“Its signature event will be “Flux,” the one-night arts festival in Castleberry Hill District held in October and formerly known as Le Flash. In fact, it was Corrigan’s experience at Le Flash’s 2008 debut that led him to found Flux Projects.

Enchanted by the energy and the crowds, Corrigan saw in Le Flash the potential to inspire artists and to help his home town see itself as the dynamic arts community he feels it already is.“Atlanta has the highest percentage of its residents in arts-based employment of any major city,” he observes. “The art scene needs to be visible to itself and the rest of Atlanta.”

Corrigan put up $90,000 to underwrite Le Flash’s sophomore incarnation in 2009 and started the non-profit to give the event ongoing stability. He has plans to grow Flux, which he took over from founders Cathy Byrd and Stuart Keeler, into a city-wide event.”

Atlanta’s gloATL performs “pour” at the 2009 Le Flash. Photo: Adam Davila

“In the milieu of good cheer and curiosity Le Flash created, social and racial divisions temporarily melted away.

Indeed, the most satisfying part of Le Flash was being part of the mix of artists, gallery-goers, club types, sight-seers, families and weirdos. Let’s do it again next year.

From Le Flash-Atlanta: worlds collide in dance with Lauri Stallings’ “Pour”, by Cynthia Bond Perry

“Cameras flashed as several dancers, clad in April McCoy’s romantic tutu designs, tumbled up the alley between Haynes and Mangum streets. In a flurry of anticipation, their bodies seemed to light up as if fireflies flashed inside. As these fantastical beings led, we followed, through an enchanted world up the alley and across Nelson Street.

From PHOTOS: 5 things to love about Le Flash in Castleberry Hill by Jamie Gumbrecht

“It’s not just that art was everywhere — it’s that it was public. Art is already a constant in Castleberry Hill. The galleries, restaurants, stores and living spaces are living examples of contemporary art. But this was individual and group art in common spaces, with no need to walk through a door or pay in advance. It was on the sidewalks, on the road, in alleys, on buildings and pedestrian bridges. It was literally moving down the street, in gloATL’s “Pour” performance, and a number of other impromptu parades and traveling works. Atlanta feels like an entirely different city when so many people share a public space for a shared, public sensation.

You can take the shuttle from MARTA this year! More info about ACP’s Opening Reception at Le Flash at leflash-atlanta.com

“Sixty other projects will flare up in vacant lots, empty buildings, galleries and boutiques, sidewalks and street corners, extending to the furthest reaches of Castleberry Hill. Lemon flashlights maneuvered by Steve Jarvis. Caroline Powers invents human fireflies. Dance Truck performers squeeze into a moving van for a light show. Carl DiSalvo and David Holstius stage a zombie haunt in the shadow of tattoo parlor. There will be interrogations and shadow puppets, perambulators and deep breathing exercises, and lots of other unlikely intersections in art and performance. A full introduction to 2009 projects is on view at leflash-atlanta.com.”

Here’s Le Flash’s official press release, for more info.

Le Flash 2009 – Call for Entries

“Coming this October, for the second year in a row, LE FLASH ATLANTA will feature over 40 projects in Castleberry Hill’s streets and galleries, vacant lots and windows, warehouses and rooftops.

Fantastical art and creative events will again fill a night out in the neighborhood. Atlanta expects to be showered with the light and sound of installations, performance art, poetry readings, music, video projections and other lens-based projects, an iron pour and art happenings of all sorts.”

More information will be available on June 15th at leflash-atl.com. If you’re an artist who’d like to contribute to Le Flash, there’s currently a call for entries.

Kristina Solomoukha’s Mind the Gap Fountain @ Cleopas Park, Atlanta, October 24 – December 12. Le Flash, a collaboration with ACP. Info here: acpinfo.org/leflash/ Official site here.

“We invite submissions of one-minute videos for presentation at Garage
Projects during LE FLASH, a one-night art event in Castleberry Hill.
Selected videos will be on view for an evening when fantastical
installations and creative events will be seen throughout the
district. Street corners, galleries, shops, roof tops, vacant lots and
empty buildings will be sites for light, video, sound and other
unexpected environments, performance art, poetry readings, concerts,
music, video projections, a marching band, an iron pour and art
happenings of all sorts.”

LE FLASH
Nuit Blanche in Castleberry
7pm to midnight
October 24, 2008

Organized by Cathy Byrd and Stuart Keeler