Arts + Equity Initiative Artists :: 2024-25 Season

In response to an arts landscape that doesn’t yet reflect the demographics of Chatham County, we raised $7,500 to fund projects by super-rural, Black and Brown, and disabled artists last season. These funds, ranging from $250 to $2,500, offered mini-commissions to performing, visual, and literary artists across our community, and we’d love for you to see the fabulous work your neighbors are doing right here in Chatham County. Enjoy!

Man (Zack Wills) stands in front of a whiteboard, playing a trombone — Zachary D. Wills, with trombone, in the band room at Chatham Central High School. Photo by Elisabeth Lewis Corley.

Zachary Wills is creating new arts possibilities for the band and choir at Chatham Central High School, and he’s purchasing 50 marching band uniforms and 30 choir outfits as part of that work to better represent their school.

a young Black woman in black shirt and red skirt is standing in front of a gallery wall smiling — Nina Scott pictured in front of her painting, “Cutting Saturn,” at the Golden Belt Arts Gallery in Durham, NC. Photo courtesy of Nina Scott.

Nina Scott is launching a portrait series of Black lesbians who have spent most of their lives in the South, paired with a zine of interviews—a project that merges her artistry with her journalism background.

An older woman assists a younger man with an art project. — Trish Hablutzel helps lead a floral stamping workshop. Photo courtesy of All Together Friends Collaborative.

All Together Friends Collaborative built a sensory and pollinator garden at the Chatham Teaching Garden, complete with a peace pole and peace flags, creating an outdoor art installation rooted in care and community. The group plans to explore fresh ideas together, vote on the direction, and continue building visibility and creative impact within the community.

Smiling woman in a blue, purple, and pink patterned top. She is outside and her hands are on her hips. She seems happy. — Photo Courtesy of Deena Class.

Deena Class is expanding her natural dyeing and ecoprinting textile work, with the dream of exhibiting at the NC Botanical Garden. She’s building “The Bluebird Bungalow,” a small outdoor indigo dyeing space with a large vat and materials suited to the high pH of indigo. Deena also plans to host a free community event featuring hands-on nature activities and indigo art, inviting neighbors to connect through creativity and shared history.

Black and white image. Partial view of a white woman's face. Her eyes are closed and both her hands are resting against her face. — “Self Portrait” by Lea Ciceraro.

Lea Ciceraro is working toward kiln installation, a crucial step toward expanding her creative practice and opening new possibilities for ceramic work.

Photo of young black man sitting in a wooded setting — Jordan Wiley behind the scenes.

Jordan Wiley and Mike Wiley are applying funds to collaborate on a new short thriller, filmed entirely in Pittsboro and to be screened at Chapel Hill’s Argyle Film Festival in January. Jordan will write, direct, and star in the film, and Mike will produce.

A Black man with braids is standing in front of two large paintings. — Photo courtesy of Onicas Gaddis.

Onicas Gaddis‘s mini-commission is for travel, framing, and materials for his solo exhibition at the YMI Cultural Center in Asheville.

a Black man in home recording studio wearing an orange beanie and headphones playing guitar — Photo courtesy of Matty the Chéf.

Matthew McCaskill joined an online sync licensing cohort to expand his career as a musician, aiming to grow new income streams that allow more time with his family.

A Black woman in purple headwrap is singing in front of a microphone with eyes closed. — Photo courtesy of Deja Belle.

Deja Belle (Edith McCaskill) will use funds for a professional photoshoot to rebrand as a singer/songwriter, refreshing her press kit, website, and promotional materials with updated images.

The Arts + Equity Initiative was made possible for the past two years with the generous support of . . .

Maureen Ahmad and Jim Crawford

Thanks also to these folks for supporting the behind-the-scenes work that made this effort possible . . .