Encore was always more than ink on paper — it was a love letter, an ode to the wild, brilliant spirit of Wilmington, sent out freely each week to the public. Today is a love letter to Encore, and it’s about all of us — artists, businesses, volunteers, dreamers — deciding that local matters. That stories matter. That crosswords definitely matter. (Yes, we heard you. There's a crossword. You’re welcome, Wilmington.)
This time around, Encore isn’t just a publication — it’s a multi-media and medium platform.
We’re finding new ways to lift up rising creatives, journalists, performers, and culture makers — with real resources, real opportunities, and real community behind them. (Our featured artists tonight, for example, will walk away with professionally produced film footage from Honey Head Films — because building our community’s future in arts and culture starts with investing in them now.)
Thanks to our sponsors, fearless featured artists, and MVP volunteers, this “Mini-Encore” is more than a party favor — it’s the first chapter of our next great story.
We’re here. We’re real. We’re just ge ng started.
Let’s turn the page together, Wilmington.
— Shannon Rae Gentry, Encore
Thank You
Special thanks to a mighty (and growing) community force that is helping lift Encore back into the world — your energy is contagious, your commitment to community arts is vital, and your hearts open.
Angela Fernot
Amanda Goodyear
Chelsea Thornhill
HP Fangs
Katherine Barnes
Molly Murphy
Christopher Marino
Rachel Lewis Hilburn
JJ S eet
Cathy S eet
Anna Mann
About Encore
Encore is Wilmington’s alternative voice — a celebration of community, culture, and creativity since 1984. We believe in the power of shared stories, live arts, trusted journalism, and media literacy to build a stronger, more connected community. Today, Encore is more than a publication. It’s a platform for creatives, a gathering place for bold ideas, and a space where local matters.
Mission
Encore’s mission is simple but urgent:
To broaden media literacy and civic engagement. To protect and promote trustworthy community journalism. To champion the creative arts that feed our souls. We strive to build power among individuals — by offering the tools to critically engage with media, forge deeper local connections, and lift up the voices shaping our vibrant, artistic community.
How to Get Involved
Encore’s revival is about all of us. Here’s how you can be part of it:
•Pitch a Story - Have a story that needs to be told? We want to hear it.
•Share Your Art - Our pages and stages are open to local artists, musicians, performers, and makers.
•Volunteer - Lend your skills and heart to help Encore grow.
•Partner with Us - Local businesses, nonprofits, and dreamers — let's build together.
•Support Local Media - Your donations help write the next chapter for Encore, independent journalism and creative arts.
LOREM IPSUM
THE ART OF COMMUNITY CONNECTION
by Rachel Lewis Hilburn
“I want to see this city alive.”
Greyson Davis goes by his artist name, HPFANGS. He was on the cover of the very last edition of Encore in 2020, and he’s one of five artists contributing their work to this mini-edition of a reimagined Encore.
“There's absolutely no reason, with the amount of talent that we have in Wilmington, that we can't compete with Asheville or outdo Charlotte or Durham,” said HPFANGS.
Nugget creates large public installations. She believes the original Encore was a portal into an artistic community that helped wandering creatives find a path.
“I'm a huge proponent of creating the life you want to live and creating the community you want to be a part of and creating the town, the scene, that you want to thrive in.”
Shannon Gentry is Executive Director of this effort-in-progress and she recognizes that art is the heart and soul of Encore. This time around, she feels a powerful imperative stemming from community and connection.
“The arts are a bridge,” said Gentry. “They are also a way of storytelling that can reach more people… in terms of the impact the arts can have on a person individually, to the mind, to the heart, to the soul.”
Illustrator Angela Fernot saw the return of Encore as a chance to bridge existing gaps in the community.
“And to bring that connection and that community that all of us are seeking, even when we don't know how to say it out loud,” she said.
Brandon Blanks and Jeffrey Vossler both see the reimagined Encore bringing new possibilities for them as artists.
Blanks said, “I feel that artists need artists… You need to be surrounded by other voices and other opinions.”
With the environment front of mind recently, Vossler sees his art as a “passive” way of getting his message out.
“There’s a way that you’re not really pushing people into your messaging or what you're trying to say. You actually are hoping for them to figure it out themselves.”
Read and listen to the full story at encorepub.org.
Call It a Comeback!
Over the years, Encore became more than a newspaper—it was a tradition. And no tradition was more fiercely loved than the crossword. So, as we celebrate the revival of Encore, we bring you this special puzzle: a small, fun piece of the much bigger picture we're rebuilding with you. So sharpen your pencils, stretch your brain, and dive in.
ACROSS
4 Mega media franchise that resurrected RDJ (abbr)
6 Let Kansas dig out of a 16-point hole, losing the championship game in 2022
8 Led his team back from a 28-3 deficit to win Super Bowl LI
9 You won’t believe this singer went 33 years between #1 singles
11 After being kicked out for years, won the “Rumble in the Jungle” to reclaim the title
12 Just when you thought he was done, came back to win the Masters in 2019
13 This brave abolitionist came back multiple times to lead others to safety via the Underground Railroad
15 Sick burn on the playground, “I know you are but ___”
18 After a dip in popularity in the 60’s, he aired his comeback special in 1968
20 Coolest arts mag in town
1 A young E.T. star makes a comeback in this slasher/comedy
2 He lost a big election in 1960, but came back to win it in 1968
3 She’s getting a reboot to slay a few more vampires
5 Wilmington native who retired after winning 3 rings, then came back to win 3 more
7 First president to be elected to two nonconsecutive terms
10 This band released their first album in 40 years when fans said “Gimme Gimme Gimme” more music
14 Returned to Earth in one of the most dramatic comebacks ever, despite its unlucky number
16 After almost collapsing in the 90’s, this company’s founder came back and now things are going pretty well
17 She recovered from the “twisties” to grab four more medals in Paris
19 She should have made room for Jack on the door until the lifeboats came back
