Public artist and design leader creating culturally grounded installations, spatial narratives, and community-centered environments.

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J. Stacy Utley is an interdisciplinary design leader, public artist, and educator working at the intersection of architecture, visual art, and cultural strategy. His practice centers on shaping public space through narrative, memory, and community engagement, translating complex cultural histories into spatial and visual experiences.

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With over two decades of experience spanning architectural practice, higher education, and independent schools, Utley brings a systems-based and research-driven approach to creative practice and institutional leadership. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from North Carolina State University’s College of Design and an MFA from Lesley University College of Art and Design.

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Utley’s work explores identity, place, and the built environment within the African American diaspora, and has been exhibited nationally and internationally, with works held in university, corporate, and public collections. As a public artist, he has led civic commissions in collaboration with municipalities, arts councils, engineers, and community stakeholders, developing site-specific works that embed cultural narrative within the landscape.

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His interdisciplinary methodology grounded in architectural rigor, research, and storytelling, extends into his academic and institutional work. Utley has taught at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and served as a Professor of Practice, guest critic, and advisor across multiple institutions. His teaching and leadership focus on curriculum development, critique methodology, design thinking, and culturally responsive pedagogy.

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In 2023, Utley was named the Innovative Emerging Professional Designlife Award recipient by North Carolina State University’s College of Design, recognizing alumni whose work signals the evolving future of design practice and leadership. He is also a recipient of fellowships and grants from the Knight Foundation and the Arts & Science Council.

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Across his practice, Utley operates at the convergence of creative work, public scholarship, and institutional strategy; building projects, programs, and frameworks that position art and design as tools for civic engagement and cultural transformation.