Did you know that nonprofit arts (not including for-profit venues) support almost 72,000 full-time-equivalent jobs in North Carolina?

A study released by Americans for the Arts in conjunction with the North Carolina Arts Council shows that the nonprofit arts and culture sector generated $2.12 billion in direct economic impact in 2015.

Some additional findings:

• Nonprofit arts generated $201.5 million in revenue for local governments.

• Audiences spent more than $1.18 billion; each person spent an average of $27.95 in the community.

• Out-of-state attendees spent an average of $61.86 per person.

– Glenn Gillen, APR, S&A Communications

Founded by Larry Leon Hamlin, the National Black Theatre Festival is a biennial celebration of black performers, designers, directors, producers and technicians from across the country and abroad. The 15th NBTF will be held July 31 to August 5 in Winston-Salem.

The festival regularly draws 60,000 visitors and features an exciting Opening Night Gala, followed by more than 140 performances of new works – including dramas, comedies, musicals, choreoplays and multimedia – and classic plays. Additionally, NBTF includes workshops, seminars, a film fest, poetry jams, vendors market, Youth Talent Showcase and more.

More information at https://ncblackrep.org/nbtf-overview/.

– Glenn Gillen, APR, S&A Communications

If you think Boone slows down in the summer, think again. The annual Appalachian Summer Festival, sponsored by the Appalachian State University Office of Arts & Cultural Programs, offers a full slate of events through July.

Held in venues across campus, the festival celebrates the performing and visual arts with a diverse mix of music, dance, theater, visual arts and films. Highlights for 2017 include performances from Sutton Foster, Jennifer Nettles, Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, the Eastern Festival Orchestra featuring violinist Midori, Chris Botti, the Charlotte Ballet and a tribute to progressive rock pioneers YES.

More information can be found here.

– Glenn Gillen, APR, S&A Communications

Celebrate the art of blacksmithing in Spruce Pine at the 11th annual Fire on the Mountain festival on April 29. The event is a partnership between Spruce Pine Main Street, Penland School of Crafts and the Toe River Arts Council.

This family-friendly festival features a monthlong exhibit of new work by nationally renowned artist blacksmiths, live demonstrations, vendors selling their forged wares, blacksmith tool vendors, a free hands-on tent for the public, and a featured Master Blacksmith presenting demonstrations, workshops and a lecture. There will also be plenty of food.

Visit the event’s Facebook page for more information.

– Glenn Gillen, APR, S&A Communications

From March 30 to April 9, the RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem will feature more than 140 films, from independent movies to big-budget fare. The lineup regularly features films of varying lengths and genres from more than 30 countries.

From its humble roots 19 years ago in Brevard, RiverRun has grown to become one of the premier film festivals in the Southeast. Run by a nonprofit cultural organization, RiverRun not only screens films, it also presents filmmakers and performers with special awards for overall artistic achievement.

Check out this year’s offerings, curated to unite communities through film.

– Glenn Gillen, APR, S&A Communications

Founded in 1932, the Charlotte Symphony today supports 62 full-time musicians. Under Music Director Christopher Warren-Green, the symphony operates under the belief that music can enrich the human spirit.

Through performances and outreach programs that entertain, educate and unify the community, orchestra members have played in venues ranging from concert halls and parks to schools and jails.

Catch one of these upcoming performances:

• Music of the Beatles – March 17 & 18

• Dvorak Symphony No. 7 – March 24 & 25

• Great American Songbook – March 31 & April 1

• Peter and the Wolf – April 1

The complete events schedule can be found here.

– Glenn Gillen, APR, S&A Communications

The mission of the Greenville Museum of Art, located at 802 South Evans Street, is to provide and promote the visual arts through its collections, exhibitions and education. GMA offers tours, outreach programs, classes, workshops and a Visual Arts Academy.

Through April 30, it is featuring “Perceptions and Recognitions: African Americans of Eastern North Carolina,” an exhibit by internationally recognized photographer Burk Uzzle commissioned by GMA. Join evening receptions March 3 and April 7.

The museum is open 10AM to 4:30PM Mon-Fri, and 1PM to 4PM Sat-Sun. Admission is free, although GMA welcomes donations and offers memberships.

– Glenn Gillen, APR, S&A Communications

Frank L. Horton and his mother Theodosia “Theo” L. Taliaferro were pioneering antiques dealers who dedicated their lives to raising awareness of and appreciation for domestic objects made in the South.

Their legacy lives on in the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), located in Old Salem Museums & Gardens in Winston-Salem. MESDA is recognized as the preeminent center for researching, collecting and exhibiting decorative arts made and used by those living and working in the early South.

The museum has two new self-guided galleries, as well as tours and ticket packages that include admission to Old Salem.

– Glenn Gillen, APR, S&A Communications