About

Art About provides grants to individuals and organizations who will bring temporary, creative, free of charge experiences to downtown Durham public spaces during the Third Friday Durham art walk, occurring every third Friday from 6-9 pm. Art About projects are interactive, educational, and playful. Think: sidewalk chalk workshop, “bang on a can” drum circle, pop-up free dinner party, life-size building blocks, silent discos.

2019-2020 Projects

DDI is pleased to announce the selected artists and schedule for Art About 2019-2020.

Public space activations will take place during various Third Fridays through April 2020. Follow #ddiartabout for the latest details.

Myra Weise

Continuing to Tell

October 18, 2019

Description

Downtown Durham is home to more than a couple dozen murals vibrantly gracing building facades and alleyways. During the October’s Third Friday Durham, join a prodigious, Durham-based, artspreneurial women for an uplifting performance event inspired by the Durham Civil Rights History Mural Project. Organized by Myra Weise (founder/director of Proxemic Media), Continuing to Tell, a performance event brings together visual artist Cynelsa, cellist Shana Tucker and choreographer Kristin Taylor / KT Collective, creating another opportunity for Durham to keep art, community and civil rights as a lifestyle. The original mural – conceived and painted by Brenda Miller Holmes and a team of Durham artists 2013-2015 – depicts captivating vignettes of Durham Civil Rights leaders, historical moments and beautifully powerful visions of persistence. This performance event will be a moment to bring these stories to life through visual art, music and dance. Arrive early to grab a piece of chalk and assist in the creation of a ground mural extending from the original, and then stick around to experience the unfolding of an exquisite live music and dance performance by Tucker and KT Collective.

Continuing to Tell, a performance event is sponsored by Downtown Durham, Inc.’s Art About, and presented in association with the North Carolina Dance Festival.

5-7 p.m. Color-in a ground mural that extends from the original mural

7 – 7:45 p.m. Live music & dance concert inspired by the history & themes of the original mural

Myra Weise

Myra Weise has trained as a professional dancer since 2001 and has worked in arts administration since 2007. She has worked with renowned arts companies such as the American Dance Festival, Pilobolus, Duke University’s Theatre Operations, and most recently at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. Alongside her professional career, she has developed Proxemic Media to accelerate the evolution of creative eco-systems in small to mid-size American cities. The organization develops critical content, processes, and resources for artists, arts administrators and audiences, working to strengthen communities one creative experience at a time.Having extensive experience in marketing, advertising, ticketing, venue management, artist management and audience / visitor services, she offers a unique perspective for approaching and executing both small and large productions.

Raven Gibbs and Kimberly Palmer

Groove Therapy

April 17, 2020

Description

Mindfulness Movement partners with licensed therapists to provide a unique dance class that promotes emotional, social, cognitive and physical integration to women of color for the purpose of improving health and fitness while tackling the issue of self-care and mental health. We will present a one and a half hour dance class for the public in the middle of CCB Plaza that incorporates mindfulness training and yoga practices to tackle the issue of mental health and overall physical health. Dancing releases endorphins and improves overall health. We are excited to get all of Durham moving!

Motiv8

Motiv8, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring artistic expression, cultivating positive behaviors and preserving the arts in disadvantaged areas, ONE person, ONE count, and ONE community at a time. We are committed to helping individuals create a better sense of self through the performing arts. Through the power of dance, Motiv8 supports young students and adults in enhancing and showcasing their skills which may lead to future educational and performance opportunities by providing personal and professional development courses as well as the tools they need to grow in the dance industry especially in the area of their mental health.

Website: wemotiv8you.com

LA Chesson

Hydrochromic Mural

June 19, 2020

Description

This project will bring hidden gems to the growing city by creating hydrochromic/ hydrothermal murals. When the sun is out, the city is alive and thriving. I would like to maintain the positive energy of the city by encouraging people to step out on rainy days and enjoy wonderful works of art.

LA Chesson

LA Chesson is a national artist from Ahoskie, NC. A crown symbol holds a place on each of his paintings as his artist signature. This emblem signifies Chesson’s unwavering commitment to giving glory to God, the inspiration he draws from the renowned Basquiat, as well as his own confidence in his creative potential.

Instagram:@sonofsimba

2019 Selection Committee

• Margaret DeMott

  Durham Arts Council

• Jesse Huddleston

  Nasher Teen

• Renee Leverty

  Pleaides Arts

• Nicole Oxendine

  Empower Dance Studio

• Katie Seitz

  Durham Arts Guild

• Rukea Womack

  City of Durham

Apply

The 2019 application period is now closed. Please sign up below to be notified of future calls for proposals.

Sponsorship

Are you or your organization interested in co-sponsoring an Art About project? Contact us at rachel@downtowndurham.com to discuss opportunities.

Sign-up

Sign-up for updates here.