Arts Exhibit Highlights Two Durham Greats

Lilac Time by Edith London

The SunTrust Gallery at the Durham Arts Council is currently hosting an exhibit that brings together two of Durham’s most renowned artists, Silvia Heyden and Edith London. Titled “Together Again,” the exhibit pairs new tapestries from Heyden and paintings from the late London – a body of work which will likely never be presented together again. 

The two women shared many similarities, despite their different mediums. Both began their careers in Europe – the Swiss Heyden in Zurich and the German London in both Rome and her native Berlin – and their works share a connection to the Bauhaus tradition. They then separately moved to Durham because their husbands took positions at Duke University. It was the Duke connection that introduced the two women, and they continued to produce acclaimed works throughout their time here. Both displayed their art around the United States and Europe.

Weaverly Flow by Silvia Heyden

London passed away in 1997, but Heyden still lives in the area and weaves tapestries at her home on the Eno River. 

At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28, Heyden will be giving an artist’s talk at the gallery which will be succeeded by a screening of A Weaverly Path, a documentary focused on her life. At 10:30 a.m. on February 8, she will offer a workshop titled “From Fiber to Color” for $15. You can register at online. All of the events are at the Durham Arts Council building at 120 Morris St. in Downtown Durham.

Learn more about arts in Durham online and stay up to date on arts events with the Durham Event Calendar.

CenterFest 2013 Features Largest Artist and Entertainment Line Up in its 39 Year History

One of Durham's longest-running and largest festivals is right around the corner - and it's not to be missed!

The Durham Arts Council will present the 39th Annual CenterFest Arts Festival on Sept. 21st and 22nd, featuring 140 juried fine artists and craftsmen from 17 states, continuous music and entertainment on six stages from 72 performing groups, lively Kids Zone art activities, locally sourced foods and fun festival foods, a showcase of over 40 non-profits, government services departments, community and creative organizations, and sponsors, the CenterFest Food and Beer Garden, additional Saturday evening performances, and more. 

The line up of artists, performers and community is the largest CenterFest has ever presented, and promises to entertain, delight and inspire a projected 25,000 visitors. CenterFest is North Carolina's longest running juried outdoor arts festival. Hours are Saturday 10 am - 6 pm, plus a Saturday evening after-party from 6 pm to 9 pm at the Herald-Sun Stage and Food/Beer Garden, and Sunday 11 am - 5 pm. CenterFest remains in its historic location in central downtown Durham on an expanded site including Main, Chapel Hill, Morris, Market, Corcoran, and Parrish Streets in the Five Points and CCB Plaza areas. Admission is a $5 suggested donation at the gate and is welcomed to support the festival and the arts programs and services of Durham Arts Council. Children 12 and under free. More information is available at www.centerfest.durhamarts.org


"We are excited to continue the festival in the heart of downtown Durham," said Sherry DeVries, Durham Arts Council Executive Director. "CenterFest 2013 has involved over a year of planning, resulting in the largest and most exciting CenterFest we have ever produced!" CenterFest will draw visitors from a broad North Carolina region for a weekend of art enjoyment, shopping, entertainment, delicious food, and exploration of all the great things the newly revitalized downtown Durham has to offer.
DAC Board President, Dan Ellison, stated “Centerfest is just plain fun! It is a chance to see and purchase a wide variety of high quality art and craft from North Carolina and around the country and to hear and see great performers. It is a wonderful way to spend a late summer’s day and start the fall season. Art, music, dance, food, and people-watching. Nothing could be better!”


Visual Artists
A record number of excellent artist applications have resulted in the juried selection of 140 visual artists representing 17 states, and including 85 North Carolina artists and 20 Durham artists. This year's Merit Award Judges will view the work of artists in Basket-Weaving, Clay, Drawing, Fiber, Glass, Leatherworking, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Wood, Jewelry, Mixed Media, and Sculpture.
This year's Merit Judges are Kim Curry-Evans, Public Art Coordinator at the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Kelly Flanders McChesney, owner of Flanders Gallery in Raleigh, and Kristine Styles, Professor of Art History in Duke University’s Department of Art, Art History, and Visual Studies . The merit judges will select the winning artists and award cash prizes totaling $2,500 to Best In Show, First Place, Second and Third Place winning artists.


CenterFest 2013 Citizens Choice Award
Festival-goers are invited to pick their favorite CenterFest Visual Artist for a chance to win prizes in the CenterFest 2013 Citizens Choice Award contest, sponsored by Durham Coca-Cola. Voting/Entry Forms will be available at all CenterFest Information Booths and at CenterFest Visual Artist booths. The Citizens Choice Award will be presented to the winning artist at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday at the festival.


Performing Artists
CenterFest 2013 Entertainment Committee has selected a great line-up of 72 performing groups, providing continuous music, dance and entertainment on 6 stages. 665 individual performers will be sharing their talents with CenterFest. This is the largest number of performing artists ever presented at CenterFest. Performing groups include the Bouncing Bulldogs, Pinkerton Raid, Freylach Time Klezmer Band, Toon & The Real Laww, Jasmé Kelly, Adia Ledbetter Quartet, North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble, Durham Jazz Orchestra, the Bulltown Strutters, Eric and the DiMarzios, Ricardo Diquez, Aurora Jazz with Chris Keller, Jo Gore and the Alternative, Thelonious, and more. The 72 groups will be performing continuously on the following 6 stages:

• Fox50, Mix 101.5, WRAL-FM Main Music Stage - CCB Plaza
•  Downtown Durham Inc. Dance Stage - CCB Plaza
•  NC Songwriters’ Co-Op Stage - in the Self Help/Ninth St. Bakery area
•  Five Points Stage
•  The Herald-Sun Stage near Bull McCabe’s and South Bank in the CenterFest Food and Beer Garden 
• The Children’s Stage in the South Bank Parking Lot across from the Durham Arts Council

New This Year 
CenterFest will be offering extended performance hours at the Herald-Sun Stage on Saturday night. The CenterFest Herald-Sun Stage and Food & Beer Garden will remain open until 9:00pm on Saturday night for the enjoyment of downtown Durham visitors. Wigsnatchers, Black Dog Syndrome, Individually Twisted and the Willie Painter Band will be on hand to keep the CenterFest party swinging!


Additional Features
CenterFest is also featuring the return of the bike valet parking system, courtesy of the Durham Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission and Bike Durham. The bike valet can be found at booths E36 and E37 at the corner of Corcoran and Main Street near the green lawn.
The Bull City Connector is a fare-free, environmentally friendly service that features hybrid-electric buses. The connector only runs on Saturday. For up-to-date route and schedule information, visit www.bullcityconnector.org

CenterFest visitors can make their experience mobile and interactive by participating in the Bull City BUCK$ CenterFest "Scan"venger hunt! Look for the Bull City BUCK$ QR code at popular CenterFest sites such as stages, food zones, and last year’s Best in Show and Citizen’s Choice artist booths to gain BUCK$ to use at downtown Durham restaurants and businesses.


Food and Beverage and CenterFest Food & Beer Garden
CenterFest will feature a variety of traditional festival food favorites and new locally-sourced food from the Durham food truck community sure to satisfy anyone’s appetite - from locally-sourced barbeque to traditional roasted corn, gyros, ice cream and turkey legs. CenterFest will also be bringing back the outdoor Food and Beer Garden in partnership with Bull McCabe's. Please note that beer will only be sold at CenterFest on Saturday, September 21st.

CenterFest will also have numerous Coca-Cola product booths, sponsored by Durham Coca-Cola, to quench the thirst of festival goers of all ages. Wristbands for beer purchase will be required and will be available near the Beer Tent entrance.


Food Vendors

• Coco Crissi Tropical Icees: Refreshing icees from a cart
• Cross Roads Kettle Corn Concessions: Sweet and salty kettle corn
• D&J Concessions: Turkey legs, Roasted Corn, Deep-fried treats, ice cream, lemonade
• Eddie D’s Oasis: Refreshing Iced Treats
• Foxy Concessions: Sun fun varieties and sweets
• Humble Pig: Local barbeque with Southern Sides and Desserts
• Orlando’s Concession: Fried seafood including fish and shrimp
• Party in a Pita: Lebanese and Greek vegetarian food
• Sarges Chef on Wheels: Chop soul home cooking with Asian/Caribbean flair
• Sherri’s Crab Cakes: Award-winning Maryland style crab cakes made fresh
•  Wendy’s Hospitality – classic Mexican, Southern Style, Cajun, Mediterranean

Creative Kids Zones
Two Creative Kids Zones will be featured at CenterFest -- including fun, hands-on art activities, face painting by Paint Savvy, and the popular Bounce House, Slide and Trackless Train from
F & M Entertainment. Hands-on, make and take art projects are free. Face painting and kids rides have nominal fees. The Kids Zone Stage will feature family-friendly entertainment including musicians, magicians, storytellers, and more.

This is one of Durham's busiest festivals, and it always makes for a great experience. Learn more about it, and other Durham festivals on the Durham Event Calendar. 

Durham Arts Council's Dinners a l'Art Presents bar de Miguel Tapas

For one night only, Durham will pull back the curtain and allow visitors a glimpse into the lives of one of Durham's most prolific businessmen while sampling dinner from one of Durham's most lauded chefs.

In true Durham style, the evening will also benefit a good cause.

The Durham Arts Council's Dinners a l'Art will host bar de Miguel Tapas, an inspired evening featuring the flavors and rhythms of Spain, hosted by Michael and Liz Goodmon Thursday, June 6th at 7:00 pm at the Goodmon Family Home (directions will be provided following ticket purchase; valet parking also provided). Tickets are $100 per person and all proceeds will benefit the Durham Arts Council. Visit this site for tickets. Additional information is available through the Durham Arts Council.

Renowned Chef Matt Kelly of Mateo bar de Tapas & Vin Rouge will present a fabulous Spanish tapas feast. Performers from Flamenco Carolina, who have been trained by Carlota Santana, will perform the mesmerizing and romantic rhythms of Flamenco music and dance. The event is shaping up as one not to be missed.

Proceeds from this will go to support the programs and services of the Durham Arts Council including arts programs for over 300,000 people a year and Season Grants to 24 Durham arts organizations. Carlota Santana Spanish Dance is a Durham Arts Council Season Grant recipient.

For more information about all the great food Durham offers, visit eat.durahm-nc.com.

Creative Entrepreneur Expo May 16

Durham, NC has the highest percentage of creative class jobs in the US, so it's only natural for the community to focus on that portion of the economy. Coming up next week is an opportunity for Durhamites to gain new entrepreneurial insights, hone business skills, connect with business resources and be inspired.

The Durham Arts Council in partnership with the City of Durham Office of Economic & Workforce Development, the Durham Cultural Advisory Board, the Durham Small Business Advisory Council and the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau will present a Creative Entrepreneur Expo May 16 from 8 am - 12:30 PM at the Durham Arts Council at 120 Morris Street.

The Expo will be an opportunity for learning, discussion and networking featuring keynote presentations, discussion of the Creative Vitality Index, business development workshops and a resource expo filled with invaluable resources to help participants launch and create their own business.

Tickets are $25  and includes breakfast, all presentations, workshops, handouts, business
resources, free parking, plus lunch discount at downtown partner restaurants. Tickets are available here.

SCHEDULE
8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast, Networking

8:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
The Importance of the Creative Economy and Creative Entrepreneurs in Durham, NC
* Welcome from Event Hosts - Sherry DeVries, DAC Executive Director and Renee Leverty, Chair, Cultural Advisory Board
* Greetings from Mayor William V. "Bill" Bell
* Creative Impact in Our State - NC Secretary of Cultural Resources Susan Klutz
* Creative Vitality Index ™ Announcement - the latest data for Durham!
* Keynote: Carl Nordgren, Author, Creative Entrepreneur "Guru", & Duke University Professor
with Christopher Gergen, Founder of Bull City Forward
* Introduction of Creative Business Resource Expo & Workshops - Thomas Leathers, City of Durham OEWD, Coordinator for Small Business Advisory Council

10:00 a.m. - 12:30 pm
Creative Business Resource Expo
Over 30 local business resources and companies to help you build your creative enterprise. Resource tables and experts located on main and 2nd floor of Durham Arts Council
10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
5 Outstanding Creative Business Workshops to Help You
Launch, Develop or Expand Your Creative Business
Attend 2 workshops of your choice

12:30
Lunch On Your Own and Continue the Networking
Discount coupon for participating downtown restaurants will be provided

For more information about Durham, click here.

Durham Arts Council Presents the 2013 Durham Art Walk Spring Market

Imagine taking a leisurely stroll through the picturesque streets of Downtown Durham and browsing hundreds of pieces of artwork, talking to artists, enjoying live music, and tasting scrumptious foods. Your imagination doesn't have to take you too far, because the Durham Art Walk is coming soon.

The Durham Art Walk (DAW) Spring Market will take place on April 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and April 14 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m in downtown Durham.  The work of over 200 talented artists will be displayed at 33 venues, including the Durham Arts Council, Vega Metals, West Village Apartment Lofts, the Durham Armory, Bull City Arts Collaborative, Net Friends, LabourLove Gallery, Liberty Arts, the Pleiades Gallery, the Scrap Exchange, and the Smitten Boutique.   The Durham Art Walk is produced and presented by the Durham Arts Council.

The DAW Spring Market brings thousands of visitors for a weekend of art enjoyment, shopping, and exploration of all the great things the newly revitalized downtown Durham has to offer.  Visitors will be able enjoy festive musical performances, eat great food and find creative, local gifts for everyone on their Mother’s Day or graduation lists.  The full Art Walk program, including a list of artists and all Art Walk locations, is available in the Durham Herald-Sun the week before Art Walk and can also be viewed at www.durhamartwalk.com.

This year features a second collaboration with the Bull City BUCK$ mobile app program on the Art Walk “Scan”venger Hunt.  Each Art Walk site will feature a QR code that can be scanned to earn BUCK$, which can be redeemed at local businesses.

Storefront installations by the Durham Storefront Project will create a celebratory and springy atmosphere, providing unique artist installations throughout the Spring Market route.  Storefront installations are temporary, so catch them now before they disappear!  A talk by the Storefront Project artists will be held on Saturday April 13th from 5pm-7pm at the Carrack Modern Art Gallery on 111 W. Parrish St. in downtown Durham.

Art Walk is for the whole family.  Children’s shorts and cartoons are on view in the Durham Arts Council’s PSI Theater during the Art Walk weekend.  The Museum of Durham History’s newly renovated History Hub will feature Durham-centric educational exhibits and Art Walk artists.  The Scrap Exchange will feature a group of re-use artists on site during the Saturday of Art Walk.  Vega Metals will be continuing their tradition of offering a unique Durham Art Walk ornament.  Vega Metals will also have food trucks parked outside their location throughout the Art Walk weekend.

Live music organized by Kirk Ridge of the North Carolina Songwriter’s Co-Op will entertain visitors throughout the weekend at the Durham Arts Council, and the Durham Armory.  On Saturday Vega Metals will also have live music, organized by Squier Red.  The Durham School of the Arts will be showing student work Art Walk weekend and Saturday night at 7:30 will feature a dance performance by Blank Slate Dance Company.  The performance will take place at Weaver Auditorium and is being held to benefit cancer support organizations.

Hungry?  Food is never far away with Durham’s special fleet of food trucks and great restaurants including Art Walk sites Blue Coffee Café, Bull City Burger and Brewery, and Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub.  Also make sure to visit The Parlour, downtown Durhamn’s newest truck-to-storefront food addition, to grab some made-from-scratch ice cream during your walk!

“The creative economy is booming here in Durham,” said Durham Arts Council Executive Director Sherry DeVries, “and this event is a great example of this upsurge with so many talented artists at a single event working in every imaginable medium.  We intentionally keep Art Walk as an unjuried event to encourage visual artists at all levels to share and market their work – from artists showcasing for the first time to experienced, nationally known artists.”

The Durham Art Walk Spring Market is free and open to the public, rain or shine.  Visitors can take the Bull City Connector, a fare free bus service connecting Duke Medical Center and Golden Belt, on Saturday.  Free shuttle service is provided on Sunday by Hendrick Durham Auto Mall.  The Durham Art Walk is presented and produced by the Durham Arts Council with support from community sponsors.  For more information, visit online or call 919-560-ARTS.

Durham Arts Council, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization that promotes excellence in and access to the creation, experience and active support of the arts for all people in our community.  The Durham Arts Council, one of the oldest art councils in the United States and one of the largest in North Carolina, manages a historic building at 120 Morris St., a public facility in downtown Durham that attracts nearly 300,000 visitors a year.  The Durham Arts Council has year-round programs including art exhibitions; classes in the performing and visual arts; artist residencies; advocacy and fundraising; grants for artists and arts organizations; the Durham Art Walk; and CenterFest.  For more information, visit their website. To volunteer with the Durham Art Walk, email Lindsay Gordon.

For more information about great Durham art or things to do and see, please visit online.

Dine to Support Durham Art

Downtown Durham is a hotspot for culture and the arts.  In Durham, for those who don't know, food is an art form.

The Durham Arts Council is connected to that idea.  In fact, they are running a spring fund raiser called Downtown friends – with everyone’s support so far the “Fine Art of Durham Dining & Living – Spring 2013” campaign has already generated over $15,000 in business sales for our 9 fabulous restaurant and spa deal partners, and $2,781 to support the Durham Arts Council.  Yea!  There are just a few days left for folks to purchase deals that can be redeemed now or later.  Help the Durham Arts Council reach their fund-raising goal by purchasing and sharing. Find more information online here. 

Durham Arts Council provides services annually to over 300,000 visitors and program participants plus more than 900 artists, and more than 60 arts organizations through arts classes, summer camps, artist residencies, exhibits, festivals, and grants.

Learn more about the art scene in Durham online here, and the dining scene here.

Culture Communication Evolving With Technology

Travelers who do so for the purpose of experiencing culture are a big market for Durham.  With so many museums, working artists and galleries, theaters and festivals of all types, Durham really is where great culture happens and an obvious destination for people interested in that subject.  In fact, North Carolina is overall. 

Areas endowed with a wealth of cultural offerings often suffocate under the load of opportunities and how to communicate them.  Many years ago, DCVB took the proactive step of creating a database driven calendar.  For years, that has stood alone, but now DCVB, in partnership with the EverWondr Network and Durham Arts Council are teaming up to bring Durham’s cultural opportunities to visitors as part of a statewide network  sites 

“At this point, DurhamCulture.com is a way for the culture segment to present information to people looking to learn more about cultural offerings,” said Shelly Green, DCVB President and CEO. “The new site is intuitive, user friendly and is a big step forward in cultural visitation marketing,” she added.

Run by DCVB,  durhamculture.com, houses one of the most comprehensive collections of information about cultural offerings in Durham.  While complete, the site was limited in capability.  Now with the  improvements in technology powering the site it offers users much more than just information.  While the web address won’t change, site visitors have access to an artist’s marketplace, special offers, map/location search, videos, reviews and more.

DCVB is making this move in an effort to make information gathering easier for potential visitors.  The process by which stakeholders in the community enter data will change a bit, but mostly those changes are cosmetic.  They will still use the My Durham Info portal they have always used, but the appearance of the forms will change and some of the options will allow more information to be shared.  Seminars to demonstrate this portal and its additional capabilities will be held at DCVB on May 24 at 2PM and 6 PM to demonstrate the new interface.  Those desiring to attend should email Carolyn Carney at Carolyn@durham-cvb.com. 

PARASOL B ART INSTALLATION

"Depiction" is the second interactive installation by Parasol B to be selected by the Durham Storefront Project (DSP) in downtown Durham.

Formation 1 - by Parasol B

Organizers of the Spring Durham Storefront Project wanted to incorporate more performance elements into the installations. Parasol B interprets this in a way that makes the viewer the performer.


Starting at Scratch Bakery (111 Orange St.), viewers with smartphones can scan the painting (colorful and textural upon close inspection but still scannable), of a QR code that will show them a map of sites where they are directed to go and take photos, according to specific instructions. They can then submit their photos to a collection on the Parasol B website.

Thus, the viewers are the performers and the content beyond the initial painting is crowd-sourced/community-created.

QR codes are posted at each photo site for the functional purpose of submitting photos from the site as well as for marking the site for participants and curious passersby.
Viewers are encouraged to visit as many photo sites as possible and in the process, discover some visually interesting nooks and crannies of downtown Durham that may typically go unnoticed.

Parasol B states: “My current work strives to push traditional paint-on-canvas to become interactive and experiential beyond just using one’s eyes. New technologies, like QR code-reading smartphone apps, give me an opportunity to relate old and new mediums/media in an interesting way...as well as to amuse myself.”


The installation will be active 24/7 Thursday, April 12, through May 20, 2012, encompassing both the Full Frame Documentary Festival and the Durham Arts Council Spring Art Walk.


To make the most of the experience, bring your smartphone and a friend.

Bull City Connector Launches Art Walk "Scan"venger Hunt

Residents and visitors interested in earning a few BUCK$ while experiencing the creative energy of local artists, arts organizations, and downtown businesses should mark their calendars for the first-ever Bull City Connector Art Walk “Scan”venger Hunt from Friday, April 27 to Sunday, April 29, 2012.

The Bull City Connector is partnering with Bull City BUCK$ and the Durham Arts Council for a new and fun way residents and visitors to experience local art and all that downtown Durham has to offer. Participants will earn Bull City BUCK$ during the Bull City Connector Art Walk “Scan”venger Hunt that are redeemable for goods and services at partnering downtown businesses.

Here's how “Scan”venger Hunt works:

• Sign up for Bull City BUCK$ online or download the smart phone application.

• Download the "Scan"venger Hunt Art Walk Guide on the Bull City Connector's website or pick up the guide beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 28 at the Durham Arts Council, 120 Morris St., Durham.

• Use the Bull City BUCK$ application to scan the QR Code at each Art Walk site or bonus “Scan”venger Hunt locations on the Bull City Connector and along the route.

According to Jesica Averhart, market and events manager for the Bull City BUCK$ program, “Scan”venger Hunt participants who use the Bull City Connector frequently can earn over $250 BUCK$ during this weekend-long event. “We are excited about our partnership with the Bull City Connector and the Durham Arts Council. There are several bonus locations along the Bull City Connector route that give participants additional opportunities to earn BUCK$, such as Duke’s East Campus, the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau, and a few businesses on Ninth Street.”

The “Scan”venger Hunt will kick-off with a free event sponsored by the Bull City Connector Advisory Council at Beyú Caffé, 335 W. Main St., on Friday, April 27 at 5 p.m. Participants are encouraged to take the Bull City Connector to the kick-off party to sign up for Bull City BUCK$ and start earning while enjoying live music by The Black Experience.

Free “Scan”venger Hunt After Parties will also be hosted by the Bull City Connector Advisory Council at the following locations:

• The Pinhook, 117 W. Main St., on Saturday, April 28 at 5 p.m. featuring live music by The Wigg Report, Beloved Binge, and All Electronic.

• Bull City Burger and Brewery, 107 E. Parrish St., Sunday, April 29 at 5 p.m. featuring Tubby Ridge with award-winning swing-grass music and joined by celebrated guitarist Justin Johnston.

For more information on the Bull City Connector Art Walk “Scan”venger Hunt or service information, visit the Bull City Connector website, “like” the Bull City Connector on Facebook, or “follow” the Bull City Connector on Twitter. Click the link for more information about the Durham Art Walk.

Durham's Centerfest Wants Your Input...Really

Centerfest has been a landmark event in Durham for dozens of years.  Having changed in format over the years, the event is now taking a one year hiatus to be envisioned anew - a process into which the public's commentary is welcomed.

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with Downtown Durham, Inc and the Durham Chamber of Commerce, have offered their assistance to the Durham Arts Council in conducting focus groups and lending organizational expertise to help ensure that the new event is both representative of Durham's unique sense of place and brand values, as well being inviting to the modern event-going crowd.

"We're excited to help with this process because Centerfest, historically, has been such a major visitor draw," said Shelly Green, DCVB's President and CEO. "We're looking forward to working with peer organizations and the general public's input to refashion this event into one with national appeal and one that will garner a lot of visitation," she added.

The focus groups are open to the public.  Since Durham owns a reputation as being a place with great community involvement, it is hoped that people will come out and voice their opinions and share their input and ideas.  Six different focus groups, each with a different emphasis, will be held and details are available on the web.

Durham Storefront Project Brings Art to Downtown

Durham is a creative and innovative place where diverse and passionate people come together to shape a better community. This sentiment is clearly apparent through Durham’s expression of community through the arts as exemplified by the Durham Storefront Project.

Center Studio Architecture Storefront

The Durham Storefront Project is a collection of 14 art installations in the windows of historic buildings throughout downtown. Each installation features the work of a local artist in collaboration with business and property owners.

Started in late 2010, the Durham Storefront Project evolved out of a desire to increase the vibrancy in Downtown Durham while connecting artists and businesses in a meaningful and collaborative way. The Project is made up of an independent group of artists and art enthusiasts. The Durham Storefront Project has also enlisted the support of two arts organizations at the core of the Bull City's thriving arts scene: The Scrap Exchange and the Durham Arts Council.

The Durham Storefront Project opened during the Durham Art Walk Holiday Market and will remain up through January 2012. To explore the full line-up of artists and locations or download tour information, visit the Durham Storefront's website.

CenterFest 2012: Have Your Say

Durham Arts Council announced in July its plans to "rest" CenterFest 2011 in order to expand and re-envision the festival for 2012. The longtime CenterFest producer aims to evolve the arts festival, North Carolina's longest running.  As part of the visioning process, Durham Arts Council needs feedback and suggestions, and seeks public participation and input as it is key to making CenterFest's expanded arts and entertainment format a regional success. Click here for Durham Arts Council's CenterFest 2012 Survey and share your thoughts.

Durham Arts Council Announces Plans to Expand CenterFest Arts Festival for 2012

North Carolina’s Longest Running Outdoor Arts Festival Will Expand to be Major Draw for Southeast Region

Durham Arts Council, producer and presenter of CenterFest Arts Festival for 37 years, announced today its plans to dramatically expand and re-envision CenterFest, the longest running outdoor arts festival in North Carolina.  DAC is working with key community partners in this effort including the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau, Downtown Durham Inc., the City of Durham’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Cultural Advisory Board, Fox 50, the Herald-Sun, Durham Coca-Cola Bottling, Co., TROSA, Carolina Theatre and other partners, and will involve the business community, creative community, and individuals in planning during the months ahead.  DAC and its key partners will “rest” the festival for 2011 in order to launch a 1 year Visioning/Production Process for the 2012 expanded arts and entertainment festival format.

Durham Arts Council (DAC) was the first major arts organization to come downtown in the 1970’s to nurture and grow the arts community and DAC’s CenterFest was the first major arts event for Durham.  Durham’s recent Creative Vitality Index score indicates Durham has grown to be a top creative community in the U.S.   DAC has been growing and improving and expanding audiences for all of its programs and services and now is the strategic time to revitalize and grow CenterFest into a national caliber signature event for Durham. 

“We envision building a major arts and entertainment festival that will draw amazing crowds to Durham to experience our revitalized, creative, welcoming city,” said Sherry DeVries, Executive Director of the Durham Arts Council.  City Councilman, Mike Woodard, also Vice President of Programs, Policy and Planning of the DAC Board of Trustees states  “Durham Arts Council’s CenterFest started as the ‘Street Arts’ festival in 1973 when the DAC was the only major arts organization in town. It has been a signature festival of Durham for many years.  Today, we have a large arts and creative community, with much credit to DAC for nurturing arts organizations and artists for 57 years.  We want to showcase our thriving arts and creative scene in new and bigger ways in an expanded festival.”

Proposed features of an expanded CenterFest – Festival of Arts, Music, Food and Creativity (working title) include expanded visual arts, enticing “Edible Arts” - culinary arts components, exciting entertainment district and stages and the addition of entertainment in other venues throughout the weekend; Saturday evening music party; beer garden/brewery showcase; NC wineries showcase; hands-on creative arts; arts and fine craft demonstrations; and showcases for design, gaming and technology arts. 

“Durham deserves the hottest, most exciting festival we can produce,” said Casey Steinbacher, President & CEO of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).  “To make this expansion happen, we will need strong partners, and additional resources and support from the community.  The Chamber stands ready to help DAC make that happen.  Arts festivals are incredibly important for a community both in economic impact, tourism, and to showcase its best creative assets.”

“Durham and CenterFest are ready for this next step.  Durham already ranks among top U.S. cities on the Creative Vitality Index, and the expanded festival will help build tourism and economic impact for Durham,” said Shelly Green, President & CEO of the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Bill Kalkhof, President & CEO of Downtown Durham, Inc. states   "DDI applauds the Arts Council and it's partners to take the time to plan a new signature event that will be unique to our community & region.  DDI is pleased to be a partner in this exciting effort."

In the 2011 interim in lieu of CenterFest in September, Durham Arts Council will provide artists and the community a larger Durham Art Walk event on November 19th and 20th – a weekend that will also feature GRAND OPENING EVENTS for the Durham Convention Center, Carolina Theatre of Durham, and Durham Arts Council buildings following completion of major renovations to all three facilities

Durham Art Walk This Weekend

Durham is home to great art, be it performance, music or object.  Looking at the richness of the arts culture in Durham, it is hard to deny the communities commitment to arts overall.

This weekend, more than 200 local artists will participate in Durham Art Walk, an annual cultural event in Durham that has grown significantly over the years. Celebrating its 12th anniversary, the biannual Art Walk organized by the Durham Arts Council, signals its 2011 spring iteration with artwork ranging from photography to painting to jewelry, in addition to other local staples such as Durham-based musical groups and various food trucks.

Work will be displayed in many locations, hence the "walk" part of the name.  A map of locations is here and a list of them is here.  Attendees would do well to remember the Bull City Connector when planning to attend.  This fare-free bus service in Durham will make getting to the event much easier.

Spring into Action

Daylight saving time starts this Sunday and that means one thing, it’s time to spring forward in the Bull City. As daylight expands and the weather gets warmer, make your way to the Pavilion at Durham Central Park to visit the Durham Farmers’ Market, an all local, producer-only market.

Durham Farmers’ Market has 64 vendors that are all located within 70 miles guaranteeing fresh goods. Currently the farmers’ market is open from 10am until noon, but starting in April the market will open at 8am.

This year, to compliment the farmers’ market, Vega Metals is starting an art market at 214 Hunt Street in the Central Park District of Downtown. The Art Market at Vega Metals will feature all kinds of local art including: jewelry, woodwork, metalwork, paintings, home goods, fabric arts, pottery and apparel.

Although the art market will be open every Saturday in March and on April 2, it will celebrate its grand opening on April 16 following a week off due to the Durham Art Walk. Artists interested in participating can visit their website for more information and to learn how to apply.

Speaking of Durham Art Walk, this twice annual art event showcases the work of over 200 artists at sites all over downtown Durham. The Durham Art Walk features visual and performing artists in both traditional and unexpected sites throughout downtown Durham. All sites are within easy walking distance around downtown but walkers are encouraged to take advantage of the Bull City Connector.

So, this spring get out and take advantage of all the creativity Durham has to offer at these three events.

Beyond the Deadlines

The Durham Arts Council (DAC) and the Independent Weekly present Beyond the Deadlines: Independent Weekly photography by D.L. Anderson and Jeremy M. Lange, March 18-May 15, 2011 in the Allenton and Semans Galleries of the Durham Arts Council.

Anderson and Lange, staff photographers for the Independent Weekly, present photographs that go beyond the assignment to offer a deeper view of the region. Anderson has worked for many clients including MERGE Records and The Wall Street Journal and specializes in editorial and portrait photography as well as video and multimedia productions. Publications such as The New York Times and Rolling Stone have featured Lange’s work, which includes portrait and editorial photography.

The artists’ reception on March 18th from 5-7 PM is part of downtown Durham’s Third Friday gallery tour and will feature food, music and an opportunity for the public to view the exhibit and meet the artists. The exhibit and the reception are co-sponsored by the DAC and the Independent Weekly and are part of the DAC’s year-round exhibits program. An artists’ talk will take place in the gallery at 6:30 PM and Heplicity, a jazz duo composed of James Wallace and Jeff Crawford, will be performing live from 5:30-7 PM.

Anderson and Lange are producing a limited edition, signed catalogue for sale with an introductory essay by Tom Rankin, director of the Center for Documentary Studies. Rankin praises the artists’ work stating that, “they look and work to find an angle, a human dimension that engages, reveals and brings us meaning through their imagery, showing us the day-to-day where mere words would be insufficient.” Sherry Devries, Director of the DAC, agrees saying, “These two photographers are incredibly talented and this exhibit as a whole is exciting for the DAC because it features images of people and events in our own regional community and highlights photojournalism as a medium.”

The artist’s reception is free and open to the public and will be held at the DAC’s historic downtown building at 120 Morris Street, Durham, NC, 27701. For more details visit the DAC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DurhamArts, visit our website at www.durhamarts.org, phone (919)560-ARTS or contact Barclay McConnell, DAC Artist Services Manager at bmcconnell@durhamarts.org. The exhibits are open to the public during DAC building hours: 9 AM-9 PM Monday-Saturday, 1-6 PM Sunday.

Durham Looks Good with Creative Vitality Index

The Creative Vitality Index ^TM was conceived as a tool that states, counties, cities and towns can use to assess and measure the health of their creative economy.  In a recent study released by the Durham Arts Council and the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Durham shined very brightly when compared to the rest of the state and the country.

This report clearly illustrates how Durham measures up statewide and nationally as a top-ranked creative community. The Creative Vitality Index^TM (or the CVI) uses streams of occupational and revenue data from both the for-profit and non-profit sectors to measure the annual changes in the economic health of various segments of arts-related creative economy.

Durham is very strong and outperforms the Durham Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), the Raleigh-Cary MSA, the state of North Carolina and the nation.  When compared to other major metropolitan areas Durham performs higher than  Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami/Ft. Lauderdale and New Orleans.  Austin performs just slightly higher than Durham while Nashville is about twice as creatively vital.

Durham saw a 9.9% growth in creative jobs from 2006 to 2008 and currently has more than 6,600 jobs so classified.  Creative jobs in Durham have been rising, particularly for musical instrument repairers, camera operators and radio and television announcers.

Durham Art Walk Holiday Market Kicks Off November 20

Shopping in Durham is phenomenal with funky and eclectic shopping districts, a family-owned regional mall whose unique shops and full-size nostalgic carousel have made it a Durham landmark and one of the nation’s most exciting super regional malls. To work up enough stamina to make it through Black Friday check out the annual Durham Art Walk Holiday Market this weekend. The timing and scope of the DAW Holiday Market makes it a great opportunity to get started on those holiday purchases a little early.

Durham’s art scene—featuring events such as: Bimbe Cultural Arts Festival, Duke Homestead Herb, Garden, and Craft Festival, Durham Art Guild’s Annual Juried Art Show and CenterFest, to name a few—offers opportunities throughout the year to find the perfect gift for a loved one, or a new item for a personal collection.

This year’s DAW Holiday Market features a new name and other exciting changes from years past. Taking place on Saturday, November 20 from 10am-5pm and Sunday, November 21 from 1pm-5pm, the market is sure to have something for everyone!

Here is a look at a few of the new and fun things happening at the market.

• Bull City Connector connects most of the main sites and makes parking easy
• Scrap Exchange is providing upcycled gift wrapping at DAC and the Armory
• Cartoonist and caricaturist VC Rogers will be doing free sketches at the Armory
• Burt’s Bees is sponsoring the creation of Giving Trees, fabulous holiday trees made of repurposed materials on display at the DAC
• There will be roving performance art by Jim Kellough
• There is live music both days at DAC and the Armory
• There are new mobile food vendors including Kettle Corn and a food truck called Blue Sky dining that does Cuban sandwiches, beef brisket & Maryland crabcakes
• Cinelli’s Italian restaurant will be serving pastas and salads out of the Armory kitchen
• The DAC will have artists on all 3 floors of the building for the first time ever
• PLUS a new local artist vendor called NylaElise will be producing a limited number of supercool hand-screened DAW Holiday Market tees 

Those attending this exciting event in the heart of Downtown Durham will see for themselves why this is the place where great things happen.