Chatham Arts Council

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October 24, 2025

History Steps on Stage: When One Man Becomes Fifteen

Black actor in suspenders, white shirt, and brown paints. Onstage, he gestures while speaking in character.

Our Northwood and Seaforth tenth-graders saw a performance–and they also what happens when storytelling meets history. Because in Mike Wiley’s hands, history doesn’t feel far away at all. It’s standing right there, center stage in front of you.

By Amanda Moran | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: acting, actor, AIS, artists-in-schools, Arts education, Dar He, Emmett Till, Mike Wiley, northwood, play, playwright, school performance, Seaforth, tenth grade, theatre, US History

September 17, 2025

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… Read More →

By April Starling | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts in Education, ChathamArts News, County Happenings, Events, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: #ArtsEd, AIS, artists, artists-in-schools, arts, Arts education, Arts in Education, Chatham County, Children, Collaboration, Community, Creative Culture, Creative Process, Creativity, dance, live music, Music, Musical Theater, Musical Theatre, performance, Poetry, Visual Arts & Crafts, Workshop, Writing

March 13, 2025

Diali Cissokho Drums and Dances with Seventh-Graders at George Moses Horton Middle

“Diali is truly remarkable with the kids!” said a Bonlee custodian who watched the workshops and performance. “He makes me want to have this kind of joy every day.”

By Jessica Rigsbee | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: African dance, AIS, artists-in-schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Diali Cissokho, drumming, george moses horton middle school, Horton, Middle school, Pittsboro, seventh-graders

January 10, 2025

Mike Wiley Brings Theatre and Writing to Siler City and Virginia Cross

Mike Wiley residency

Siler City Elementary (SCE) and Virginia Cross Elementary (VCE) students and teachers enjoyed actor and playwright Mike Wiley’s solo performance of “One Noble Journey” this past November. In addition to… Read More →

By Jessica Rigsbee | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: acting, actor, AIS, art residency, artists-in-schools, Arts education, dance residency, fifth grade, Howard Craft, Mike Wiley, one noble journey, play, playwright, school performance, Siler City Elementary, theatre, Virginia Cross, virginia cross elementary, Writing, writing residency

September 10, 2024

Stories from the 2023/24 Artists-in-Schools Season

We were thrilled to bring professional teaching artists into 12 schools across Chatham County in our 2023-24 Artists-in-Schools season. You can read all about the joy these residencies bring to… Read More →

By Andrea Akin | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education |

May 17, 2024

Diali Cissokho Drums and Dances alongside Fifth-Graders at Virginia Cross Elementary

Photo trio: Girl stands dancing; seated man with dreads holds arm high in excitement; boys dance for classmates

“Diali is truly remarkable with the kids!” said a Bonlee custodian who watched the workshops and performance. “He makes me want to have this kind of joy every day.”

By Jessica Rigsbee | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: African dance, AIS, artists-in-schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Diali Cissokho, drumming, Siler City, Virginia Cross

April 4, 2024

Diali Cissokho Dives Into Drumming with Siler City Elementary Fifth-Graders

Photo trio: Two boys standing, laughing; man with dreads and hat sits; girls with drums in their laps playing and smiling.

“Diali is truly remarkable with the kids!” said a Bonlee custodian who watched the workshops and performance. “He makes me want to have this kind of joy every day.”

By Jessica Rigsbee | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: African dance, AIS, artists-in-schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Bonlee, Diali Cissokho, drumming

January 5, 2024

Mike Wiley’s Masterful Residency: Teaching through Theatre at Bennett and Bonlee School

Photo trio from L to R: An actor in historical costume stands with boy in floppy hat; Girl stands next to same actor, both with heads raised to the sky; students laughing in class.

“This was absolutely great!” Board of Education members Gary Leonard and David Hamm were enthusiastic after sitting with Bennett School students and teachers to watch actor and playwright Mike Wiley’s… Read More →

By Jessica Rigsbee | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: acting, actor, AIS, art residency, artists-in-schools, Arts education, dance residency, fifth grade, Howard Craft, Mike Wiley, one noble journey, play, playwright, school performance, seventh grade, theatre, Writing, writing residency

August 24, 2023

AIS Stories from Last Season (2022/23)

We were thrilled to bring professional teaching artists into 15 schools across Chatham County in our 2022-23 Artists-in-Schools season. We’ll be announcing our 2023-24 season in the coming weeks, but… Read More →

By Andrea Akin | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured |

June 6, 2023

Phillip Shabazz Brings Poetry to the Pittsboro Elementary Pandas

Triptych of photos from Phillip Shabazz residency L to R: a black man in a sweater vest sits in front of a group of students sitting on the floor; closer image of black man sitting in front of students; photo of student writing

North Carolina poet Phillip Shabazz brought the joy of the written word to Pittsboro Elementary this season, and a good time was had by all–even some administrators! Fourth-grade students were… Read More →

By Andrea Akin | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: AIS, artists-in-schools, phillip shabazz, pittsboro elementary, Poetry

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