Downtown to Be Lit by Prismatica, Powered by PWC

Cool Spring Downtown District Debuting Globe-Travelling Art Installation in October

Photos and promotional guidelines : Prismatica Promo Kit

Fayetteville, N.C. – The Cool Spring Downtown District (CSDD) is bringing Prismatica an interactive, public art installation—to light up the streets of downtown Fayetteville, N.C., for the entire month of October. This internationally celebrated exhibit of 25, six-foot-tall, pivoting prisms will be staged in a few strategic, outdoor areas of the downtown footprint as a part of a concerted effort to draw visitors downtown to play, shop, and dine.

The installation’s prisms are made of panels laminated with a dichromic film that transmits and reflects every color in the visible spectrum, varying with the position of the light source and the observer. The prisms are mounted on bases containing projectors. As visitors wander among and manipulate the prisms, they enjoy an interplay of lights and colorful reflections. A variable-intensity soundtrack, composed of bell sounds, plays as the prisms rotate.

The Toronto-based, architectural firm RAW Design is responsible for the conception and execution of this art project, in collaboration with ATOMIC3. Prismatica made its debut in 2014 at the Place des Festivals in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles, where 50 pivoting prisms transformed that outdoor space into a giant kaleidoscope. Since then, Prismatica has been on a world tour, lighting up 26 cities in five countries, so far—to include Houston, Jerusalem, Israel, London, England, Lugano, Switzerland, Montreal and New York City.

As an organization focused on expanding the arts, entertainment and economic vitality for all in downtown Fayetteville, the Cool Spring Downtown District has been actively pursuing innovative ways to use art as a vehicle for bringing foot traffic to its independent businesses while also bringing the community together in a COVID-safe manner. In CSDD’s research of the Prismatica exhibit, they discovered even small cities, such as Bellville, Ontario, had reported resounding success in achieving those objectives by bringing the installation to their downtown districts, even during COVID.

“After having suffered through dark times over the past six months, we all could use some light, playful spaces that bring our community together safely to savor the arts and connect with our vibrant downtown areas in new, meaningful ways”—CSDD’s Chief Executive Officer, Bianca Shoneman, elaborated—”and I believe Prismatica, Powered by PWC has incredible potential for doing just that in Cool Spring Downtown District.”

With the City of Fayetteville’s support and backing, CSDD made the necessary arrangements with Creos to export the exhibit, produced by Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, from Montreal to Fayetteville on a leg of its tour. Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC) then came on board as the presenting “Edison Sponsor” and is supporting Prismatica, Powered by PWC as a means to celebrate the original power source, light, for Public Power Month in October.

“PWC is proud to partner with Cool Spring Downtown District to bring Prismatica to Fayetteville and demonstrate the power of community,” as David Trego, Fayetteville
PWC’s CEO/General Manager expressed. “Fayetteville is a Public Power community that is unique and significant, in that we are a locally owned/controlled electric system that operates for the benefit of our local customers and our community.”

Trego elaborated, “This includes supporting programs and events that make Fayetteville a better place to live and work. Prismatica is a unique public art exhibit that will light up our downtown and engage our community, and PWC is proud to help reenergize Fayetteville in such a powerful way.”

In addition to the Fayetteville PWC and the City of Fayetteville, other local organizations supporting the Cool Spring Downtown District’s efforts to bring this art installation to Fayetteville include the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, H&H Homes, Lumbee Guaranty Bank, CityView, Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, SfL+a Architects, Callahan & Rice Insurance Group, Kennon Jackson & Eric Lindstrom, Prince Charles Holdings, LLC and Cumulus Media.

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The Cool Spring Downtown District, Inc. serves as the managing partner for the Arts and Entertainment, a municipal service district in downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina. The Cool Spring Downtown District, Inc. is a charitable, nonprofit corporation formed in 2017 to position the urban core as a vibrant center of artistic, cultural, civic and commercial activity. www.visitdowntownfayetteville.com

For all media inquiries and more information about Prismatica, Powered by PWC, contact Bianca Shoneman at bianca@coolspringfay.org or (910) 223-1089. #PrismaticaPWC