We recently connected with Adrian Ferguson and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Adrian thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

It was Junior year. Atlanta was a wide open town bursting with nightlife and entertainment. The music scene in the early 2000s was building on the legacy established by the likes of Goodie Mob, OutKast, and Pastor Troy to name few, and artists like Lil’ Jon, T.I., and Young Jeezy were gaining national acclaim. With the rise of Crunk, Atlanta still had pockets where you could hear the hip-hop classics and beyond. One night I was in my dorm room listening to the radio. A song came on called “Moments In Love”. I had heard it before but didn’t know the name of the group. I listened carefully hoping the host would say the name. And then it happened! “Art Of Noise!!” This was it! This was going to be the name of my holographic music museum!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I returned to the DMV area after school. Even though I had a 9 to 5, I found time to help plan music events, see live performances in the evenings and weekends, and support my artist friends. The one thing I would always hear artists and event coordinators say was, how there was a lack of flexible spaces in the city. That’s where I came in. Art Of Noize provides intimate, flexible, and affordable space in the city. What sets us apart is we can accommodate a variety of artistic disciplines and events, whereas traditional spaces limit themselves to one.

One of our proudest moments was winning the 2022 Mayor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Creative Industries.

What I want people to know about Art Of Noize is that we are cultivating a community and creating space where art can be appreciated and acquired.

Do you have multiple revenue streams – if so, can you talk to us about those streams and how your developed them?

Artists utilize our space for things such as:

-Rehearsals
-Auditions
-Musical Performances
-Private Screenings
-Photo/Film/Video Shoots

Patrons and organizations also utilize our space for parties and various private events.

A highlight was when former CNN Anchor Soledad O’ Brien production company used our space to film scenes for the “Black & Missing” documentary on HBO.

Rates vary based on the nature of the event, and quotes can be obtained on our website at: https://www.artofnoizedmv.com/rentals

In addition to rental space, we utilize our walls as gallery space for emerging Artists here in the DMV. We change exhibitions routinely and assist Artists with selling work to collectors and enthusiasts. We were recognized by CNN as being one of the Black-Owned galleries in Washington, D.C. who are redefining art spaces in a changing city.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

At our initial location, about halfway through the lease, the landlord approached me and said they had other plans for the building. Had I known that initially, I would have not signed the lease. Just as we were catching our stride, we had to uproot and move. Luckily, we found a new location and we’re able to remain in the neighborhood. Everything was going great! Our patrons loved our new site. We began to ramp back up. Just as we were getting back to our stride, Corona hit. Remember not being able to physically be around people, or go places you love? The stress from worrying about whether or not they would be here on the other side? That’s how I felt not being able to set foot in Art Of Noize, my livelihood, my energy source, and not being able to meet with with patrons and artists pushed me to the brink.

During the pandemic we lost a major revenue stream of space rentals. At the beginning, we were required by the local government to shut our doors. When we were allowed to reopen, we had restrictions on the number of people who could be in our space at one time. We had to pivot, and rely solely on art sales and government assistance to stay afloat. Every month we were switching out artwork, in hopes of making enough to pay the rent and stay relevant. We used our social media and various outlets to promote the work. We created an online store where people could purchase art and have it shipped. When your back is against the wall you will find a way to get out. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.artofnoizedmv.com
• Instagram: @artofnoizedmv
• Facebook: Art Of Noize
• Twitter: @artofnoizedmv17
• Youtube: Art Of Noize

Image Credits
Art Of Noize