Chatham Arts Council

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October 17, 2025

From Mumbai to Senegal: A Journey in Dance, Drums, and Heart

Colorful folk dance sticks in a pile on shiny multipurpose room floor at a school.

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.

By Amanda Moran | Filed Under: Artists-in-Schools, Arts for Resilient Kids, Arts in Education, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: AIS, Bennett, bonlee school, Chatham County Schools, Diali Cissokho, Priya Chellani

September 24, 2025

Meet This Artist: Musician and Storyteller Diali Cissokho

The Chatham Arts Council is investing in artists through our Meet This Artist series, introducing you to Chatham County artists each year in a big way. In celebration of our Chatham Artists-in-Schools Initiative season’s imminent kick-off, we’re circling back to a beloved Artists-in-Schools artist we last featured here in 2015. So, take a look. Meet your… Read More →

By Corbie Hill | Filed Under: Arts + Equity Grants, Meet this Artist, Slideshow Featured | Tagged With: artists-in-schools, Diali Cissokho, Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba, drums, kora

April 23, 2025

Go See This: Day of the Books / El Día de los Libros

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 event… Read More →

By Heather O'Shaughnessy | Filed Under: County Happenings, Creative Placemaking, Events, Go See This | Tagged With: Chatham County Partnership for Children, Day of the Books, Diali Cissokho, el Dia de los Libros, Grassroots Arts Grant, makani mckenzie, Siler City

March 26, 2025

Go See This: ClydeFEST 2025

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 event… Read More →

By Heather O'Shaughnessy | Filed Under: County Happenings, Creative Placemaking, Events, Go See This | Tagged With: apple chill cloggers, bouncing bulldogs, Carolina Lightnin, clydeFEST, connie fenner with state farm, Diali Cissokho, school of rock, takiri folclor latino, the magic of african rhythm

March 13, 2025

Diali Cissokho Drums and Dances with Seventh-Graders at George Moses Horton Middle

“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, george moses horton middle school, Horton, Middle school, Pittsboro, seventh-graders

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

May 14, 2024

Go See This: Poetry @ The Plant

Arial photo of seated crowd listening to white woman standing behind podium

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 Go See This series this season. This month, guest author Elisabeth Lewis Corley writes about a new series in Pittsboro – Poetry @ The Plant,… Read More →

By Andrea Akin | Filed Under: County Happenings, Creative Placemaking, Events, Go See This, Slideshow Featured | 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 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 Go See This series this season. ClydeFEST 2024 is here to delight children of all ages, and we invite you to Go See This …. 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

June 6, 2023

Diali Cissokho Introduces a Little Bit of West Africa to Bonlee School

Triptych of Diali Cissokho residency; L to R photo of female student dancing; photo of Diali, a black man wearing a white dashiki; photo of male student playing drum and laughing.

“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

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