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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 6th, 2011
CONTACT:
Sherry DeVries, Executive Director, 919-560-2709, sldevries@durhamarts.org
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Durham
Arts Council Announces Plans to Expand CenterFest Arts Festival for
2012
North Carolina’s Longest
Running Outdoor Arts Festival Will Expand to be
Major Draw for Southeast Region
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Durham,N.C.…Durham Arts Council, producer
and presenter of CenterFest Arts Festival for 37 years, announced
today its plans to dramatically expand and re-envision CenterFest,
the longest running outdoor arts festival in North Carolina. DAC is
working with key community partners in this effort including the
Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, Durham Convention & Visitors
Bureau, Downtown Durham Inc., the City of Durham’s Office of
Economic and Workforce Development and Cultural Advisory Board, Fox
50, the Herald-Sun, Durham Coca-Cola Bottling, Co., TROSA, Carolina
Theatre and other partners, and will involve the business community,
creative community, and individuals in planning during the months
ahead. DAC and its key partners will “rest” the festival for 2011 in
order to launch a 1 year Visioning/Production Process for the 2012
expanded arts and entertainment festival format.
Durham Arts Council (DAC) was the first
major arts organization to come downtown in the 1970’s to nurture
and grow the arts community and DAC’s CenterFest was the first major
arts event for Durham. Durham’s recent Creative Vitality Index score
indicates Durham has grown to be a top creative community in the
U.S. Durham Arts Council has been growing and improving and
expanding audiences for all of its programs and services -- now is
the strategic time to revitalize and grow CenterFest into a national
caliber signature event for Durham.
“We envision building a major arts and
entertainment festival that will draw amazing crowds to Durham to
experience our revitalized, creative, welcoming city,”said
Sherry DeVries, Executive Director of the Durham Arts Council. City
Councilman,Mike Woodard, also Vice President of Programs, Policy and
Planning of the DAC Board of Trustees states “Durham Arts
Council’s CenterFest started as the ‘Street Arts’ festival in 1973
when the DAC was the only major arts organization in town. It has
been a signature festival of Durhamfor many years. Today, we have a
large arts and creative community, with much credit to DAC for
nurturing arts organizations and artists for 57 years. We want to
showcase our thriving arts and creative scene in new and bigger ways
in an expanded festival.”
Proposed features of an expanded CenterFest
– Festival of Arts, Music, Food and Creativity (working title)
include expanded visual arts, enticing “Edible Arts” - culinary arts
components, exciting entertainment district and stages and the
addition of entertainment in other venues throughout the weekend;
Saturday evening music party; beer garden/brewery showcase; NC
wineries showcase; hands-on creative arts; arts and fine craft
demonstrations; and showcases for design, gaming and technology
arts.
“Durham
deserves the hottest, most exciting festival we can produce,”
said Casey Steinbacher, President & CEO of the Greater Durham
Chamber of Commerce, and Chairman of the American Chamber of
Commerce Executives (ACCE). “To make this expansion happen, we
will need strong partners, and additional resources and support from
the community. The Chamber stands ready to help DAC make that
happen. Arts festivals are incredibly important for a community both
in economic impact, tourism, and to showcase its best creative
assets.”
“Durham and CenterFest are ready for
this next step. Durham already ranks among top U.S. cities on the
Creative Vitality Index, and the expanded festival will help build
tourism and economic impact for Durham,” said Shelly Green,
President & CEO of theDurhamConvention & Visitors
Bureau.
Bill Kalkhof,
President & CEO of Downtown Durham, Inc. states "DDI
applauds the Arts Council and it's partners to take the time to plan
a new signature event that will be unique to our community &
region. DDI is pleased to be a partner in this exciting
effort."
In the
2011 interim in lieu of CenterFest in September, Durham Arts Council
will provide artists and the community a larger Durham Art Walk
event on November 19th and 20th – a weekend that will also feature
GRAND OPENING EVENTS for the Durham Convention Center, Carolina
Theatre of Durham, and Durham Arts Council buildings following
completion of major renovations to all three
facilities.
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ABOUT |
Durham Arts
Council
In 2011, the Durham Arts Council
celebrates 57 years of “Creating Community Through the Arts.” Durham
Arts Council, Inc. is a private, not for profit, 501 c (3)
organization that promotes excellence in and access to the creation,
experience and active support of the arts for all the people of our
community. DAC is one of the oldest arts councils in the
United States, and one of the largest in
North Carolina. DAC manages the historic
Durham Arts Council building at 120 Morris
St., a public facility in downtown
Durhamthat attracts nearly 300,000
visitors a year, and houses the offices of ten arts organizations,
four galleries, two theatres, a community arts school, art
production facilities, classrooms, event venues and rehearsal
spaces. DAC’s year-round programs include grants and technical
assistance for arts organizations and individual artists, art
exhibitions, classes in the performing and visual arts, artist
residencies in the public and private schools, arts and cultural
planning, advocacy and fundraising, Durham Art Walk, and CenterFest,
Durham’s annual street arts festival.
Through the DAC Annual Arts Fund, Dinners a l’Art, grants, and
earned income, DAC raises nearly $2 million each year to provide
programs and services and support the arts in Durham. For more
information visit our website.
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Durham Arts Council
• 120 Morris Street • Durham, NC 27701
Ph: (919) 560-2787 •
www.durhamarts.org • Contact
us!
Donations
make Durham Arts Council programs possible. Donate Now!
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