The North Carolina Writers’ Network will be one of 170 organizations across North Carolina to participate in a Statewide Arts Celebration recognizing the 50th anniversary of the North Carolina Arts Council.
Arts and cultural organizations in all 100 North Carolina counties will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the North Carolina Arts Council in October and November with music, dance, exhibitions, fall festivals, and more.
At the NCWN 2017 Fall Conference, during the Annual Banquet on Saturday, November 4, Susi H. Hamilton, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, will be the featured speaker. This dinner event will celebrate the impact of the NC Arts Council over the past half-century.
Secretary Hamilton is the ninth secretary of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. As a state representative, she served her constituents in Brunswick and New Hanover Counties from 2011 until January 2017, focusing her efforts on economic development and ensuring children and families have a chance to succeed by encouraging companies to bring well-paying jobs to Southeastern NC, increasing funding for teachers and classrooms, and providing more healthcare options for families and underserved individuals. She is also a strong advocate for preserving Wilmington’s historic district.
About 200 arts and cultural events are slated now through late November across the state in recognition of the anniversary of the NC Arts Council.
“The ideal that founded the North Carolina Arts Council in 1967 was ‘arts for all citizens,’†said Wayne Martin, executive director of the North Carolina Arts Council. “Since that time, we’ve worked to create an expansive network of nonprofit arts organizations so that citizens can participate in the arts and artists can contribute to our state’s growth and development.â€
The concentration of events will occur during the Statewide Arts Celebration in October, scheduled to coincide with Arts & Humanities Month, a national celebration of arts and humanities across the U.S.
“The celebration in October is a tribute to our collective achievements the last fifty years,†Martin said.
Events are listed on a comprehensive calendar at www.NCArts50.org. Information about the NCWN 2017 Fall Conference can also be found here.
To learn more about 50th anniversary activities visit www.NCArts50.org. Follow NC Arts Council’s 50th anniversary celebration at #NCArts50 on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Pre-registration for the NCWN 2017 Fall Conference is open through October 27.
The nonprofit North Carolina Writers’ Network is the state’s oldest and largest literary arts services organization devoted to all writers, in all genres, at all stages of development. For additional information, visit www.ncwriters.org.
The North Carolina Arts Council builds on our state’s longstanding love of the arts, leading the way to a more vibrant future. The Arts Council is an economic catalyst, fueling a thriving nonprofit creative sector that generates $2.12 billion in direct economic activity. The Arts Council is also a cultural pathfinder, sustaining diverse arts expression and traditions and investing in new innovative approaches to art-making. The North Carolina Arts Council has also proven to be a champion for youth by cultivating tomorrow’s creative citizens through arts education: www.NCArts.org.