Arts & Culture
This area has been known for decades for its thriving creative music scene. Many people travel from around the region – and sometimes around the world – to attend shows at the Cat's Cradle and other venues in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Less famous, but also doing us proud, are visual artists, dancers, actors, and filmmakers around the Triangle. In fact, Chapel Hill was home to the first Flicker festival, which now takes place in ten cities around the world!
From Chapel Hill Town Council Member Sally Greene's blog:
A couple of months ago, Al blogged about "Traces of the Trade,"
a documentary made by a descendant of the DeWolf family of Rhode
Island, "the largest slave trading family in U.S. history" according to
the film. The documentary follows the steps of the filmmaker Katrina
Browne and a handful of other descendants as they retrace the paths
over which this trading took place: from Bristol, Rhode Island to Ghana
to the Caribbean.
The film premiered at Sundance and has been shown on PBS (see trailer).
And because the family included a good number of Episcopal priests, it
has been taken up by the Episcopal Church nationally as part of the
church's ongoing work of reconciliation with its complicity with slavery and racism.
On Sept. 6, as part of a conversation sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina at St. Matthew's
church in Hillsborough, the film will be shown. After the film, I'll be
part of a panel discussion--in which I'll be bringing our own Thomas
Ruffin to the table.
Date:
Saturday, September 6, 2008 - 5:00am to 12:30pm
Location:
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Hillsborough
Every year the Town of Chapel Hill gears up for the enormous crowds that come to Franklin Street on Halloween, whether we want them to or not. I've been participating in this ritual on and off since I was an undergrad at UNC (in other words, a long time) and I think it has value for the community. While some individuals will always take it too far, most people are engaging in a healthy type of creative expression that is rare for adults.
I think the Town has done a good job of prohibiting alcohol and trying to control traffic. I also applaud the police department for understanding that this is event is a force of nature that can be controlled (somewhat) but not stopped. I'd like to suggest that we charge admission to the area. I think this would help keep the worst elements out of the mix and help pay for the enormous cost of hosting a Halloween party for revellers from across central North Carolina.
A long time ago, I asked y'all how long you had lived here in Orange County. Almost half (49%) have been here for 5 to 20 years, and another 34% have lived here for more than 20 years. In the paper I recently saw some grumbling that the newer residents of Chapel Hill don't share the values of those of us who lived here in the "halcyon days" of outspoken progressive activism. I don't think this is necessarily true.
A
friend who lives in St. Paul just sent me this link to a new project in
their city. In order to calm traffic on residential streets (like
mine), the city has employed bump outs, traffic circles and speed
bumps. Now they're trying something new - Art Signs. The same size as
traffic signs that say things like "Slow Children" (and wouldn't I like
one of those on my street these days).
The object is to get
drivers to slow down to look at the new unusual sign and then to subtly
convey a message of traffic calming. The Teddy Bear is a pretty obvious
choice as is the photo of children, but I personally like the lotus
blossom with the labyrinth.
From the web:
The next 2ndFriday Artwalk will be taking place in Carrboro and Chapel Hill on Friday evening, June 13th, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. Many of the galleries will have live music and other art related entertainment. Admission is free.
Nearly eighty 2ndFriday Artwalks have been held in the last six years
with growing community involvement and national interest. This popular
once-a-month event draws residents and visitors from all over the
Triangle who enjoy the opportunity to see a large variety of artwork
during a single evening while socializing with their fellow art lovers.
2ndFriday Artwalk brochures, maps and information are available at any participating art location.
Date:
Friday, August 15, 2008 - 2:00pm
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