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March 7, 2024

Poet Phillip Shabazz Supports Fifth Graders at North Chatham Elementary

Photo trio: Seated students raise their hands; Man with twists and sweater vest gives thumbs up; two girls smile over shared poetry

“Repeat after me, “ poet Phillip Shabazz began. “Happy Monday! Good to see you! Welcome to our grumpy fifth-grade class!” “We’re gonna have some fun this week! Let’s go! Make… 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, North Chatham Elementary, phillip shabazz, poem creation, Poetry, poetry residency, poetry slam, shabazz, student poetry

January 30, 2024

Black Box Dancers Delight Fourth Graders at Pittsboro Elementary

Photo trio from L to R: Girl stands with hands above head; group of dancers dressed in black form circle and raise one dancer above their heads; girl kneels on one knee with arms open wide.

Just before winter break, Raleigh-based modern dance company Black Box Dance Theatre spent three days with fourth-grade students in high energy dance workshops and performances. Students buzzed with excitement about… 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, school performance

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

December 7, 2023

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

Photo trio from L to R: Woman stands next to boy in dance pose with hands above head; woman in traditional flamenco dress stands in dance pose; boys seated in bleachers all smiling and raising their hands.

It was the start of an ordinary school week when an extraordinary opportunity knocked on the doors of Moncure School. A dance residency–led by four international artists from the Durham-based… 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, moncure school, school performance, seventh grade, Singing

November 14, 2023

Poetic Pursuits: Phillip Shabazz at Perry Harrison Elementary

Photo trio; young boy sits at desk with hand raised; Man with twists stands in front of class full of raised hands; young boy stands with paper and look of surprise on his face

As the second week of October rolled in, the weather began to cool, but the fifth-grade classrooms at Perry Harrison were warm and snug. Visiting artist-in-residence Poet Phillip Shabazz strolled… 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, fifth grade, perry harrison, phillip shabazz, poem creation, poet, Poetry, poetry slam, writing residency

October 31, 2023

Movement Matters: Silk Hope School and Gaspard&Dancers

Photo trio from L to R: Girl sitting and smiling at camera; Woman stands in group with arms raised; boy stands with arms raised above his head.

In the span of just a few transformative days, Silk Hope School kids got to experience the joy of dance. One fifth-grader summarized the experience: [I learned] “how to be more me.”

By Jessica Rigsbee | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: artists-in-schools, Arts education, dance residency, gaspard&dancers, silk hope school

October 31, 2023

Sparking Creativity: Blackspace’s Beat Making Lab at Chatham Middle

Photo trio L to R: boy in black tshirt stands with man in black hat and gray sweater; Center - Man with dreads, wearing denim jacket and holding a mic; girl is seated with laptop while man squats next to her

“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, Chatham Middle, music making, music residency, pierce freelon, Rem, seventh grade

September 26, 2023

Meet This Artist: Dr. Anthony D. Jackson

The arts didn’t just enter my life; the arts saved my life. We have to have a next generation of kids who understand respect and can create beauty. And I think that’s what’s missing right now. That’s where kindness is planted.

By Heather O'Shaughnessy | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts in Education, Meet this Artist, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: arts advocacy, Arts education, Chatham County, Chatham County Schools, Dr. Jackson, musician, singer

September 12, 2023

Artists-in-Schools 2023-24 Season

Photo featuring Gaspard dancer leading students

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!… Read More →

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

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 |

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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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