why art matters for the future of memphis
Lakeisha Edwards brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to creativity and cultural enrichment to her role as the Executive Director of the Urban Art Commission (UAC). A graduate of the University of Memphis, Lakeisha holds bachelor’s degrees in social work and psychology. She has demonstrated her dedication to community development throughout her career, including ten years of service culminating as the Operations Manager for Shelby County’s Child Support Services.
On the Just Bluffin’ podcast, Campfire Collective talked to Lakeisha about her work at the Urban Art Commission, her background in social work and community development, and what access to art education can mean for children and communities.
A native of Covington, Lakeisha Edwards started her career with Shelby County Child Support Services, went into food banking with Mid-South Food Bank, and then moved to Fayetteville, AR to run a nonprofit art gallery.
“And that’s how I transitioned and pivoted my career into the arts,” Lakeisha said. “I fell in love with it and came back to Memphis to run Urban Art Commission.”
Urban Art Commission partners with artists and community stakeholders to produce art in a wide range of media. Since its founding in 1997, UAC has commissioned over 100 works of art in neighborhoods across the city. The organization has contracted annually with the City of Memphis to manage the percent-for-art program since 2002. As part of this management, UAC recommends potential projects, identifies and contracts with artists, and oversees the maintenance of the city’s public art.
When we asked Lakeisha to define the work of an art commission, she said, “An art commission brings artists and communities together for transformation. We go into a space, we engage the community, we bring in artists, we pay them – because of course, exposure does not pay the bills – and we ensure that artists have all of the materials they need to actually create their art. And on the flip side, we ensure that the community has the engagement through our selection committees to really have a voice at that table.”
Lakeisha’s entwined passions for art and social work often surface in her work. As part of our conversation, she recounted a recent experience advocating for art education as part of a panel discussion: “Feeding the creative mind is the foundation for all the other things that we want this next generation to do. So really that is my soapbox: bringing back art education because it allows kids to express themselves and be proud of things that they’ve created. Most of us can think back to our childhood, and seeing our art make it to the refrigerator was a big deal. But art education is the first thing to be cut in just about any budget.”
“I have a t-shirt that says ‘Every Artist Needs a Social Worker.’ A lot of times the reason artists are so passionate about their work is because of trauma or other things that they’ve dealt with. They found ways to express themselves, and to release that through art,” she said. “A lot of the conversations I have with artists are the same conversations I have with clients in the nonprofit realm. As Executive Director of the Urban Art Commission, I use the same fundraising tactics and relationship building methods.”
Lakeisha’s focus on the arts as an integral part of community development is what makes her an innovative leader in our city.
“I really want to utilize this position to create solutions with art,” Lakeisha said. “There are a lot of opportunities for creative placemaking in Memphis, and I’m really excited to be able to bring those ideas to the table.”
As for Lakeisha’s favorite Memphis memory, “It’s gotta be my college graduation in 2002. We were the last class to graduate in the Memphis Pyramid. To this day, my mom says that she’s never seen me as happy as I was on the day of my college graduation. The level of accomplishment that I felt—and the relief of it being over—and all the possibilities were running through my mind.”
To listen to our full conversation with Lakeisha Edwards, click here. And don’t miss any of our future conversations with Memphis leaders! Subscribe to Just Bluffin’ wherever you get your podcasts, and learn more about the team behind the mic on the Campfire Collective website.
