WHO WE ARE
The Holle Center for Communication Arts is an incubator and creative collaboratory for 21st century nonfiction storytelling. The work of the Holle Center is guided by a commitment to innovative and arts-informed research, community engagement and creative co-operation.
OUR TEAM
Dr. Robin Boylorn
Distinguished Research Professor, Endowed Chair and Director of the Holle Center for Communication Arts
Michelle Bordner
Holle Center Program Manager
WHAT WE DO
Prior to its launch, programming for the Holle Center for Communication Arts has included screening an award winning film, a public poetry reading and a one-person show that illuminates intergenerational stories of Black women in the South. The center also sponsored a course in collaborative storytelling that allowed students to engage with guest artists and visit social activism sites in Montgomery, culminating in a storytelling showcase.
Additional programs and initiatives will begin in 2025.
WHERE WE LIVE
The Holle Center, a component of the College of Communication & Information Sciences at The University of Alabama, will be located in Bryant Denny Stadium.
Housed on the fourth floor, adjacent to the Digital Media Center, the creativity-centered space will feature a collaboratory for digital storytelling that includes a podcast studio, cyclorama and editing workspace.
PAST WORK
Panel Discussion
The Holle Center hosted a panel discussion about the children’s book Stand Up! 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change on May 3rd at 6pm at the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center. This panel was a part of the First Friday events on May 3rd from 5-7pm celebrating the opening of the exhibition relating to this book that brings to life both famous and unsung Black women who took a stand and made the world a better place for future generations. Panelists included: Dr. Darlene F. Atkins (moderator), Principal of Westlawn Middle School; Katherine Baxter, Librarian at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School; Ramona Caponegro, Professor in Youth Services, UA School of Library and Information Studies; and Exa Skinner, Executive Director of Kentuck Art Center and Festival.
NEWS
Storytelling Workshop
The Holle Center is teaming up with The People’s Film School to offer a FREE virtual storytelling workshop taught by television director Dr. Rachel Raimist.
The workshop series is open to all creatives who want a chance to artistically share experiences or spread awareness about meaningful topics. No professional experience is required, and all disciplines are welcome. Any UA student or alumni with a passion to inspire others and have their voices heard is encouraged to apply.
The application process has closed.
THE HOLLE AWARDS
The Holle Center oversees the national Holle Awards for Excellence in Creativity and Communication, which highlight and celebrate creative expression in seven categories including book arts, filmmaking, forensics, media writing, public speaking, screenwriting and sports media.
The awards, which were established by Everett Hughes Holle and funded by the Holle Family Foundation, include a $10,000 prize for the winner of each category. The next funding cycle for the award will be 2025.
REACH OUT TO US
Have questions about the Holle Center? Contact us.