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The Craven Arts Council and Gallery, located in the Bank of the Arts on Middle Street, supports and features all art disciplines and sponsors the popular New Bern Sunday Jazz Showcase and many other visual and performing arts events throughout the year. In addition, the New Bern-Craven County Public Library at the corner of Johnson and Middle Streets selects an artist of the month and displays his or her work in its attractive building. The evidence that the arts are treasured in New Bern is most apparent on a walk through the city's historic downtown. Galleries are proliferating in renovated buildings, and murals on the walls of public buildings reflect the work of varied artists interpreting New Bern's history. New Bern is also home to active community theater groups, the New Bern Civic Theatre and the RiverTowne Repertory Players, which stage and sponsor a number of productions annually. The Carolinian Shakespeare Festival puts on impressive performances for three weekends in August. The Coastal Carolina Chamber Music Festival features world-class musicians for a two-week appearance in the fall, and numerous musical groups and dancers, including historical dancers, stage other performances throughout the year. Vocal musicians will not be left out. Several communities and Craven Community College have musical groups featuring excellent singers who perform concerts during the year. In this chapter we describe our arts
organizations. If a group doesn't have a street address or regular
office, a phone number is given, sometimes in addition to a contact
name.
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For
the first three decades of the
twentieth century, New Bern was known as the "Athens of North Carolina"
because of its many artistic and educational endeavors. While the Great
Depression put a halt to much of the activity, a rebirth occurred in the
1970s, and today locals enjoy performances and exhibits from an
ever-increasing number of local and touring artists.|
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Visual ArtsCraven Arts
Council and Gallery / Bank of the Arts Besides nurturing local artists, this organization
provides exhibition space for local, regional and national artists in the
Bank of the Arts, a reclaimed 1911 bank building that also houses the arts
council's administrative offices. The large, open main gallery, open Tuesday
through Saturday 10 AM to 6 PM, is the staging area for a variety of
exhibits. Popular traveling exhibits are often featured, and overall works
include a variety of media, ranging from traditional to contemporary. The
Vault, the council's gallery shop, features the work of Carolina artists and
is open year-round. The Craven Arts Council is a membership organization
with various sponsorship levels available. Members are entitled to ticket
discounts and receive a monthly newsletter, The Luminary, that
announces upcoming arts events. The Accidental Artist At this studio, you can showcase your creativity by
painting your own pottery, which The Accidental Artist will then fire
for you to complete your one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Come relax in the
informal atmosphere and give your artistic impulses free reign. You can
even book studio space for birthday parties, club meetings and other
special occasions. The Accidental Artist is open daily but may be closed
on Sundays in the winter; call for hours. Art & Materials Art & Materials sells paints, brushes, how-to books and
other supplies for those who work in oils, acrylics, pastels and watercolors
as well as paper and pottery. The business, owned by the Mathiot family,
features the works of local artists. They schedule a variety of workshops
and classes for adults and children who want to explore their artistic
talents. There is a complete pottery studio offering pottery classes. The
shop also sponsors summer camps, after-school art lessons and special
classes for home-school students. The Flying Cat Bead Shop is located inside
Art & Materials for those interested in creating their own distinctive
jewelry. Gallery Arts, a giclee printing gallery, is found here, as is Asian
Artifacts for the Art of Living, featuring art items, paintings and cards
with an Oriental flair. Coastal Photo Club The Coastal Photo Club meets the
third Saturday of every month at 9:30 AM (in December at 10 AM) at Centenary
United Methodist Church. The club is open to people of all ages and skill
levels who are interested in photography. In-club photo competitions, field
trips, photography-related lectures and other activities provide club
members with opportunities to share knowledge and learn new skills. Club
dues are $20 a year for single members and $30 for a family. Crystal Coast Chapter, American Needlepoint Guild Shirley Kulow (252) 636-0065 The Crystal Coast
Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild is an educational, nonprofit
organization dedicated to the art of needlepoint. Experienced and beginning
stitchers are invited to attend the group's meetings, held at 10 AM the
first Monday of each month at the West New Bern Recreation Center on
Pinetree Drive. Programs consist of stitching projects, instruction and
demonstrations as well as fellowship. |
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TheaterCarolinian Shakespeare Festival Carolinian Shakespeare Festival (CSF) performances are
presented the first three weekends of August at the New Bern Civic
Theatre in downtown New Bern. This professional theater company has
staged some of the Bard's most well-known works, including Romeo and
Juliet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet and
Macbeth. The goal of CSF is to make the classics entertaining and
accessible to everyone. Discounts are available for students and
seniors. Tickets are sold by phone and at various locations around town,
including the Bank of the Arts on Middle Street. Auditions usually take
place in March each year for the upcoming season, with rehearsals
scheduled for the month of July. New Bern Civic Theatre A nonprofit organization, New Bern Civic Theatre (NBCT) was
organized in 1968 to provide community theater for area adults and
children. The group's theatrical productions range from serious drama to
lively musicals, including original works. NBCT also offers a number of
art education opportunities for children, including StageHands, a
performing group of the civic theater that annually stages a special
production by children for children. Its unique performances are
presented simultaneously in sign and spoken language. The theater also
hosts a popular two-week Children's Acting Workshop in the summer. RiverTowne Repertory Players This nonprofit community theater group, formed in 2001,
is dedicated to encouraging, promoting and practicing the theatrical
arts in the community. RiverTowne's performances take place at the
Shrine Auditorium downtown. Membership in the Players is open to anyone
16 years and older with a desire to be involved in the organization's
operation, including acting, singing, directing, lighting, producing and
more. Annual dues are $15 per person. Tickets are available at the Bank
of the Arts Tuesday through Saturday and at the door at the time of
performance. |
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DanceBaroque Arts
Project The Baroque Arts Project, under the direction of Paige
Whitley-Baugess, combines music and dance in exciting and innovative
performances to bring the rich tapestry of the Baroque period to
life. The project specializes in the music and dance of the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries, offering many engaging educational programs in
addition to its public performances and tours. Season tickets are
available.
Craven Historical Dancers This unique dance troupe performs, in costume,
eighteenth-century social dances, including reels, country dances,
minuets, cotillions and jigs. They entertain at holiday performances,
festivals and other events. The group meets periodically and each fall
accepts new members. Director Paige Whitley-Bauguess also directs the
New Bern Dancing Assembly, a costumed Baroque dance performing group for
boys and girls in 4th through 12th grades. Baroque dance classes and
workshops are offered at Down East Dance. Dance Theatre Performing Arts Studios,
Inc. Open since 1990, Dance Theatre Performing Arts Centre,
under the direction of Veronica Sabiston, is a training ground for dance
students of all ages and skills, from the absolute beginner to the very
advanced. Dance Theatre’s comprehensive program offers a diversified
curriculum, including classical ballet and pointe, lyrical, jazz, hip
hop, tap and jumpstart. This dance school also features classes for
adults and offers multiple classrooms for personalized attention. The
award-winning Dance Theatre offers opportunities for students to
participate in regional and national competitions and, on the local
level, to take part in mall shows, festivals, parades, telethons and
more. The studio conducts a local school performance tour and hosts many
performances throughout the year, including its annual Spring
Performance in May. Excerpts are aired on local television Channel 10
each summer. Dance Theatre prepares students for auditions each year for
the North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA), American Ballet Theatre (ABT)
and Joffrey Ballet. It's also proud to have directed many of its
students toward roles in national television, major motion pictures and
music videos as well as dance-related presentations for Walt Disney
World, Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens. Down East Dance Down East Dance prides itself in educating students of
all ages in the art of dance. Classes in ballet, pointe, jazz, hip
hop, tap and Baroque are designed to create positive, joyful learning
experiences, which encompass coordination-building skills, flexibility,
strength, technique, correct alignment and creativity. Every other year,
the Down East Dance ballet faculty and students stage an impressive
performance of The Nutcracker with guest artists. Down East
Dance also showcases two youth performance groups. Rivertowne Ballroom Want to learn how to swing, cha cha or tango? Maybe the
fox trot and the waltz are more your speed. If you've ever had an interest
in learning ballroom dancing, this is the place to go. Private and group
lessons are offered, and dance students get an opportunity to practice their
skills at weekly parties. Wanda Kay's School of Dance Wanda Kay offers tap, jazz and ballet for ages 3 through
adult in her specially designed studio. The Wanda Kay Dancers, a group
of advanced dance students, perform at fairs and festivals throughout
the area, including MUMfest. Wanda Kay's Troupe opens the New Bern
Christmas Parade every year. |
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MusicCoastal Carolina Chamber Music
Festival
The Coastal Carolina Chamber Music Festival,
now in its third season, features two fall weekends of beautiful
classical music performed by world-class musicians at a variety of
locations throughout downtown New Bern. Each year's roster includes
talented professionals who perform internationally as soloists and
members of the country's finest ensembles, such as the Boston Symphony
Orchestra, the Boston Pops and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
Festival events include not only musical performances but also
interactive and entertaining social events that combine to create an
up-close and personal concert experience. Season, individual and
mix-and-match ticket options are available.
Fairfield Harbour Chorus
This chorus began with 24 enthusiastic members in
1984. Today, membership totals approximately 65 vocalists. The group
performs about 15 concerts each year, featuring all types of music,
including show tunes, gospel, Broadway hits, holiday arrangements, pop
and contemporary. It has given numerous performances in area churches,
rest homes and retirement homes and has combined talents with other
choruses at Cherry Point and Craven Community College. Members must be
residents of Fairfield Harbour. Rehearsals are conducted on Monday
evenings at 7 PM at the Fairfield Community Center. Rehearsals begin the
first Monday after Labor Day and continue until mid-May. Craven Community Chorus This large choral group, formed in 1985, performs
locally as well as in surrounding counties and out of state. There are
no auditions, and membership is open to anyone from 18 to 80 who can
carry a tune and enjoys singing. The 60-member group likes to include
instrumentalists whenever possible and usually plans its shows around a
theme. Past performances have featured Dixieland standards, Old West
favorites, Big Band hits and classic 1950s rock 'n' roll in the annual
spring and Christmas productions. Weekly practices take place from 6:30
to 8:30 PM Tuesdays at Craven Community College's Orringer Auditorium. Craven Concerts Inc. This organization, in its 24th consecutive season,
schedules five concerts each year, staged at Grover C. Fields Middle
School auditorium on Dr. M. L. King Jr. Boulevard. Season tickets cost
$75 for non-reserved seating and $90 for reserved seating. Productions
feature a variety of performances as well as the staging of an annual
live opera performance. Season ticket holders are entitled to admission
to reciprocal concerts in nearby communities. Membership forms and more
information are available by calling the number above or writing to P.O.
Box 12213, New Bern, NC 28561-2213. Fuller's Music Fuller's Music carries a complete inventory of
instruments, sheet music and other items for both beginning and
experienced musicians. Talented instructors teach lessons on a variety
of instruments, including guitar, piano, drums, flute, clarinet,
saxophone, trumpet, trombone, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, violin and
dulcimer. |
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North Carolina Symphony
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The North Carolina Symphony comes to New
Bern with an outstanding series of concerts featuring classical
favorites. Several seating options and price ranges are available. Four
performances take place at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center,
including a Holiday Pops concert in December, with a free concert
scheduled during early summer at Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens.
Season tickets are available by calling the New Bern/Craven County
Convention and Visitors Center, (252) 637-1551.
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Commercial GalleriesART Gallery Ltd. On the second floor of the Edward Stanly House, this
gallery offers fine works in contemporary North Carolina arts, including
paintings, art glass, sculpture, jewelry, stoneware, porcelain and
tapestry. It is open daily by appointment. Carolina Creations An artist-owned studio and gallery
open since 1990, Carolina Creations offers handcrafted American and
North Carolinian fine art and contemporary craft by more than 250
professional artists. The gallery represents potters, glass blowers,
woodworkers and jewelers, as well as original art and prints by
owner Janet Franceour and pottery by her husband, Michael.
Well-known artists include the painted furniture line Sticks as well
as sculpture and prints by StoryPeople. Carolina Creations is open
daily, and there is always something new to discover. Framing Fox Art Gallery The Framing Fox Art & Custom Picture Framing Gallery has
been serving the public for more than 30 years with creative custom
picture framing and a large selection of collectible fine art. Framing
Fox specializes in collectible signed and numbered limited-edition
prints, canvas and giclees by the leading artists in the United States,
and they are authorized representatives for these artists. Custom
framing, fine art, free location of hard-to-find prints and shipping
anywhere are all part of Framing Fox's excellent service. Local Color Weaving Studio Deborah Wheeler and Fred Swift are
handweavers and dyers of fine contemporary textiles. Their scarves
and shawls have been sold in galleries throughout the United States,
including Alaska and Hawaii. The couple resided for a decade in the
mountains of North Carolina where they became proficient in their
craft and developed it into a business. Penland School of Crafts and
the Professional Craft Program at Haywood County Community College
provided opportunities to develop professional-level skills in
weaving and dying techniques and textile design. The strong craft
community of western North Carolina provided immeasurable support.
Deborah and Fred were both proud to be juried members of the
Southern Highlands Craft Guild and founding members of Ariel Gallery
of Fine Contemporary Crafts in Asheville. Recently, the couple moved
to New Bern and are excited about life and arts and crafts in their
new community. Both feel lucky to have had the opportunities to
learn the skills necessary to make fine cloth and the time to engage
in the creative process of doing so. Instruction in weaving is
offered at the studio. Call for more information. New Bern Artworks Want a little adventure in your life? Enter New Bern
ArtWorks, located in historic New Bern and accessible through the Bank
of the Arts or the parking lot behind the Chelsea Restaurant on Middle
Street. The studio is actually behind Port City Java. Here, 22 local
artists create beauty using one uniting factor — a box. Each
artist begins with this three-dimensional form and using various sizes,
designs or creates his/her vision of what goes in the box. Owner Martha
Williams says "thinking outside the box" has become a working
motto. Some artists paint inside the box; others have done boxes within
boxes. Some boxes may contain linings to provide a backdrop for other
art forms — a marble sculpture or a painted canvas. All of the boxes are
original art. The boxes can be hung on the wall or stacked on a desk or
table. There are no rules, just ideas. The New Bern ArtWorks is
open Tuesday through Friday from 10 AM until 6 PM and Saturday from 10
AM until 4 PM. It's closed on Sundays and Mondays. Weavers Webb Gallery Featuring a wide selection
of hand-woven items, such as baby blankets and table linens, this gallery
offers an expanded selection of knitting and needlepoint supplies, as well
as crochet and cross-stitch items. Classes are available in needlepoint,
weaving, crochet and knitting.
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