Like a New Orleans big band on the move, members of John Brown’s Little Big Band sauntered down the aisles of Jordan-Matthews High School—horns up, energy high—playing a jazzy rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” You could feel it immediately: surprise, curiosity, a few wide eyes—and then smiles. For some students from Chatham… Read More →
Check Out the 2025-26 Artists-in-Schools Season Lineup!
Do you remember the first time something a teacher said to you “clicked?” That moment when you finally understood the difference between a metaphor and a simile? That’s what the CAC’s Artists-in-Schools Initiative is all about. By bringing professional artists into Chatham County schools, artists leverage the arts through interactive workshops that support teachers’ learning… Read More →
Artists-in-Schools 2024/25 Season
Artists-in-Schools (AIS) is ten years old! And we’re celebrating by expanding into all places Chatham! We know the arts save lives, so we’re thrilled to continue bringing professional teaching artists into Chatham County classrooms. Last season, we added our first middle school to the AIS roster. This season, we’re adding two more! We can’t wait… Read More →
Artists-in-Schools 2023-24 Season
We are so excited to announce our 2023-24 Artists-in-Schools season–our ninth! We know the arts save lives, so we’re thrilled to continue bringing professional teaching artists into Chatham County classrooms! For the past eight years, our Artists-in-Schools Initiative has been growing, and we’re proud to bring our first traditional middle school residency to Chatham Middle… Read More →
Arts for Resilient Kids 2022-23 Season
We are thrilled to announce our 2022-23 Arts for Resilient Kids season! We’re kicking off Artists-in-Schools with new AIS educators Gaspard&Dancers. Truck-and-Trailer, ArtAssist for Kids, and ClydeFEST are all back, too! SEPTEMBER • Gaspard&Dancers at North Chatham Elementary Sept. 19-21 OCTOBER • Phillip Shabazz at Willow Oak Oct. 12-14 NOVEMBER • Truck-and-Trailer Roving… Read More →
Big Night In for the Arts
Big Night In for the Arts aired March 10 on WRAL-TV. You can still support here. We are thrilled to partner again with our friends at WRAL, United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, Durham Arts Council, and the Orange County Arts Commission to bring you Big Night In for the Arts 2022. This… Read More →
Arts for Resilient Kids Season 2021-22
Artists-in-Schools 2021-22 Our 2021-22 season was a smashing success! We visited 15 Chatham County Schools through our Artists-in-Schools Initiative, 2 Chatham County neighborhoods with Truck and Trailer Roving Performances, and 750 folks joined us to celebrate art at the 20th Annual ClydeFEST. We can’t wait to do it all again in 2022-23! We’ll have more… Read More →
Go See This: The Chatham Experience
As new members of our Chatham County community, Chatham Park is powering our Go See This series this year because art is an integral part of Chatham County’s identity. They join us in inviting you to Go See This . . . Here at the Chatham Arts Council, we’ve got a uniquely Chatham gathering for you–The Chatham… Read More →
Go See This: Rave On in the Lustron with The Straight 8s
As new members of our Chatham County community, Chatham Park is powering our Go See This series this year because art is an integral part of Chatham County’s identity. They join us in inviting you to Go See This . . . The Straight 8s will rock ODDCO’s circa 1951 Lustron home—number 2144 of only 2500 manufactured… Read More →
Meet This Artist: Experience Bluegrass with bass fiddler Snuffy Smith
Thomas Lee “Snuffy” Smith, bass fiddler with the Bluegrass Experience, grew up on a one-horse tobacco farm in rural Lee County listening to his father play guitar in a square dance band. “He showed me some chords so I started messing with the guitar,“ he said. In addition to playing music, living on the farm… Read More →