City of Decatur Partners with SCADpro on Bicentennial Celebration
Year-Long Collaboration Kicks Off with SCAD Students Gathering Resident Recordings for 200 Stories Initiative
Atlanta, GA, March 29, 2023 — Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and The City of Decatur announce a new partnership through SCADpro, the university's innovative collaborative design studio, in support of the city's bicentennial celebration in December 2023. Throughout the year-long partnership, SCAD students will collect stories and develop creative materials to promote the city's milestone anniversary.
"It is important when celebrating the City of Decatur's bicentennial that we focus on what makes the city special—its rich history and people," said Maken Payne, executive director at SCADpro. "Our SCAD students are excited to work alongside city leadership and Decatur residents to preserve that history by contributing to the 200 Stories Initiative."
SCAD students from an array of top ranked degree programs including film and television, advertising and branding, user experience design, dramatic writing, and graphic design, will be collecting stories from community members past and present this Saturday, April 1 through Saturday, May 14 at Legacy Park, 500 S. Columbia Dr., Decatur, GA 30030. For those who are interested in participating, recordings will take place on Wednesdays from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Anyone interested in participating can make an appointment by emailing: [email protected]. Walk-ins are also welcome. For more information visit: decaturga.com/200stories
The first phase of the collaboration launched with SCAD students developing special recording technology being used to preserve the dynamic stories of Decatur residents. The 200 Stories Initiative, modeled after StoryCorps, will record and archive 200 stories from a diverse cross-section of people in the Decatur community. Stories will be used to create a visual record through film and animation and shared at the official community celebration event.
"Every individual in the Decatur community is what makes it so special and unique," said Renae Jackson, City of Decatur equity and engagement director. "As we celebrate the city's bicentennial, it is the perfect time to elevate and uplift the stories and perspectives of the people who have and continue to contribute to making this place what is today and what it will be in the future."
The next phase of the partnership will include presenting creative design assets to city leadership. Those assets will be seen all over Decatur to promote the bicentennial.
Every year, SCADpro generates more than 50 industry-sponsored projects, pairing innovative companies with the brightest creative students, alumni, and professors. SCAD students are the designers, thinkers, and influencers of tomorrow. The program integrates multiple disciplines, offering partners innovative concepts and solutions. The students research, develop, and deliver professional results all within an academic setting. Top brands including Coca-Cola, Google, Amazon, Delta Air Lines, NASA, Hewlett-Packard, Coty, Deloitte, and more have collaborated on SCADpro assignments over the last 5 years.
SCADpro
SCADpro is the university's collaborative innovation studio that generates business solutions for the world's most influential brands. SCADpro is recognized as the preeminent university partner in higher education and among design agencies worldwide. Unlike other agencies and university programs, SCADpro invites clients to engage in every step of the ideation and creative process and to work directly with student designers, professors, and alumni focused on clients' desired outcomes. For more information on SCADpro visit: scad.edu/scadpro
SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs across locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow. SCAD enrolls more than 15,700 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 120 countries. The future-minded SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and myriad advanced learning resources, affording students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university's renowned research lab and prototype generator.
SCAD is No. 1 in the U.S. according to Art & Object's 2022 Best Art Schools ranking, with additional top rankings for degree programs in interior design, architecture, film, fashion, digital media, and more. Career success is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in an exceptional alumni employment rate. For the past four years, 99% of SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more.
About City of Decatur
Decatur, a city in DeKalb County Georgia, was incorporated in 1823 and named for Commodore Stephen Decatur. Decatur is the county seat of DeKalb County and is 4.7 square miles with a population of about 25,000. The city, known for its homes, schools, places of worship, diversity, events and festivals, and a thriving business community, is located six miles east of Atlanta. For more information, visit www.decaturga.com.
Media Contacts:
Wendy Gardner
Sr. Director of Public Relations at SCAD
[email protected]
Renae Jackson
City of Decatur
Equity and Engagement Director
[email protected]