Overview

About the Durham Arts Council

The Durham Arts Council is a private nonprofit dedicated to supporting the arts in Durham and the Triangle Region in North Carolina.

  • We help professional and amateur artists and arts organizations produce music, theatre, dance, visual, media and literary art.
  • We help residents and visitors find, enjoy and participate in the artistic and cultural events available in the community.
  • We manage the Durham Arts Council Building, a city owned, multi-purpose community arts center in downtown Durham, North Carolina.
  • We operate The Clay Studio, a studio facility located at Northgate Mall (1058 W. Club Blvd Space 836) — just a few minutes from our main facility.
  • We program classes in the performing, literary and visual arts for toddlers through seniors. Some of these classes are held off-site in private studios.
  • We work with public and private schools to provide artist residencies designed for the classroom.
  • We raise public and private funds to support the arts in the community.
  • We provide grants, information and networking for artists and arts groups.
  • We provide exhibit space for visual artists.
  • We produce CenterFest, Durham’s annual street arts festival, the third weekend of September.

Mission

Durham Arts Council, Inc. is a catalyst in the cultural development of Durham – it leads, inspires, and promotes excellence in and access to the creation, experience and active support of the arts for all the people of our community.

Goals

  • To increase participation in high-quality arts experiences throughout the community,
  • To expand arts education both in and outside of schools,
  • To build an environment for artists and arts organization so that they can create and present their work, and
  • To be a resource to the community for advocating, planning, and developing Durham’s arts and cultural community, creative place-making and building the creative economy.