The new Otis Redding Center for the Arts (ORCA) is a multipurpose educational space that helps students explore their creativity through musical and artistic expression. Located in Otis Redding’s community of Macon, Georgia, ORCA fosters collaborative learning, original thinking, and empowerment through creative opportunities, such as lessons and workshops and programming and summer camps.
“Our programs provide an opportunity for students to explore their creativity, learn to collaborate, communicate their ideas, and better express themselves. We aim to equip students with the tools to be well-rounded individuals who can work well with others and have the self-confidence to share their ideas.” – Otis Redding Center for the Arts
To support the Center’s vision of fostering unimpeded creativity and to facilitate self-expression in young students, Cortina recommended implementing AI. In the main entrance, three interactive stations invite visitors to remix classic Otis Redding songs, generate original song lyrics, and design their own album art. Utilizing the processing power of Open AI and Flux AI as a way to generate words and images, these creative activities allow students to quickly iterate and brainstorm new ideas in a way that wouldn’t be as successful without the use of AI. It also adds an element of surprise and playfulness while allowing students to be as imaginative as possible. In the “Find Your Voice” interactive, lyrics are generated based on the user’s answers to questions. Once the initial lyrics are produced, the user can change elements like the rhyme scheme and genre or add custom input to regenerate a new set of lyrics. “Find Your Style” has a similar experience as users develop album art based on prompts and input. Both Find Your Voice and Find Your Style act as springboards for students as they develop their musical identity.
“[ORCA] really captures the full essence of the creative person. I’ve not seen any program quite like this where it immerses them in every aspect of music, from writing music to performing music to producing music, and then the creative pieces that go behind that.” – Stephen Daughterty, Otis Redding Foundation Board Member
Project Team
Media Design and Production by Cortina Productions
Exhibit Design by Peter Hyde Design
AV Systems Design by Phase Shift
Fabrication by ShowFab
AV Systems Integration by BBI Engineering