Pittsboro, NC – The Chatham Arts Council (CAC) is gearing up for another season of creativity and inspiration, expanding arts access for children and youth across Chatham County. Now in its eleventh year, the Artists-in-Schools Initiative has grown from just two schools in 2015-16 to all twenty Chatham County School System schools in the 2025-26 school year. In honor of National Arts in Education Week, CAC is proud to share this year’s exciting roster, which—for the first time—also brings residencies into Chatham’s high schools, making Chatham County the first in the state to have professional teaching artists in every public school, every year.
“There are countless studies about the impact of arts education, but the magic is in seeing it firsthand,” said Cheryl Chamblee, CAC Executive Director. “A child who begins head down in the back of the room can be leading a dance or reading their own poem in a big, bright voice by the end of the week. That transformation is why we’re committed to bringing artists into every school, every single year.”
Artists Taking the Stage
This season welcomes an impressive lineup of artists: Blackspace Beat Making an initiative led by Grammy-nominated Pierce Freelon (music production/beat making); long-time favorite Mike Wiley Productions (acting, creative writing); Diali Cissokho (West African drumming); EbzB Productions (acting, creative writing); Black Box Dance Theatre (modern dance, writing); The Magic of African Rhythm (African dancing, storytelling, and drumming); Phillip Shabazz (poetry); John Brown Band led by an Emmy- and Grammy-nominated jazz musician (jazz/big band); and Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana (flamenco dance). New artists this year include Luke Vandergriff Latin Music (Latin music/band) and Priya Chellani Bollywood Dance (Bollywood dance).
Data shows the arts help boost confidence, make kids feel more engaged, more resilient, and improve mental health by relieving anxiety, depression, and stress. “I was having a bad day but then I played these drums and now I’m better!” exclaimed a seventh-grade student after participating in Diali Cissokho’s residency at George Moses Horton Middle School last year.
“As a teacher I love to see our students excited and engaged in their learning,” explained Tammy Trotter, Virginia Cross Elementary School teacher. “The Artists-in-Schools Initiative does just that! Our students’ faces light up when they see the performances. For many of our students this might be their first experience with seeing a performing arts show. We are so lucky to have this resource in our schools.”
The Power of Arts in Learning
Last year, 94% of Chatham students felt included and welcomed by the artists in their schools, and 80% reported that they learned something new during the residency. “I liked that we were learning something I have never experienced before in my life,” expressed a middle-schooler.
Arts residencies don’t just spark joy. According to research, they also strengthen student learning. The U.S. Department of Education says the arts are an “essential part of a complete education, promoting academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity.” CAC’s professional teaching artists intentionally connect their art forms to classroom curriculum, helping make a deeper connection to core content for each student. This year, that includes:
- Blackspace Beat Making, an initiative led by Pierce Freelon (music production/beat making): technology, language arts, entrepreneurship
- Mike Wiley Productions (acting, creative writing): social studies, writing, history
- Diali Cissokho (West African drumming): math, social studies, language arts
- EbzB Productions (acting, creative writing): language arts, social studies, science
- Black Box Dance Theatre (modern dance, writing): science, math, history
- The Magic of African Rhythm (performance, African dancing, drumming): social studies, science, language arts
- Phillip Shabazz (poetry): writing and language arts
- John Brown Band (jazz/big band): social studies, history, math
- Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana (Flamenco dance): language arts, social studies, history
- Luke Vandergriff Latin Music (Latin music/band): math, science, engineering
- Priya Chellani Bollywood Dance (Bollywood dance): social studies, history
Donors and Sponsors Make the Magic Possible
Programs like Artists-in-Schools, and the world-class artists who bring them to life, are made possible due to partnership with the NC Arts Council, Chatham County, and regional foundations–and with support of generous individuals and businesses in our beloved Chatham community. Thanks to this support, CAC has already expanded Artists-in-Schools across elementary and middle schools–and this year, CAC will expand into high schools. To ensure the CAC can meet the lofty goal of having all 20 Chatham County public schools host artists every single year, donate today, here.
Together, we can nurture creativity, confidence, and connection for every child—because we believe the arts save lives.
About the Chatham Arts Council
The Chatham Arts Council nurtures creative thinkers in Chatham County. We do this in two ways: we invest in artists, and we educate kids through the arts. In its 43rd year as a nonprofit arts agency, Chatham Arts Council’s flagship programs include Meet This Artist, Grassroots Arts Grants, Creative Placemaking, ClydeFEST, and the Chatham Artists-in-Schools Initiative – serving nearly 3,000 Chatham children this year. Chatham Arts Council is proud to partner with the NC Arts Council, Chatham County, the Durham Arts Council, UnitedArts of Raleigh & Wake County, Chatham County Schools, and numerous Chatham arts organizations, human resource nonprofits, and local businesses. For more information, visit www.ChathamArtsCouncil.org.
CONTACT: For more information, or to set up an interview, please contact April Starling, april@getlinkcommunications.com or 917.544.0608.
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