Thursday, August 14, 2025

FALLing for these Amazing Classes

Fall is coming up fast, and we can’t wait for cooler weather and incredible events! Make the next season your most creative yet with a class at the DAC. Check out these weekly classes for adults starting in September:

Drawing + Painting:

Intro to Landscape Painting with Gerry O’Neill on Wednesdays, September 3 – October 22

Portrait Painting with Vera Weinfield on Mondays, September 8 – October 27

Printmaking + Mixed Media :

Linocut I with Vera Weinfield on Tuesdays, September 2 – October 21

Sculptural Mask Making with Vera Weinfield on Mondays, September 8 – October 27

Bookbinding for Beginners with Molly Coleman on Thursdays, September 25 – October 30

Photography + Graphic Design:

Digital Photography with Roylee Duvall on Tuesdays, September 2 – October 7

Learning Your Camera with Freeman Long on Thursdays, September 4 – 25

Portrait Photography with Freeman Long on Mondays, September 8 – October 13

Intro to Graphic Design with Sara Morris on Wednesdays, September 3 – October 8

Literary + Performing Arts

Jumpstart Your Creative Writing with Charisse Coleman on Mondays, September 15 – October 27

Live Storytelling with Hope Wilder on Tuesdays, September 2 – October 14

Intro-Intermediate Acting with Korinn Annette Jefferies on Mondays, September 8 – October 13

Ballet Fundamentals for Adults with Triangle Youth Ballet on Thursdays, September 4 – October 9

Wellness

Introduction to Mindfulness with Erica Alexander on Thursdays, September 4 – 25

And don’t forget we have TONS of low-commitment workshops on offer, as well with our Friday Night Makes and Weekend Workshop series!

Got kids? Check out our Youth Offerings, too!

Photo: Finish your Halloween costume just in time by taking Sculptural Mask Making with Vera Weinfield this Fall!

You’re Invited! Celebrate Sherry DeVries

Join us on August 21 at 5:30PM in celebrating Sherry DeVries’ remarkable 23 years of leadership and service as Executive Director of the Durham Arts Council at a special retirement party honoring her lasting impact on Durham’s arts community. The evening will feature performances by the African American Dance Ensemble, Choral Society of Durham, Young People’s Performing Company, Durham Savoyards, Ltd., and Durham Medical Orchestra.

We are also excited to launch the Sherry DeVries Performing Arts Fund, created to support local Durham artists and arts organizations who perform in the PSI Theatre. This fund reflects Sherry’s deep belief in the power of the performing arts and her dedication to making the arts more accessible for all. Come celebrate, be inspired, and consider making a gift to continue Sherry’s visionary legacy!

Third Friday is this week-August 15

Third Friday, August 15 | 6–8 PM, Exhibits Closing
Durham Arts Council | Free & Open to the Public

Stop by and enjoy light refreshments, meet the artists, and experience both exhibits during downtown Durham’s monthly art walk.


Down Through, to the Marrow by C. Bay Milin
Allenton Gallery | On view July 11 – October 5, 2025
In this poignant photographic exhibition, C. Bay Milin reflects on themes of belonging, memory, and identity after relocating to Durham during the pandemic. Through images spanning past and present, Milin traces the emotional contours of place and asks: How do we come to know a city—and what mark do we leave on it? This ongoing visual conversation captures the beauty, complexity, and contradictions of a region in flux.


Interposed by Leroi DeRubertis & Jason Lord
Semans Gallery | On view July 11 – October 5, 2025
Interposed challenges traditional ideas of drawing through wire, shadow, and experimental mark-making. DeRubertis and Lord—longtime Durham artists—bring their unique voices into collaborative dialogue, exploring the power of line and minimal color to express layered human experience. From abstracted butterflies made from scrap wire to works that blur the boundaries between drawing, writing, and thought, this exhibit expands what drawing can be—and what it can say.

 

Artwork Above: “Encroaching, Durham NC 2023” by C. Bay Milin
Artwork Below: “Red Gnomon” by Jason Lord

DPS Kick-Off is August 20

Calling all Durham Public Schools Arts Educators! CAPS will be at the DPS Kick-off on Wednesday, August 20 at Durham School of the Arts. Stop by the CAPS table from 11:30-3pm to learn more about our artists in schools programs/workshops/performances, resources, and ways we support students and the community.

Photo: CAPS Artist, Beverly Botts drumming and dancing with young students

Save the Date: 50th Anniversary CenterFest Sept. 20 & 21

Join us in downtown Durham on September 20–21, 2025 for the 50th anniversary of CenterFest Arts Festival—a vibrant celebration of creativity, community, and culture! Presented by the Durham Arts Council, CenterFest features 110+ juried visual artists from across the country, local performers on multiple stages, delicious food vendors, and hands-on activities for all ages. Mark your calendars—you won’t want to miss this milestone year!

Become A CenterFest Sponsor

CenterFest, NC’s #1 fine arts festival, celebrates its 50th anniversary September 20–21, 2025—with a vibrant weekend of art, music, food, and fun for all ages.

As a CenterFest sponsor, your brand will be showcased to more than 40,000 attendees and aligned with one of Durham’s most cherished cultural traditions. It’s a powerful way to connect with the community and support creativity that inspires.

Celebrate this milestone year with us—explore our 2025 Sponsor Benefits today.

Questions? Contact Laura Montgomery at lmontgomery@durhamarts.org.

Volunteer At CenterFest

You can also support CenterFest by becoming a volunteer! Help make this beloved community event possible. We  couldn’t do it without the help of our amazing community. VOLUNTEER at CenterFest! 

Applications for the Artist Support Grants are now open and can be accessed through the DAC website. Artists who live in Durham, Orange, Person and Alamance Counties are eligible to apply – see the website for more details.  Applications are due September 2, 2025.  Information Sessions will be held on Zoom on August 13.  Email Margaret DeMott at mdemott@durhamarts.org for the zoom link.

This program is funded by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

In Other Artful News…

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