“Divided Roots, Seeing is Believing” by Preston B Charles III, ArtsWave “Truth & Healing” Artist 

“We’re from different races, we’re from different parts of town. But when it comes to music, all of that goes away, we can just let the notes take care of itself.”

Preston B Charles III

2023 ArtsWave Black and Brown Artists Program

Creativity Squared is proud to support and partner with ArtsWave and to bring you this special interview series featuring the phenomenal artists and grant recipients selected for this year’s ArtsWave Black and Brown Artists Program.

Preston is a 2023 ArtsWave Black and Brown Artists Program Grant Recipient and “Truth & Healing” Artist.

The intention of these interviews is to give these talented and deserving artists another platform to share their art and truth expressed through it, as you never know what ripples will turn into waves. If you’re interested in working with, featuring, or supporting these artists, please don’t be shy about it.

We’ll be hearing from these artists whose films were shown in the ArtsWave “Truth & Healing” Showcase and Film Festivals. Part one of this series features the artists whose work is in the exhibition that is available for visiting at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, OH, through September 10. 

This year’s theme is “Truth & Healing” and Creativity Squared host Helen Todd had the great honor of interviewing the artists during the opening showcase to learn more about their work and what truth and healing means to them.

Meet Preston B Charles III

Preston brings the violin outside of the classical realm into a modern, immersive musical experience. It is hard to produce something new in today’s world, but he has steadily produced original tunes playing the violin in a way that demands not just to be heard, but experienced. This past year Preston helped create and score the documentary “A Citizens’ Journey Through Truth & Reconciliation,” a project powered by ArtsWave.

“Divided Roots, Seeing is Believing”

A dual-media project, “Divided Roots…” utilizes video and audio elements to tell the stories of Cincinnati. A love letter to the region, audiences will be immersed in the community like never before. The good, bad, ugly and everything in between. The project will not only show how African Americans have shaped what Cincinnati is today, but how they’ll continue to shape it in years to come.

ArtsWave 2023 Black and Brown Artists Program Cohort

This year’s Black and Brown Artists Program cohort reflects a vibrant collection of diverse art forms created by an equally diverse group of 18 artists. Their mediums include couture fashion, painting, and sculpture — along with film, musical composition, podcasts, theater, dance, and multidisciplinary works.

The projects not only represent the African American experience, but also the experiences of those with Mexican, Lebanese, Somali, Argentinian, Zimbabwean, Guatemalan, and Indigenous heritage.

Listen to the accompanying podcast episode which features Preston:

Connect with Preston

To stay in touch with Preston and his music, follow him on Instagram (@preston_bell_charles_iii) and YouTube.

Learn more about ArtsWave and why we proudly support the organization in episode 9 “Art Bridges Cultural Divides” with Janice Liebenberg, VP of Equitable Arts Advancement at ArtsWave: https://bit.ly/Ep9JaniceLiebenberg.

Creativity Squared is a proud partner of ArtsWave and because it’s important to support artists like Michael, 10% of all revenue Creativity Squared generates goes to ArtsWave and directly supports the Black and Brown Artists Program.

Join Creativity Squared’s free weekly newsletter and become a premium supporter here.