FIRST PIEDMONT LAUREATE - JAKI SHELTON GREEN

Orange County poet Jaki Shelton Green has been selected as the region's first Piedmont Laureate.

With the key goal “to promote awareness and heighten appreciation for excellence in the Jaki Shelton Greenliterary arts throughout the Piedmont region,” the Piedmont Laureate program is dedicated to building a literary bridge for residents to come together and celebrate the art of writing. The Laureate will present public readings and workshops, participate at select public functions, and propose at least one original activity to expand appreciation of literature.

The new program is co-sponsored by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Durham Arts Council, Orange County Arts Commission, and United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County. Jaki's Poetry - 2009 Monthly

Jaki Shelton Green received the NC Award for Literature in 2003 and the Sam Ragan Award in 2007. Her publications include Dead on Arrival, Dead on Arrival and New Poems, Masks, Conjure Blues, singing a tree into dance, breath of the song, and Blue Opal, a play. Her poetry has appeared in publications such as Solo Press, The Crucible, The African-American Review, Obsidian, Ms. Magazine, Essence Magazine, KAKALAK, Poets for Peace, Emigration, Immigration, and Diversity, Callaloo, and the ringling ear, Black Poets Lean South Anthology published by Cave Canem, and the PEDESTAL Poetry Journal. She lives in Mebane, NC. WCOM podcast interview 12/15/08

Applications were received from poets living in a 3-county area. The Laureate will receive an honorarium of $5,000 and serve for 1 year. www.piedmontlaureate.com

Photo of Michael J. Brown Mural by Laura Shmania
Mural by Michael J. Brown, Chapel Hill, NC


Pamela Pease Shows Pop-Up Book
Artists' Salons
Friday, August 28, 2009, 6:30-9 pm, West End Theatre at The ArtsCenter (300-G East Main St.), Carrboro. Free. For artists of all disciplines.
Planning to attend? RSVP to arts@co.orange.nc.us or 919/245-2335. Topic: TBA.
Upcoming Artists' Salon - Friday, November 20, 2009 (Topic: Business Counseling for Artists).
John Kernion Birdbath, 2006 Open Studio Tour
Arts Incubation
The Arts Incubation Program strives to create successful local nonprofit arts organizations by offering up to 3 years of financial support. Past recipients are the Orange County Artists Guild, Arts Advocates, Inc., and Carolina Culture Zone.
2002 Orange County Participants
Congressional High School Arts Competition
This national competition, sponsored by members of the US Congress in their districts, features 2-dimentional work. Winning entries are displayed in the corridor of the US Capital (Washington, DC). Deadline: mid-April, 2010 for Orange County high school visual art students. Contact your art teacher; download the form & guidelines.
18 Thumbs Project
18 Thumbs Website Images Project
OCAC is replacing the 18 thumbnail images (on upper left side of our webpage) with local artists' images hotlinked to their websites! Submit 1 digital image (emailed or on CD) and the URL to your active website. Local artists in all arts disciplines are welcome. Images are rotated regularly. OCAC reserves the right to resize images, or to reject or suspend links and images due to content. Ongoing.
Updated June, 2009