Featured Story
Igniting ARTS and Prosperity: The HeARTbeat of Our Artistic Community
By Sandy Landis, Lisa Townsell and Syrina Wimberly
In the heart of our community lies a treasure, a sanctuary for art and creativity – the Community Council for the Arts (CCA). Far from being just a passive observer of artistic excellence, this organization has been a relentless force, actively molding and elevating the arts landscape.
Home to the CCA is the unassuming three-story brick and mortar building, centrally located for ease of access for all. The property, known as The Arts Center, is an excellent example of reuse of a turn of the century building. When entering, one is immediately greeted with a 300-vessel clay sculpture suspended from a 30-foot atrium, transporting the visitor into an environment that envelopes them in the world of art. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the organization it houses, the CCA is one of the original arts councils in North Carolina having been in operation over 50 years. Operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the CCA is a multifaceted small business with an operating budget that exceeds $300,000 annually. The Arts Center is a welcoming “front porch” to the County for residents and visitors alike. But it is also a crossroads in the community in that it provides a fully accessible facility to all in the heart of the County.
The brick and mortar of the property were most likely the first “artworks” produced on this site and remain the “glue” for the structure today; while the wood beams and structure supports were hewn from forest land nearby, together making the property the envy of many in the arts industry. The architect for the redesign and renovation of the structure preserved these elements while incorporating those that make the interior spaces not only beautiful but very flexible. The building was purchased and renovated through the generosity of contributions to a Capital Campaign. This mammoth $1.5 million achievement occurred in the late 1990s and was financed through monetary contributions of state and local governments, foundations, local large and small businesses, corporations and individuals. The Arts Center continues to be “state of the art” and provides numerous conventional and unconventional spaces within its walls, thereby making it functional for a variety of activities.
More specifically, housed within the property are 5 visual art and performance exhibition galleries, several of which also transform as meeting and event spaces; a Music/Theatre Arts Room, Children’s and Adult Painting Studios, a Clay Studio, Private Artists’ Studios, a Photography Studio, several small capacity Conference Rooms and six Office Spaces. There is also a full-service kitchen. A custom designed suspended panel system in the main gallery allows for reconfiguration of the largest of the gallery spaces. The panels are carpeted on both sides as are the majority of walls in the downstairs galleries providing ease for the curator when hanging exhibitions but also exceptional acoustics.
The CCA is an independent non-profit community small business that derives its income through numerous revenue streams. More specifically, three important sources: the annual fund drive known as pARTnership (membership), fundraisers – large and small, and rental of the property. Other revenue streams include gift shop and gallery sales and classes/workshops. The annual operating budget has been flat for over 10 years, even with costs rising for materials and basic operations. Local government annual contributions make up approximately 5% of the total operating budget with the city allocation tied to community projects not operating expenses. Grants are not co-mingled with operations and are restricted to the programs that received successful funding support. Grants are generally for visiting artists for concerts, public art installations, arts in education immersive programs for the schools, etc. These monies are placed in separate accounts restricted for the approved funding use.
Four key tenants guide the staff through daily and long-term planning.
They are: artist support for all genres, education for all, tourism and arts-driven economic development.
Artists:
At the heart of the overall programs at the Council, the support, growth and nurturing of artists aren’t mere words but an ethos that is lived daily. We recognize artists of all genres and at all levels of craft from self-taught to academics. Through classes/workshops artists can participate in professional development experiences. The expansive galleries become a canvas showcasing exhibitions of works. The Galleria Gift shop provides further exposure and sales opportunities. Concerts, theater performances, “gigs” and special receptions allow performance artists the opportunity to ignite the flames of artistic inspiration and further establish a rapport with the participating community. There is availability of private studios that provide space for creativity to occur. Artists are frequently invited by the CCA into public art opportunities, participate in educational experiences and grant funded opportunities and are invited by the CCA to teach in workshops that amplify their outreach and influence in the community while providing monetary support for their efforts. Additionally, the Council supports five arts related volunteer and/or non-profit arts organizations. This support is in the form of meeting space, event space, marketing and other organizational capacity needs. These groups are known as “umbrella” organizations and are: Neuse Quilters Guild, Downeast Woodturner’s, Kinston Area Railroad Modelers Association (K.A.R.M.A.), the Lenoir Co. Artists League and the Kinston-Lenoir Co. African American Heritage Commission.
Through our first tenant, the Council empowers budding talents, ensuring they have the resources to bring their visions to life. The arts surround all of us every day of our lives. From the colors and fabrics, we choose to wear, to the billboards designed to attract us to products or vendors, radio/TV and the internet, digital games and the design of our cars to the books or magazines we read. We are all partakers of art and in such, inform the art makers. They are the inventors, documenters, interpreters, designers, influencers and voices in our lives. They empower, challenge, and can change and heal us. The arts are essential to our view of the world, our community and our individual lives. Every successful community, large or small, has an art group/organization as part of its infrastructure. The arts and therefore the makers of art are a necessity not a nicety in our County. They are part of our individual and collective humanity and the quality of our daily lives.
Listed below are a few of the local artists who have had an impact in the world in visual art, music (other than the African American Music Trail artists listed elsewhere in this article), theater, dance, film and culinary arts. We are positive that there are many from our County that are not known to the Council and therefore conclude that this list is not complete.
Among the painters:
There are numerous painters in our community who are prolific and extremely talented. The three listed below have made an indelible mark on the world of painting in watercolor, acrylic and oils. Like the musician community, the painters from this community are numerous, and through their talented brushstrokes they explore and commit to paper or canvas their view of the world and therefore enrich us.
Robert B. (Bob) Dance is a premier nautical artist and musician whose work appeared at the Smithsonian, the Maritime Gallery, and on the first National Park stamp.
Benjamin “Ben” Knight has exhibited work nationwide with his work held by businesses and private collectors.
Henry Pearson was internationally known in “pop art” for his abstract and modernist paintings, mainly of multicolored globes. The Yale grad with a masters in stage design and an Army WWII Air Corps vet also designed military maps.
Culinary:
Food is an artful expression in recipe creation, food choices and plate arrangement.
Vivian Howard is among the most notable. The chef, restaurateur, author and TV host owns multiple restaurants including the James Beard Awarded Chef & The Farmer (temporarily closed). She also starred in the Emmy Award winning PBS series, “A Chef’s Life,” about eastern North Carolina cuisine.
Master Model Ship Builder:
Past-times in the arts and high-end craft can often ignite our true passions.
Frank Gaskill, Jr. was a U.S. Marine Corps Master Sergeant and Dupont Executive. In retirement, he pursued his passion for creating wooden ship models. Those models are now in private collections, with some on public display at the Maritime Museum in Beaufort, NC. His “to scale work,” often preserving for the viewer the tiniest of details, can be viewed in the model train permanent display in the railroad track trestles at the Arts Center.
Theater/Film:
A flair for the dramatic led many Kinston/Lenoir Co. natives to Tinseltown and other stages.
Directing/Producing:
Ray Kennedy – performance arts led this artist to direct many cruise line “shows”. Kennedy can now be found directing theater presentations at Thalian Hall, Wilmington, NC
Film:
Cynthia Hill is a director and producer best known as a screenwriter. She worked on the five-year PBS series, A Chef’s Life, about cuisine from eastern North Carolina and premiered her “Tobacco Feeds My Family” film, co-sponsored by the CCA at the Performing Arts Center, Kinston.
Gerald Waller is a college educator who was a studio executive with a sizable Wilmington-based film company. He donated “Conan the Barbarian” costuming to the Arts Center which is displayed on the second floor of the Center.
Acting:
L. Simone Dunn is an actress and director known for her work on “ATL Homicide,” “Fatal Attraction” and “The Mark of a Killer.”
Jordan Eubanks is an actor and producer known for “2 Dudes and a Dream,” “Dumbbells Special Edition” and “Be Like Trees.”
Ed Grady was a stage, film and TV actor best known for his work on “The Notebook.”
Lennie Loftin is known for his work in “Logan,” “Knight and Day” and “3:10 to Yuma.”
Jamie Pressly is best known for her work on “My Name is Earl” for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Christa Sauls is an actress and model best known for her work on “Beverly Hill, 90201,” “Killing Cupid” and “The Dentist.”
Kristin Sutton is an actress, writer, producer and voice-over talent.
Dance:
Music moves people to tap, prance or simply dance. The very talented few make a career out of it.
Christal Brown is a choreographer, educator, performer, writer, and activist who toured with the prestigious Chuck Davis’ African American Dance Ensemble and Andrea E. Woods/Soul works. Shie is also the founding artistic director of INSPIRIT.
While Kinston’s art community is much larger than the names listed here, these local celebrities prove that this community supports, celebrates and honors all facets of the arts.
Music:
Among musicians in our community are: Charlie Albertson, Mike Kinzie, Hank Barbee, Dan Cox, Eric Dawson, Nicky Harris, Marie Richardson-Hall, Rick Vernon and many, many more!
Education:
Education at the Community Council for the Arts goes beyond traditional boundaries. Our holistic approach caters to all, from toddlers to seniors, offering a wide array of classes and workshops that span from painting to pottery, music to theater, fashion to metals and STEAM. These are offered throughout the year in the forms of classes, class series and/or workshops. While many laud our children’s/youth summer camps, typically showcasing 10-15 diverse and enriching sessions for young children 3 years old to high school students through 18 years of age, there are numerous other year-round education activities offered. Our grant-supported invitational cornerstone initiatives, Traditional Arts Programs for Students (TAPS), and Keys for Kids, immerse students in musical education. TAPS delves into traditional instruments and chorus with an emphasis on jazz, blue, R&B and gospel while Keys for Kids ushers learners 5-18 years of age into the melodious world of piano. As we look to the future, we’re buzzing with anticipation for year-round workshops reminiscent of our summer camp gems, featuring specialized classes in fashion, pottery, performing arts, and more new classes/workshops curated specifically for middle and high schoolers. We seamlessly marry art with academia, emphasizing knowledge and skill-building from pre-K through 12th grade. This commitment creates a generation not only in love with art but ready to innovate within it. Our strong partnerships with local schools and numerous other organizations, punctuated by immersive residencies, heritage celebration projects, engaging concerts, and dynamic visual arts endeavors like murals and sculptures, solidify our pledge to an art-rich community experience.
Through the efforts of the A+ Schools Program developed by the Kenan Institute and UNC-Greensboro and now under the auspices of the North Carolina Arts Council, a State agency we know that Middle and High School students who participate in at least one arts related activity during their school year – journalism club, yearbook staff, theater productions, choral ensemble, etc. – typically stay in school, become more involved in their local community and score an average of 100 points higher on SAT/ACT exams. Our targeted younger child begins to develop critical thinking skills through the arts helping with critical thinking and problem solving, communication and relationship development – all life skills. Our emphasis on education is strategic and provides enrichment experiences that otherwise may not be met during the local school day or during vacation breaks. Our instructors are artists, high end crafters and/or arts educators.
Adult education experiences are often intertwined with the variety of programs and initiatives of the CCA. One can experience the foundational music created and taught by many musicians and music educators from our community; or be entertained by a gifted vocalist, have our world view modified or changed by visual artists or participate in the myriad of classes and workshops offered through the CCA annually targeted for adults.
Tourism:
Our 30,000 square-foot, historic property is a magnetic destination for art aficionados and tourists alike. This art sanctuary doesn’t just offer a visual feast; it promises an immersive experience. Visitors, typically pre-COVID, numbered 80,000 annually. They are continually drawn to our alluring galleries and the depth of our guided tours, each providing intricate details of our vast artistic installations in both the public sector and our permanent 2D and 3D collection. They visit our working artist’s studio spaces and our permanent model train display, both located in the basement of the Arts Center. Central to our tourism offerings is the African American Music Trail, a poignant tribute to our community’s profound cultural music legacy. This harmonious blend of public art and music history deeply connects with both locals and tourists, crafting experiences that enlighten and captivate. Beyond exhibitions and tours, our gift shop serves as a treasure trove, allowing guests to carry a tangible piece of their artistic journey home. Furthermore, our venue rentals, hosting numerous events including picturesque weddings, reunions and other gatherings, significantly boost regional tourism, turning occasional visitors into returning guests and advocates of our enriching artistic space.
Our Public Art Trail leads the visitor and resident alike to several unique experiences in our community, and frequently to thresholds of other community assets. The CCA has over 100 pieces of public art that marks community entranceways, provides enhancements to once barren sites, provides education opportunities, pays tribute to the accomplishments of individuals and marks the uniqueness of the community. Although all of the works are not owned or were commissioned by the CCA, there is a unity of individual arts patrons, arts studios and organization, local government and tourism in creating the trail in celebration of the past, present and future of the community.
The independent Americans for the Arts organization conducts Economic Prosperity studies every five years. The CCA participated in two past studies in 2017 and 2012. A study was offered in 2022, however the CCA could not afford the consultation fee associated. These studies view the economic impact that an arts or cultural organization has on its community. It is typical that the results demonstrate a return on investment (ROI) of $1 to be returned to the community as $17. The ROI for the CCA in the years we participated in the studies was $1:$18. When a group or individual rents our spaces there are associated expenses that tend to occur: overnight lodging, dining, catering, florists, etc. plus the purchase of sundries, gasoline, gifts, casual shopping, participating in other experiences in the community and visiting other places of interest. When an individual invests, through membership, fundraisers, classes and the variety of other opportunities offered by the CCA the return is the continual operations of the organization that in turn serves the community, hence the importance of local government investment coupled with individuals and small businesses.
Arts-Driven Economics:
Art, in its many forms, is more than just an expression of culture; it towers as a powerhouse of economic growth. At the heart of this nexus between art and economics is the Community Council for the Arts. With each event, concert, and immersive residency, we don’t merely enrich our cultural tapestry; we invigorate our local economy. Our historic venue, a beacon of artistic excellence with its galleries and multifunctional spaces, draws enthusiasts not only from our immediate community but from regions beyond. This influx, especially from our venue rentals for diverse events, sends positive ripples throughout our economic ecosystem. Moreover, our dedication extends beyond traditional forms, marrying arts-driven economic development with projects like the African American Heritage Music Initiative and the Public Art Trail. This seamless blend has crafted a synergy, magnifying the impact we have both culturally and financially. As proud custodians of the state’s largest public art collection managed by an arts council, we embody a vision where arts aren’t just witnessed but experienced, each endeavor resonating with both the heart’s passion and the pulse of economic vibrancy.
As the organization that provided the genesis for the development of the local African American Heritage Music Project and subsequent 8-County Trail (in collaboration with the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency) we are proud, but humbled monitors of the project and the interpreters of the extensions of the project yet to develop. As noted, the CCA was instrumental in the beginnings of the local project, organizing numerous community meetings, writing grants and providing direction for the development of the 8-county trail. The project was in itself a work of art that continues to this day and has involved the community and will continue to do so in the exploration and authentic documentation of the amazingly rich musical history. The work continues to identify artists not yet interviewed, locate photographs and other memorabilia while promoting the project.
The local trail, a true creative placemaking project, has had numerous off-shoots through programs such as TAPS, public art, concerts, musician gigs/performances and the development of the one-of-a-kind Kinston Music Park: Celebrating Our African American Music Heritage. To date, with the generous grant support over many years of the North Carolina Arts Council the music park is a shining star for our community. Additionally, it serves as a “bookend” to the Arts Center located seven blocks north in downtown Kinston and helps to provide a pedestrian and vehicular boundary to the arts and cultural section of the downtown.
Among the artists that provided the beginning of the music project are:
The five college educated musicians who forever changed jazz, funk, R&B and invented funk are: Nathaniel (Nat) Jones, Maceo & Melvin Parker, Robert “Dick” Knight and Levi Rasbury, all graduating from North Carolina Schools with Kinston ties. The five played for one of the greatest artists in American history -and in the case of Nat Jones conducted the orchestra and is credited with 30+ original compositions while Dick Knight was the assistant conductor, the “Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown.
Yet, they were not alone in putting Kinston on the musical map; there have been plenty of others who made groundbreaking strides in music, entertainment and education.
Starting with, as early as the late 1930s the Mitchell Christian Singers had recorded numerous times after winning a local contest. They appeared onstage at Carnegie Hall’s “Spirituals to Swing” concert.
Justice “Sonny” Bannerman – a saxophonist, local educator and local band leader of the “Nite Owls.”
Seditious Boxley Brown – entertained in numerous nightclubs in New York and Atlanta as a well-known soul and jazz pianist and singer.
Eva “Little Eva” Narcissus Boyd-Harris turned the 1962 dance song “The Loco-Motion” by Gerry Goffin and Carole King into a No. 1 hit that sold over a million copies. Although she was from Belhaven, NC she spent the last several years living and working in Kinston.
Jocely (Shaw) Brown is a known R&B and dance singer.
Thornton Canady – a local musician and school band director who approached the North Carolina Arts Council to launch the beginnings of what became the African American Heritage Music Trail of Eastern North Carolina.
Wilbert Croom a jazz singer and military vet who sang baritone in a quartet and eventually solo.
Joyce Garrett is a renowned music educator who led the international award-winning Eastern High School Choir, the Washington (DC) Youth Choir and the U.S. Naval Academy Gospel Choir.
Dr. Negleatha Jones-Johnson (Ph.D.) is a songwriter and recording artist.
Geneva Perry was a saxophonist, teacher and mentor. She influenced many of her students to pursue musical careers following college educations. Nat Jones, Sonny Bannerman, the Parker brothers and Thornton Canady did just that among many others. Played with the touring, all female band the International Sweethearts of Rhythm.
Eleanor Stewart founded and directed the award-winning D.C. Boys Choir. The choir recruited African-American at-risk youth, many of whom considered their experience in the choir as life-changing.
Dr. Ira Wiggins (Ph.D.) alto sax player and flutist. He led the Jazz Studies Department at North Carolina Central taking it from a fledgling program to one of the top in the nation at his recent retirement. He has also performed in a band he formed which included his brother Marvin.
Marvin Wiggins a sax player with over 40 years’ experience. His band the Groove Connection frequently partnered with an impressive roster of musicians.
Lessette Kornegay – singer, composer and recording artist
Brian Miller – sax player, performs regularly with the John Brown Orchestra or Ensemble. John Brown is the Vice-Provost of Jazz Music, Duke University.
Brian Horton – sax player, elevated from faculty to assume Ira Wiggins position at North Carolina Central University until his unfortunate unexpected early demise.
Le’Andre “Drew” McPhatter – educator, pianist – organized and operates a music studio in Durham, NC.
Bishop F. C. Barnes – gospel.
Bishop Moye – gospel.
Clemmie Lee “Fig” – drummer.
Ulysses Hardy and the Blue Notes.
Louis “Papa Root” Wiggins – trumpet player.
Zack Greene – credited as one of the early influences.
There are numerous other African Americans hailing from Lenoir Co. who influenced the music scene and are doing such as this is written. We are highlighting the initial group of individuals who were interviewed or musicians/family members who provided materials for the music trail.
Significant Arts Community Partners
Besides the music park and the CCA, creating additional borders to arts and culture is the smARTkinston City Foundation and Arts & Cultural District, formed by local arts advocate and entrepreneur Stephen Hill. This area adjacent to that occupied by the Arts Center, 1910 Project and art105 along with the Neuse River truly forms a multi-block district for the arts and culture.
The smARTkinston City Foundation is one of many organizations that the CCA continually develops and grows its partnership. Although all have different missions there is a blend of activities that support the arts neighborhood and community beyond. The smARTkinston City Foundation turned a once depressed area into a vital neighborhood without displacing longtime residents. The project gives working artists affordable housing to live, create and sell their works. Additionally, it operates a gallery space that showcases the smARTists living in the designated neighborhood.
Other arts/cultural enclaves located in this area include: art105 is an artist collective, where artists rent spaces, many times collaborating and critiquing one another’s work. Artists create and sell their works from their individual studios. The space, owned and operated by professional photographer Brandon Potter, also supports the efforts of journalism and digital enterprise, all viable art forms. It provides the home of local daily news group, Neuse News. Project 1901 provides for the revitalization annually of the “Chitlin Circuit” – once a traveling minstrel show that many times was the launching pad for musicians, dancers and vocalists.
The C.S.S. Neuse Interpretive Center and the Neuse Regional Library, plus boutique and small shops, dining and lodging and galleries, are located in this area. The Arts Center provides key foundational support for this area due to its presence. Through the partnerships created by these entities, the tax base is improved while driving other business investment to establish restaurants, shopping, and entertainment venues. Additionally, through the CCA and its targeted outreach program, many businesses have diversified and increased patronage thereby increasing monetary gain. These are not the only partnerships that the CCA fosters. The CCA continually strives to develop community, county-wide collaboration with both traditional and non-traditional partnerships It frequently participates in local events and festivals and assists with the planning and implementation of special community programs and projects.
The CCA provides grant opportunities throughout the year for county non-profit arts organizations and nonprofits with arts programs. This programming is generally granted through a sub-grant process. The annual total distribution for FY 2022-23 was approximately $20,000 in support to these countywide programs. This is twice the usual amount as there are Federal COVID related dollars appropriated this year and FY 2023-24. The CCA serves as the Designated County Partner for Lenoir Co. for the distribution of these dollars which are appropriated by the North Carolina General Assembly and based on the county’s census.
As aforementioned, not only does the CCA assist with this distribution of grant dollars offered through the North Carolina Arts Council, a State agency but also routinely actively advocates with our state legislators for the arts in our County and participates in the arts advocacy organization, ArtNC which lobbies for the arts industry in North Carolina.
The independence of the CCA as a small multifaceted business was severely tested during the COVID-19 pandemic years when the Arts Center almost closed its doors for good. Thankfully, it survived, although it is still working to regain full operations at a 100% capacity for general operations and programs. Especially limited have been the visual arts exhibitions. These were generally changed every 6-8 weeks in all five galleries. Two of the five galleries have been reopened. There are numerous reasons for this slow progression back to the normal exhibition schedule, however it is planned for full resumption of the same in mid-2024.
Landis states “that although programming has resumed as has general operations, fundraising is particularly difficult in the current environment. There are many worthy causes to which one might contribute in Lenoir Co., with the CCA being one of them. What makes a difference with the CCA is that those contributions are the lifeblood of the organization; whether made to the annual campaign, fundraising, purchasing a piece of artwork, participating in a class, buying a ticket or renting a space in the Arts Center all combine to ‘open the doors’ each day and pay the usual operating costs incurred by any small business. We at the CCA want all of our valuable community non-profits, other organizations and small businesses to thrive and be able to conduct their missions and businesses. We certainly don’t want to be in competition – for the better one does, we all benefit.”
The Community Council for the Arts stands as a luminescent beacon of artistic inspiration and community spirit. As we look to the future filled with expansive endeavors and even deeper community ties, our commitment remains steadfast: to be more than just an arts institution but a cornerstone of unity county wide. Every brushstroke, every event, every initiative we undertake, from the vibrant art clubs to the enriching literary projects, is a testament to our belief that arts is for everyone. We’re not just shaping the Artscape of our beloved rural home; we’re weaving a rich tapestry that connects every resident, artist and visitor. In a world where digital fleetingness often overshadows tangible experiences, we offer a soulful, enduring touch. No matter where one stands – be it the heart of a bustling metropolis or our quaint community – the masterpiece of art and community we’re crafting welcomes all. Dive into this journey with us, for every story is richer, every tapestry more vibrant and tighter woven, with you as part of it!
