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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

November 15, 2024

Music Production and Poetry at Bonlee School

“The assembly, as a whole, created a moment of unity and positivity for everyone, and students’ musical creations were the spark for that experience,” shared AIG Teacher, Mark Spring.

By Jessica Rigsbee | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: AIS, artist residency, artists-in-schools, Arts education, beat making lab, Blackspace, bonlee school, fifth grade, music making, music production, music residency, pierce freelon, Poetry, Rem, seventh grade, songwriting, Writing

November 8, 2024

Flourishing with Flamenco at North Chatham and Pollard Middle

A flamenco dancer and students

This October, the tenth year of the Artists-in-Schools program initiative in Chatham County Schools, began with a flourish of Flamenco, led by four multi-talented artists from the Durham-based Flamenco Vivo… Read More →

By Jessica Rigsbee | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: AIS, art residency, artists-in-schools, Arts education, carlota santana, cultural event, dance, dance residency, fifth grade, flamenco, flamenco vivo, guitar, margaret b pollard middle school, Margaret Pollard Middle School, mbp, mbp middle, nce, north chatham, North Chatham Elementary, school performance, seventh grade, Singing

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 |

September 9, 2024

Artists-in-Schools 2024/25 Season

Triptych L to R: smiling boys with their hands raised, young boy stands reading from a page, smiling girl seated, playing drum

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… Read More →

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

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 30, 2024

Chatham Grove Elementary Students’ Sensational Safari with The Magic of African Rhythm

Photo trio from L to R: seated girls; man stands with arms across his chest; students dance with arms raised.

“This week, we are going on a safari…a journey together,” announced Teli Shabu, lead artist of The Magic of African Rhythm.  Fifth-grade students traveled on their safari at Chatham Grove… Read More →

By Jessica Rigsbee | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: Adrinka, African dance, AIS, artists-in-schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, chatham grove, chatham grove elementary, dancing, drumming, fifth grade, Magic of African Rhythm, print blocks, storytelling, teli shabu, the magic of african rhythm, tmoar

April 9, 2024

Go See This: “The Locals” Exhibition at ClydeFEST This Sunday!

Photo of a "clothesline" of children's paintings hanging to dry

Connie Fenner is a local business owner, community connector, and proud breast cancer survivor. She’s committed to supporting orgs that bring people together to create healthier communities, including powering our… Read More →

By Heather O'Shaughnessy | Filed Under: Arts in Education, ClydeFEST, Events, Go See This | Tagged With: Alexander Percy, anna ferrin, apple chill cloggers, Carolina Lightnin, Clyde Jones, clydeFEST, dawn landes, Diali Cissokho, emily anderson, Folk Art, Go See This, jordan wiley, JR Butler, JumpstART, Kids Festival, Peter Loose, robin hall, Tanja Lipinski Cole, Visual Arts

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

March 14, 2024

Black Box Residency Bursts with Creativity and Collaboration at J.S. Waters School

Photo trio from L to R: two girls stand smiling with their arms around each other; female dancer leans forward as male dancer leans on her back; boy stands smiling clapping hands together.

Two groups of students–the fifth and seventh grade at J.S. Waters School–ran into the multi-purpose room to greet the lead teaching artists of Black Box Dance Theatre: Natalie, Alfredo, and… Read More →

By Jessica Rigsbee | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: AIS, art residency, artists-in-schools, Arts education, black box, black box dance, black box dance theatre, dance, dance residency, fifth grade, js waters, k8 school, school performance, seventh grade

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AIS Stories from the 2023/24 Season

Sparking Creativity: Blackspace’s Beat Making Lab at Chatham Middle featuring Grammy-nominee Pierce Freelon
Photo of Black man with dreads showing 3 middle school students the mixing board

Movement Matters: Silk Hope School and Gaspard&Dancers
Students play a game of making different shapes with their bodies through dance with the help of professional instructors inside a school multipurpose room.

Poetic Pursuits: Phillip Shabazz at Perry Harrison Elementary

Igniting the Flame of Flamenco: Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana at Moncure School

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

Black Box Dancers Delight Fourth Graders at Pittsboro Elementary
Black Box dancers lead fourth graders in dance at Pittsboro Elementary.

Poet Phillip Shabazz Supports Fifth Graders at North Chatham Elementary
Poet Phillip Shabazz instructs a class of fifth grade students on poetry writing.

Black Box Residency Bursts with Creativity and Collaboration at J.S. Waters School

Diali Cissokho Dives Into Drumming with Siler City Elementary Fifth-Graders
Photo of three smiling boys, two brown and one black, sitting playing drums

Chatham Grove Elementary Students’ Sensational Safari with The Magic of African Rhythm
A young Black boy and a young white girl printmaking in classroom

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

From the Horse’s Mouth…

Don’t take it from us! See what Chatham County students, teachers and administrators are saying about their Artists-in-Schools experiences.

  • “Children were so excited to write and to share. They all came away talking about writing and wanting to talk about poetry. They looked forward to his [Phillip Shabazz] visits each day.” –Classroom Teacher
  • Photo of black man in sweater vest, seated, assisting a female student.
  • “It felt relieving and comforting to express myself during the workshop.” –6th grade student
  • “I really liked showing my feelings in my work.” –4th grade student
  • “This is my 4th time in this school division participating with an artist residency. They have all been wonderful. It is a great opportunity for students to learn in different ways. My hope is for this to be available to us every year.” –Classroom teacher
  • Photo of Black Box Dance Theatre's Stephen leading Virginia Cross students
  • “It made me feel happy because I got to use my imagination.” –5th grade student
  • “It felt good for me to release all my emotions.” –5th grade student
  • Photo of boy with ponytail, with head thrown back in laughter
  • “The students talked about the experience for a week after.” –Classroom teacher
  • “Watching the kids put their plan into action for the performance and actually dance, all while doing so in front of their peers is the reason we do this…The experience was amazing!” –Elementary Assistant Principal
  • “I have a student that is a newcomer to our school, as well as to our country. She found great comfort in being able to communicate with instructors in her native language and showed such enthusiasm in her willingness to participate. It was beautiful. We would welcome the opportunity again in the future!”  –K-8 Principal
  • Photo of Flamenco performer raising her hand in a choreographed movement, with students following behind her
  • “It felt good to be myself in school.” –6th grade student
  • “I personally saw students who, in my experience, have never been willing to speak in a group, let alone dance, do both without fear or hesitation.  Students who participated have asked to join band – they want to have more opportunities to participate in music.  Students in subsequent meetings have asked to learn more about Senegalese cultures.” –K-8 Music teacher
  • “It felt like the best days ever.” –5th grade student
  • Aya Shabu, in front, leads a group of students in an African dance

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