We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Eric Hayes . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Eric below.
Eric , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I knew from a fairly young age that a career or work life in the arts was something that I’d like to pursue. Even as a kid I was always drawn to music & dance, art, creative endeavors, live entertainment, etc. I come from a musical family and have been dancing since I was kid. So, for me, it always made sense that I would continue those interests into adulthood. Working it into a career and professional endeavors was a challenge at times but I worked hard and stayed very focused on what I wanted
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
My main work and career is as a freelance choreographer. Primarily, for stage, theater, live entertainment, school based performing arts programs, and industrial & commercial entertainment. I do everything from choreography, directing & producing, design, and much more.
I created Project 360 Xposure & 5678 Apparel in early 2019. I’m very passionate about arts education and the purpose of creating this tandem organization was to support, advocate for, and provide assistance to students in scholastic arts programs, I get the unique privilege of working with very talented young people and using my organization as well as our apparel line – we’re able to positively impact the arts education of many students. A number of whom would otherwise not have that kind of support.
Our brand and apparel line is fun, engaging, inclusive, and empowering. That is what I’m most proud of. That we’ve been able to positively impact students and young people from a wide range of backgrounds and identities. We’ve built a really organic sense of community over the years and have continued to engage with so many people as a result. Our Brand Apprentice and Brand Ambassador program was created to bridge the gap between supporters and the heart of our brand. These representatives are our direct faces & personalities across social media, photo campaigns, in-person appearances, and more. Over the course of five years, many of our apprentices and ambassadors have gone on to professional arts careers in performance, education, and administration.
Please check out our brand site – 5678apparel.com to learn more and support. 20% of our profits goes directly back to arts education support, programs, funding, scholarships, and we hope more in the future.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
There’s many answers to this question. I think one of the most important is to truly show up and support art, creativity, and all things related. Go see a show, give of your time to arts charities & functions, volunteer for events, find local art shows, theater, performance and creative work in your community. Find ways to connect with the creators and leaders in your area. See what ways you can be impactful to this ecosystem even if it’s at a grassroots level.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of my work are the hundreds of young people and students I’ve had the privilege to teach. I’m so passionate about teaching life lessons through arts – music, dance, etc. So much of what we do can be applied to life in general. The opportunities I have to impart that knowledge onto impressionable minds is not something I take lightly, It truly has become part of my calling and keeps things focused and centered when it becomes hard or difficult,
I’m proud that I’m leaving an artistic legacy that will continue long past me and that my work has had a continued impact on different people.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.5678apparel.com
- Instagram: @project360exposure
Image Credits
All photos – Piper Baxter