FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2022
SAVE THE DATE FOR BIG NIGHT IN FOR THE ARTS 2022,
Presented by WRAL and Four Local Arts Organizations on March 10
FEATURING BEN FOLDS, NNENNA FREELON, HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER, MARK HEWITT, JAKI SHELTON GREEN AND JABU GRAYBEAL
[Chatham County, NC—] On March 10, 2022, local arts councils from Wake, Durham, Chatham, and Orange counties will once again partner with WRAL to present Big Night In for the Arts to help the arts community continue to rebuild and emerge resiliently from the pandemic. This regional fundraising initiative will boast a superstar line-up, including musician Ben Folds, Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon, folk music band Hiss Golden Messenger, poet Jaki Shelton Green, tap dancer Jabu Graybeal, and potter Mark Hewitt. *
In March 2021, 35,000 viewers tuned in to WRAL to celebrate the arts. With the help of 600 corporate sponsors and individual donors, our first Big Night In for the Arts raised more than $350,000 to help Triangle artists and arts organizations weather the pandemic
“WRAL is proud to once again partner with the four area arts councils to show our support for the arts and shine a light on the important role they play in our communities,” said Joel Davis, Vice President and General Manager of WRAL-TV & FOX 50.
The arts have suffered disproportionately from the destructive impact of the pandemic. Although the arts community is slowly beginning to rebuild after a year and a half of closures and cancellations, there is still a great need to help the artists and arts organizations that are essential to the recovery of this region. Funds raised from this event will make the arts possible in each unique county and will go toward arts programming and artists/arts organizations.
Arts supporters can join the effort prior to the event as sponsors or donate live during the event. Audiences and arts enthusiasts who have enjoyed the arts across the Triangle for years can make a gift to benefit the four counties collectively or designate which specific county they would like to support. The sponsor deadline is February 14, 2022.
The arts remind us of our shared humanity. Today more than ever we need creative individuals to inspire us, enlighten us, and cross boundaries to bring us together through art. In the words of dancer Jabu Graybeal, “Art brings people together. It’s what keeps our communities united through trying times like these.”
Now is the time to step up our support so that local arts and culture do not just survive but thrive in the future.
Tune in to WRAL on March 10, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. and show your support of the arts! For more information visit https://bignightin.org/
*To schedule an interview with an artist or arts council leader, please contact: Andrea Akin at andrea@chathamartscouncil.org
###
About Big Night In for the Arts:
Born out of a love and respect for the arts, Big Night In for the Arts is a regional fundraising event to help local artists and arts/cultural organizations continue their path to recovery and reentry after the pandemic has lifted. Arts councils from Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties have joined together in support of a mutual cause. In partnership with WRAL-TV, the Chatham Arts Council, the Durham Arts Council, the Orange County Arts Commission, and the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County are working together to maximize efforts to rally robust financial support for artists and arts/cultural organizations on March 10. For more information, please visit https://bignightin.org/
About Chatham Arts Council
The Chatham Arts Council nurtures creative thinkers in Chatham County. We do this in two ways: we invest in artists, and we educate kids through the arts. In its fortieth year as a nonprofit arts agency, Chatham Arts Council’s flagship programs include Meet This Artist, Go See This, artist grants, and the Arts for Resilient Kids Initiative – serving more than 4,500 children this year. Chatham Arts Council is proud to partner with the North Carolina Arts Council, Durham Arts Council, Orange County Arts Commission, United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County, Chatham County Schools, and numerous Chatham arts organizations, human resource nonprofits, and local businesses. For more information, visit www.ChathamArtsCouncil.org.
About WRAL-TV’S Parent Company:
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAZ-TV, WRAL-FM, WRAL-HD2, WNGT-CD, WCMC-FM, WCMC-HD1, WDNC-AM, WCMC-HD2, WCMC-HD3, WCLY-AM, WCMC-HD4, Microspace, WRAL Digital and Wolfpack Sports Properties (a joint venture with Learfield) in Raleigh, NC; WILM-TV, WILT-LD and Sunrise Broadcasting in Wilmington, NC; The Durham Bulls Baseball Club, Bull City Hospitality, the American Underground startup hub in Durham, NC; and real estate interests including the American Tobacco Historic District in Durham, NC, and Rocky Mount Mills in Rocky Mount, NC.