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Authentic N.C.
Arts and cultural experiences made easy. Literary Trails, Blue Ridge Music, Cherokee Heritage, crafts, performing arts, museums and more. Web-based travel guides to artists, places, and events that define present-day N.C. Become an artful traveler with the N.C. Arts Council, an agency of the Dept. of Cultural Resources.
Everyday Art Happenings in N.C.
Ballet, modern and ethnic dance.
Professional and community theater. Symphony orchestras and chamber groups. Traditional music, crafts and local festivals. Find events near you »
FALL 2009
Welcome to Artful Living
In the month of September there are enough literary festivals across the state to enrich our minds and imaginations with poetry, fiction and nonfiction to last the whole year. In this issue, authors talk about the benefits of literary festivals to their craft and their communities in two new videos. Iconic painter Pablo Picasso also reveals his literary side in a special exhibition at the Nasher Museum of Art now in progress.
The Bull Durham Blues Festival, the largest celebration of the blues in the state, is one of several highly-anticipated events honoring African American music in North Carolina this fall. Duke Performances and the historic Hayti Heritage Center team up to present one-of-a-kind performances by tenor sax and clarinet virtuoso Don Byron and jazz drummer Brian Blade, with renowned Bob Dylan and U2 producer Daniel Lanois coming to town to make a live recording.
Autumn also means the start of new seasons for dance, music and theater—and this year, intriguing combinations of all three. From Haitian-American artist Daniel Bernard Roumain to Iranian rapper YAS, from country legend Kris Kristofferson to bluegrass impresario Steve Martin, from Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby to the Greensboro Symphony's 50th anniversary, it's shaping up to be one of the most interesting performing arts seasons ever.
Cooler weather also corresponds with colorful foliage and the lure of the North Carolina mountains. You'll find long-running music and craft festivals including the 35th annual Mountain Heritage Day and John C. Campbell Folk School's Fall Festival. You'll also find festivals in other parts of the state, including Durham's Tobacco Harvest & Hornworm Arts Festival and Winston-Salem's Six Days in November, with Piedmont Craftsmen's 46th Annual Fair as its centerpiece.
Take an artful excursion and experience the incredible range of talent in your own backyard this fall!
—David Potorti, the Artful Traveler
and the Artful Living team, N. C. Arts Council
Get a taste of what goes on at a
literary festival by watching this Artful Traveler video.
We're fortunate to have so many writers living and working in North Carolina, as well as an abundance of literary festivals. Over the course of a day or a weekend, you can hear authors read from their latest books, get an autograph or have a personal conversation with them. You can network with other writers or take part in writing workshops. Literary festivals are family friendly—kids can enjoy book readings, crafts or demos.
Hosted by the UNC-Chapel Hill library, the North Carolina Literary Festival takes place Sept. 10–13 and will include readings, discussions, exhibits, performances, book signings, lectures and book sales for people of all ages. Elizabeth Spencer, Michael Chitwood, Barbara Presnell and other notable authors, who will be attending, discuss the importance of literary festivals in this video.
On September 12, BOOKMARKS takes place in Winston-Salem's Arts District, centering on Trade and Sixth Streets, where authors will be presented in enclosed tents and interior spaces donated by Arts District studios, galleries and businesses. The Carolina Mountains Literary Festival in Burnsville Sept. 11–12 creates community by bringing together authors, avid readers, novice writers and fans in an intimate setting.
Also in the western mountains, the Ashe County Arts Council and Ashe County Public Library present the On The Same Page Sept. 16–19, a literary festival focusing on reading and writing about North Carolina people, places and traditions. Featured author Jill McCorkle will be joined by writers including Joseph Bathanti, Pamela Duncan and Georgann Eubanks.
Picasso Exhibition Explores the Allure of Language
Renowned for his paintings, Pablo Picasso was less well-known for his love of literature. He wrote hundreds of poems, two full-length plays and contributed to several illustrated book projects. This intersection between writing and art is the subject of Picasso and the Allure of Language at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University in Durham. Now on view, the exhibition continues through Jan. 3, 2010.
That's not the only way to take a fresh look at the artist best known for his Cubist period. In conjunction with the exhibition, Carolina Ballet presents the world premiere of Picasso, with choreography by Artistic Director Robert Weiss. Performances run from Oct. 15–Nov. 1.
African American music is one of the cornerstones of North Carolina's rich cultural heritage. From blues to church music, it has deep roots and remains vibrant in communities throughout our state. This fall brings several opportunities to experience this living tradition. Now entering its 22nd year, the Bull Durham Blues Festival, sponsored by the Hayti Heritage Center in Durham Sept. 11–12, has become North Carolina's largest celebration of the blues. This year's lineup includes blues guitarist Zac Harmon, sacred steel ensemble The Lee Boys and 45-year blues veteran Elvin Bishop.
Duke Performances and the Hayti Heritage Center team up for two exciting African American musical experiences this fall, one of which will be released as a live recording.
The Hallelujah Train, Oct. 10–11, is a gospel partnership between jazz drummer Brian Blade and noted record producer Daniel Lanois. It features Blade's father, the fiery Pastor Brady Blade, Sr., who is busing in his congregation from Shreveport, La., to raise the roof. On Oct. 16, the Hayti Heritage Center welcomes tenor sax and clarinet master Don Byron and his New Gospel Quintet to perform the work of Thomas A. Dorsey, the gospel music giant who composed standards like "Precious Lord" and "Peace in the Valley." The event will feature a sermon by Rev. Kelly R. Andrews of Eastern Star Missionary Baptist Church in Tarboro.
Whether your tastes run from ballet to clogging, string bands to symphonies or opera to the blues, opportunities abound across the state to enjoy a new season for the performing arts. Here's just a sampling of some of the highlights ranging from down-home to international flavors. Visit the Arts Council's events calendar to learn more, and be sure to check out On Stage in North Carolina, a comprehensive listing of performing arts events with dates and easy links for ordering tickets.
Colorful fall foliage is always an enticing reason for heading to the western mountains, but if you need another excuse, consider a fall festival. These family-friendly events are great opportunities to get outdoors and experience handmade arts, crafts, music, dance and food against a backdrop of breathtaking natural beauty. But you can also find notable festivals in the Piedmont.
The newest of the bunch is the Tobacco Harvest and Hornworm Arts Festival Sept. 12 where more than 20 artists from across the region will sell their wares, the Little River Cloggers will bring traditional dancing to the stage and John Dee Holeman will play classic Piedmont blues. The event is scheduled at Duke Homestead Historic Site and is a collaboration with the N.C. Arts Council.
Free arts, science, history and heritage events are yours to enjoy during the Cultural Free For All happening in Charlotte throughout the month of September. The Arts & Science Council is highlighting a host of free events across the Charlotte-Mecklenberg cultural community including the 45th Annual Festival in the Park, featuring 150 artists and craftspeople; a free performance of Shostakovich's Ninth by Charlotte Symphony; free dance instruction from the N.C. Dance Theatre School of Dance; the 5th Annual Latino Festival; Romare Bearden: The Mystical Caribbean exhibition at the Jerald Melberg Gallery; and free jazz, acoustic, blues and R & B music at the Blakeney Summer Band Series. Check the Cultural Free For All Web site frequently for additional events appealing to all ages.
Western Carolina University in Cullowhee presents its 35th annual Mountain Heritage Day Sept. 26. This old-fashioned mountain fair and showcase for authentic Southern Appalachian folk arts is free and regularly attracts more than 25,000 visitors.
Dancers at the Fall Festival
The Fall Festival at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown Oct. 3–4 is a celebration of Appalachian heritage where more than 200 juried and non-juried craftspeople will offer their handcrafted items for sale.
Open studio tours held across our state are unique, informal opportunities to meet North Carolina artists where they work. You can have one-on-one conversations, experience the many factors that go into being a working artist and even purchase one of their works for yourself or as a gift. Some of the state's most established open studio tours return this fall, along with some newer opportunities to explore.
The 8th annual "Come Out and Play" brings together nearly 50 local artists working in many mediums to exhibit and sell their wares. They'll gather on remaining Saturdays in September (12, 19 and 26) from 4 p.m. until dark at the JimGin Farm in Pittsboro. Visit www.carrboro.com/comeoutandplay for directions and a list of artists.
Dare County Arts Council presents two open studio tours, divided between artists living north and south of the Oregon Inlet bridge. THE Studio Tour North takes place Sept. 19; THE Studio Tour South happens Sept. 26. Call (252) 473-5558 for more information.
In the mountains, the Haywood County Arts Council presents the fourth annual Haywood Open Studio Tour Oct. 3–4. The Arts Council of Henderson County presents its third annual Open Studio Tour Oct. 10–11, featuring more than 35 local artist studios and art galleries in and around historic downtown Hendersonville. It's the culmination of a 10-day celebration called "The Arts Council Presents…" which begins Oct. 2–4 with the 50th anniversary of Art on Main, an outdoor arts festival and market drawing artists from throughout the Southeast. The long-running Toe River Studio Tour takes place Dec. 4–6 and features more than 100 artists from across Mitchell and Yancey Counties. They will announce participating artists at the end of September at www.toeriverarts.org/studiotour.shtml.
In the Piedmont, the Orange County Open Studio Tour, now in its 15th year, features around 80 artists working in a variety of mediums: drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, clay/pottery/ceramics, metal, mixed media/collage, painting and photography. It happens over two weekends, Nov. 7–8 and 14–15. The Chatham County Studio Tour was instituted in 1992 and highlights about 60 local artists across a similar range of disciplines. It also takes place over two weekends, Dec. 5–6 and 12–13.
Fayetteville Symphony records "Historically Patriotic" CD
Patriotic music performances by the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra highlight a new CD, "Historically Patriotic," released by the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (FACVB) and funded in part by a grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. The new recordings include an original song, "Lafayette," written by Symphony Music Director and Conductor Fouad Fakhouri. The ten selections also feature Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man," Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever," and Lowden's "Armed Forces Salute."
Listen to an excerpt of "Fanfare for the Common Man":
The "Historically Patriotic" CD is sold for $10 at the FACVB offices at 245 Person Street, Fayetteville, and online at www.VisitFayettevilleNC.com. Proceeds from CD sales will support its cultural tourism programs.
The North Carolina Arts Council works to make North Carolina The Creative State where a robust arts industry produces a creative economy, vibrant communities, children prepared for the 21st century and lives filled with discovery and learning. The Arts Council accomplishes this in partnership with artists and arts organizations, other organizations that use the arts to make their communities stronger and North Carolinians—young and old—who enjoy and participate in the arts. For more information, visit www.ncarts.org.
The N.C. Arts Council is a division of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina's arts, history and culture. www.ncculture.com
North Carolina Arts Council | MSC #4632,
Department of Cultural Resources,
Raleigh, NC 27699-4632
919.807.6500 |ncarts.org|ncarts@ncdcr.gov
The mission of the North Carolina Arts Council is to make North Carolina a better state through the arts. The Arts Council is a division of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, and celebrates those who create and enjoy art in all 100 counties.
