Art Matters
June 2026
In This Issue
- Field notes: from the desk of Executive Director Jeff Bell
- Celebrate Make Music Day 2026 in North Carolina
- Lessons learned: How A+ Schools inform improvements in arts integration
- NC musicians set to play Capitol 250 on July 4
- We Lift Each Other screening at the DNCR auditorium
Field notes: From the desk of Executive Director Jeff Bell
Happy spring! As the season unfolds, I hope you’re finding moments to enjoy the beautiful weather and the vibrant arts opportunities in your community. Spring is always a busy season at the Arts Council as we continue our work supporting the arts across the state. In this edition of Field Notes, I’m excited to share news of our recent activities: our spring board meeting in Spruce Pine, ARTS Day, and a look ahead to the summer.
Celebrate Make Music Day 2026 in North Carolina
June 21 is Make Music Day, an annual celebration of “the natural music maker in all of us.” Begun in France in 1982 as Fête de la Musique, from the beginning Make Music Day has aimed to spotlight the intrinsic joy of playing music in community. Today, thousands of cities in more than 120 countries celebrate the day, with participants ranging from the famous professional to the everyday layperson. Free concerts, impromptu jams and dance parties, social media posts, and music lessons are all part of Make Music Day, and we encourage all North Carolinians to participate.
Lessons learned: How A+ Schools inform improvements in arts integration
In 1995, a group of visionary leaders recognized the powerful impact of the arts in the classroom. Students were more engaged, teachers were energized, and learning felt deeper and more joyful. Seeing the need for wholeschool transformation, these leaders joined to create the A+ Schools of North Carolina model, which quickly proved its effectiveness. Today, more than 60 schools across the state are part of this network, each committed to weaving the arts seamlessly into standards-based instruction.
NC musicians set to play Capitol 250 on July 4
This Independence Day, come to downtown Raleigh to celebrate the best of North Carolina. Capitol 250: North Carolina Freedom Fest is a free all-day festival hosted by the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Held on the state capitol lawn, it will offer entertainment for all ages.
We Lift Each Other screening at the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources auditorium
On May 13, in recognition of Military Appreciation Month and in alignment with the second day of ARTS Day, the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) and the NC Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (NCDMVA) co-hosted a special screening of the documentary We Lift Each Other at the DNCR auditorium. Directed by Lou Pepe and Keith Fulton, the film highlights Raleigh-based Black Box Dance Theatre’s work with veterans and the healing effects of dance.
We Lift Each Other is part of the anthology I Feel Myself to be Part of Something, launched by the Tony Award–winning producer Mara Isaacs through the Arts Impact Initiative. The anthology features five stories from across the nation that demonstrate how the arts catalyze connection, healing, and civic engagement.
We look forward to connecting with you.
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In case you missed it
Currituck Jack statue unveiling
The bronze statue of John Jasper White (Currituck Jack), created by Durham-born contemporary artist Stephen Hayes and featured in our April Art Matters issue, Celebrating America 250 NC: Creative projects to explore statewide, will be unveiled during the Juneteenth celebration at the Historic Jarvisburg Colored School on June 20, 2026, from 11a.m. to 3 p.m.Meeting of the National Council on the Arts
Members of the NC Arts Council senior staff joined the National Endowment for the Arts on May 6 at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, in Asheville, for the 219th meeting of the National Council on the Arts. The meeting focused on how natural disasters affect the arts sector and how communities can use the arts in recovery and revitalization efforts to strengthen local economies and support the health and well-being of impacted individuals. In her remarks, the National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter recognized North Carolina as the birthplace of local arts agencies and the resilience of western North Carolina’s arts sector. In addition, NCAC Executive Director Jeff Bell made remarks and NCAC Deputy Director Vicki Vitiello participated in a panel discussion titled “Disaster recovery: Rooted in relationships and the creative economy.”In the know
Come Hear NC Music Office newsletter
The Come Hear NC Music Office (CHNCMO) is now a part of the North Carolina Arts Council. CHNCMO celebrates our state's rich musical legacy and ensures its survival into a robust future. Subscribe to the CHNCMO newsletter to stay in tune with the latest efforts of the office.In These Mountains NC Folklife Apprenticeship Program
Applications are open for the FY 2026–27 In These Mountains NC Folklife Apprenticeship Program. The program supports year long mentorships in which experienced tradition bearers train dedicated apprentices in the traditional arts and cultural practices of North Carolina’s Appalachian communities. Examples of eligible traditions are music, craft, dance, storytelling, foodways, occupational traditions, and other forms of community rooted folklife. This opportunity is open to residents of eligible North Carolina Appalachian Regional Commission counties.Dates to know
- June 15–17: North Carolina Presenters Consortium 2026 Annual Meeting
- June 21: Make Music Day NC
- July 4: Capitol 250: North Carolina Freedom Fest
- July 17: Deadline to apply for the In These Mountains NC Folklife Apprenticeship Program
- July 31: Deadline for final reports using the GO Smart platform on the Arts Council’s FY25–26 grants
- August 11–14: Kennedy Center’s Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability (LEAD) Conference, in Philadelphia, PA. Registration is open.
- November 2–4: North Carolina Presenters Consortium ArtsMarket 2026