At the upcoming LEAD Conference (Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disabilities), two Arts Council staff members—Jamie Katz Court, the music and dance director and accessibility coordinator, and Erin Rembert, the military and veterans arts coordinator—will present Considerations for Military, Veterans, and Acquired Disabilities.
Topics Related to Arts Across NC
Header image: Judson Guérard (L) and Sally Morgan Guérard (R). Photo courtesy of the artist
In 1995, the Kenan Institute for the Arts, in Winston-Salem, launched a program to integrate the arts in every aspect of instruction in 25 urban, suburban, and rural pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade schools. Immediately, the results were profoundly positive. Over the following three decades, A+ Schools of North Carolina has revolutionized education through the arts, helping educators create dynamic, engaging learning environments.
Header image: Freeman Vines. Photo by Tim Duffy, courtesy of Music Maker Foundation.One of our state’s greatest treasures is our legacy of folk, traditional, and blues music. The Music Maker Foundation works to preserve and foster the “roots of American music by supporting senior traditional musicians and educating the public.” Based in Hillsborough, the foundation supports senior traditional musicians, forming “long-term partnerships with them to raise their standards of living and levels of expertise,” according to the website.
Header image: Sarah Jones Decker. Photo credit: Lauren Rutton, courtesy of Sarah Jones Decker.
Header image: North Carolina Arts Council staff at the 2025 ARTS Day conference. Photo by Andie Freeman.
Header image: Anna Bryant working in her studio. Photo credit: John DuPre, courtesy of Anna Bryant.Last fall, Hurricane Helene brought devastation to western North Carolina, threatening the state’s culture and economy. Artists affected by the damage are reflecting on their experiences and finding ways to support one another and the community at large as they find their way forward. Art Matters is shining a light on some of these artists. Meet Anna Bryant, the subject of our first profile in a series we’ve titled “Portraits in Resilience.”
Header image: Dare Coulter. Photo by Lauren Lindley Photography, courtesy of Dare Coulter.
To celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting some of the extraordinary female artists we have featured in the past. This list represents a small sample of the women who have shaped and continue to shape the arts in our state.
Header photo credit: Atlantic Dance Theatre and Black Box Dance Theatre.Energy shifted as students entered the room. A buzz of excitement filled the air—the students knew today would be special. Dancers from Black Box Dance Theatre greeted them, setting up for a day of movement and learning about resilience.