barn" as a future venue for African-American and African Diaspora visual and performing arts.
photo credit: Marice Providence
The "A Sense of Place" creative placemaking project fosters multi-cultural community-building one delicious spoonful at a time during its Afro-Cuban culinary heritage classes led by local resident Chef Eloy Guzman (second from right) at the Clemmons Family Farm. Thanks to a grant from ArtPlace America, some of Chef Eloy's wonderful storytelling and recipes were shared nation-wide during an episode of "Restaurant Magic," a radio satellite show co-hosted by Sweetly (second from left) and The Hotness (fourth from left). The co-hosts visited the Farm from North Carolina to cover Eloy's sweet potato pudding class!
photo credit: Clemmons Family Farm
Ethnomusicologist, musician and author Damascus Kafumbe teaches some of the rhythms of Ugandan traditional music during a community event at the Clemmons Family Farm. The event celebrated the release of his new book: "Tuning the Kingdom: Kawuugulu Music, Politics, and Storytelling in Buganda".
photo credit: Clemmons Family Farm
Judi Emanuel and Friends are among the recipients of the "A Sense of Place" project's 2018 African-American and African Diaspora Arts and Culture Community-Building grants. The grants were awarded through a competitive process in which a panel of community members who reviewed artists' proposals. Selection criteria included: artistic excellence, the degree to which the artists would engage participants in learning about African-American/African diaspora cultures, and degree to which the artists' work would foster a loving and supportive multicultural community.
photo credit: Clemmons Family Farm
​With support from ArtPlace America and the Vermont Agency for Commerce and Community Development/Division of Historic Preservation, the Clemmons Family Farm has begun the work to transform the beautiful 1830's Big Barn into a venue for African-American and African diaspora visual and performing arts. The work entails preserving its historic structural beauty, revitalizing its agricultural uses, and re-creating the space as a venue for African American and African diaspora visual arts and performing arts programs, educational enrichment, and community-building. Zena Howard is one of the award-winning architects who designed the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. Enjoy this interview with Ms. Howard, who visited the Clemmons Family Farm to co-lead the early creative placemaking visioning for the historic Big Barn. ​
photo credit: Clemmons Family Farm
Vermont aerialists Pamela Donohoo and Patti Burnheim brainstorm on the exciting possibilities for creative use of the spaces up in the rafters of the Big Barn at the Clemmons Family Farm. The creative placemaking at the Big Barn is one of the major activities of the "A Sense of Place" project, funded in part by a grant from Artplace America
photo credit: Clemmons Family Farm

Of the 7,000 farms in Vermont, only 19 are African-American-owned. The Clemmons Family Farm, established in 1962, is one of these.  The residents of many rural communities experience social isolation, a condition that is often compounded when there are also racial and cultural differences among residents. The Clemmons Family Farm will host a series of African heritage arts and culture programs in order to improve community wellness by addressing the social isolation, weaving a stronger social fabric, and making more connections among the residents in and around Charlotte, VT.

 

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See below for recent updates, press, and events from this project

press
Seven Days: KeruBo Releases Pandemic-Themed Video for Vermont's African Community
May 31, 2020
Vermonters continue to make art inspired by the coronavirus pandemic. African folk/jazz artist KeruBo recently unveiled a new song and video, "Hakuna Lolote." The song... Read More
press
Vermont Digger: Clemmons Family Farm receives Bay and Paul Foundation grant to strengthen the capacity of African diaspora artists in Vermont
Feb 19, 2020
The Clemmons Family Farm has received a grant from the Bay and Paul Foundation to help strengthen the capacity of Vermont’s artists of the African... Read More
press
The Citizen: MLK Day spent with the Clemmons Family Farm
Jan 23, 2020
harlotte’s Clemmons Family Farm played an integral role in this year’s Martin Luther King Community Celebration at ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, on Monday,... Read More
press
WCAX Television News: ECHO Center Events Honor MLK Day
Jan 20, 2020
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) Vermont honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday with a full day of events at the ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain... Read More
press
Learning about Diversity and Social Justice at the Clemmons Family Farm
Oct 25, 2019
A leadership group of nineteen 7th and 8th-grade students and counselor, Ms. Jamilah Vogel from St. Albans City School, traveled to Charlotte on October 14th... Read More
press
The Citizen : ‘The book is a portrait of my soul. Every word is true.’ — Emily Bernard reads from ‘Black Is the Body’ at Clemmons Family Farm
Sep 19, 2019
The setting was perfect for Emily Bernard’s reading from her bestselling book “Black Is the Body: Stories from My Grandmother’s Time, My Mother’s Time and... Read More
press
The Charlotte News: A language beyond culture
Sep 19, 2019
Having connected at the VT African Diaspora Artists’ Summit at the Clemmons Farm earlier this summer, Kaylynn Sullivan TwoTrees of Hinesburg and Mikahely Rakuto Rozafy... Read More
press
The Citizen: Contrasts harvested at Clemmons Family Farm
Jun 6, 2019
This past Saturday, June 1, was a typically atypical day at the Clemmons Family Farm. Which is the way it’s been most days since Jackson... Read More
press
VT Digger: The Clemmons Family Farm kicks off intrepid summer series
Apr 22, 2019
The Clemmons Family Farm in Charlotte, VT is kicking off its 2019 summer series of African-American and African Diaspora arts and culture community-building and creative... Read More
press
Seven Days: Architect on National African American Museum Works With Clemmons Family Farm
Feb 20, 2019
More than five million people have visited the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C., since it opened in September 2016,... Read More
press
Black News and Information: 'The Intrepid Couple' Samples Jack and Lydia Clemmons' African Collection
Jan 17, 2019
As museums around the world increasingly become the sites of heated public debate on colonial histories, an exhibition at Burlington’s Amy E. Tarrant Gallery offers... Read More
press
Seven Days: 'The Intrepid Couple' Samples Jack and Lydia Clemmons' African Collection
Jan 16, 2019
At the beginning of the 2018 box office hit Black Panther , a young African man stands before a glass case of West African masks... Read More
blog
Clemmons Family Farm Making History
Jun 23, 2018
The summer breeze, scented with the sweet fragrance of white blooms dangling from the Black Locust trees, anticipated a long-awaited visit by a very special... Read More
press
Vermont Woman: Historic Clemmons Farm Becomes A Multicultural Center
Apr 6, 2018
Thank you Vermont Woman for a beautiful 2-page article about some of the women who are creating "A Sense of Place", a new African-American/African diaspora... Read More
press
Charlotte News: The Clemmons Family Farm Moves Onward and Upward
Jan 10, 2018
With the receipt of a prestigious $350,000 grant from ArtPlace America’s National Placemaking Fund, the Clemmons Family Farm makes a huge leap forward toward the... Read More
press
The Citizen: Clemmons Family Farm wins $350,000 national grant
Dec 14, 2017
The Clemmons family has a vision for their farm in Charlotte, and a recent grant award from ArtPlace America is bringing them closer to achieving... Read More
blog
ArtPlace America Invests $8.7 Million in 23 Projects Across the Country
Dec 05, 2017
Today, we are proud to announce the 23 creative placemaking projects that will receive funding in communities of all sizes across 18 states and one...Read more
blog
We Wear the Mask
May 20, 2020
The A Sense of Place (Clemmons Family Farm) project uses the power of African-American and African diaspora art and culture to help build a more...Read more
blog
Black History and Community Futures
Feb 24, 2018
February 1st marked the beginning of Black History Month where each year we set aside a few weeks to focus our historical hindsight on the...Read more