Fall Arts Guide: Triangle arts scene is breaking the mold, making art more accessible
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Fall 2019 Arts Guide
The Triangle guide to music, art, theater, dance, festivals and books in Fall 2019.
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Welcome to our annual Fall Arts Preview! As we circle upcoming events on our calendars — the ones we must get tickets for — we’ve noticed a trend: The Triangle arts community has planned a schedule that’s diverse, creative and inclusive.
Take the International Bluegrass Music Association’s World of Bluegrass. This year, IBMA’s Wide Open Bluegrass — the free part of the festival — is going even wider. For the first time, the concerts at Red Hat Amphitheater will be free, allowing attendees to sample as much or as little bluegrass as they’d like. With most of the marquee acts scheduled for the big stage — a mix of veterans, supergroups and unforgettable collaborations — this extra accessibility is a good thing.
Exhibits at area art museums area bringing in underrepresented voices. The Nasher Museum in Durham shines a light on Native American artists from the past 70 years. The Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill showcases a collection of women photographers from Iran and the Arab world. And both the Gregg Museum of Art & Design and Artspace have their own respective looks at what it means to live in the South.
On the performance side of things, many groups are putting a focus on women and those who break the mold. Ballerina Misty Copeland kicks off the 15th season of Carolina Performing Arts in Chapel Hill with a chat about how she conquered the challenges she faced in becoming the first black principal dancer for the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. And while baritone Lucia Lucas doesn’t make her Triangle debut until February, (technically not this fall), we should note that she is the “first known transgender opera singer” to have a lead role in a U.S. opera.
Meanwhile, some groups are reaching beyond their traditional borders, bringing art and music out of the performance hall. NC State Live has partnered with the Pour House, the venerable nightclub in downtown Raleigh, to bring Les Tireux d’Roches (unconventional Québécois band) and Amythyst Kiah (self-proclaimed “Southern Gothic” singer and Rhiannon Giddens collaborator) to a nontraditional space.
You get the idea. Take a look at these pages. Find something that suits your fancy. Or, find something that doesn’t suit your fancy. You might find a new favorite.
For hundreds more events in the area, go to nando.com/fallarts2019.
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This story was originally published August 17, 2019 at 3:45 PM.
