If you wandered into Perry Harrison or Silk Hope schools between October 20 and 22, you might have heard it first—a rhythmic tap, a guitar string hum, a voice lifting in song, and then… the magic of Flamenco. Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana brought a swirl of sound, color, and culture to fifth- and seventh-grade students as part of the Chatham Arts Council’s Artists-in-Schools program.
From Mumbai to Senegal: A Journey in Dance, Drums, and Heart
What do you get when your week starts in India and ends in Africa? At Bonlee and Bennett Schools, the answer was rhythm, laughter, a few sore muscles, a whole lot of learning–(and perhaps a bit of jetlag!).
From October 13–17, students traveled across continents over 6,000 miles—without ever leaving their school floors—through a two-part artist residency that began with Priya Chellani of Indigo Dance and wrapped up with Diali Cissokho, a master drummer and storyteller from Senegal.
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 →
Go See This: SUNNYLAND: A New Banjo Rock Opera
James Vose is a local business owner, US Army Veteran, and father. He currently serves as a Pittsboro Town Commissioner and is committed to generating a vibrant cultural community through projects like our Go See This series. Vose Natural Stone is proud to be our 2024-2025 sponsor, and we are delighted to present an exciting… Read More →
Diali Cissokho Brings More Than Drumming to Chatham Grove and Chatham Charter
It’s not hard to understand why Diali (pronounced Jelly) Cissokho is one of the most memorable teaching artists we have here in Chatham. With his brilliantly colored dashiki, booming voice, and 30 drums in tow, he is a commanding presence in the classroom. But Diali didn’t come to Chatham Grove Elementary just to teach drumming…. Read More →
John Brown Band Jazzes Up Learning at Bonlee and Willow Oak
Most kids think of jazz as “old-people music,” if they think of it at all. Thanks to Artists-in-Schools, the students at Willow Oak and Bonlee School learned there’s a lot more to it! Grammy-nominated jazz bassist John Brown and his quartet treated kids at both schools to a private concert. Believe us when we tell… Read More →
Math and Science Meet Dance in Siler City and Silk Hope
You expect a company called Black Box Dance Theatre to know a lot about dance. But they know a lot of other stuff, too! Perfect example–when they arrived at Silk Hope Elementary for the first day of their two-day Artists-in-Schools residency, they learned from the kids that the current topic of study that week was… Read More →
Bennett Students Explore the Art and History of Masks
The ongoing pandemic has had masks at the top of nearly everyone’s mind, including teaching artist Serena Ebhardt of EbzB Productions. “During the height of masking for the pandemic, I started thinking how cool it would be to create a workshop around the history of masks and all their different uses through time, from drama… Read More →
Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana Dances into Chatham County Schools
Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana is no stranger to our Artists-in-Schools program. This season, we were thrilled to bring them into three Chatham County schools to teach the art and history of the Spanish flamenco dance. Bringing over 35 years of arts education experience, the Flamenco Vivo residency is a unique and immersive experience for Chatham… Read More →
North Chatham Elementary and Moncure School Meet Jackie Robinson
It’s Monday morning, and there’s a lot of energy in the room. Artists-in-Schools artist Mike Wiley is about to perform his play Jackie Robinson: A Game Apart for the second time in a day, but more importantly, this is the first assembly for North Chatham Elementary in two years. The kids are excited, the teachers… Read More →