fall arts checklist
Can’t-miss concerts, events and more Co mp i le d by Ke l li Rain e r Events are subject to change; check with organizers prior to attending
Head to University Place with chairs and blankets to enjoy live music in the parking lot. Each show will feature two bands from Chapel Hill Community Arts & Culture’s Tracks Music Library with themed nights such as jazz, bluegrass and hip-hop. Thursdays in September; chapelhillarts.org Read (or re-read) the classic novel “Invisible Cities” by Italo Calvino and then go experience James McNeill Whistler’s 1879 etchings of Venice, which will be on display at the Ackland Art Museum in the “Visions of Venice” exhibit, and engage in art and literature discussions with Carolyn Allmendinger, the Ackland’s director of education and interpretation, and UNC Professor Emerita of art history Mary Pardo on Sept. 9. Exhibit runs through Sept. 12; ackland.org An exhibition of screenprints by Bob Goldstein, a UNC professor and Carrboro-based screenprinter, will be on display at Peel. The opening reception is Sept. 10. Sept. 10-Oct. 17; peel.gallery Experience the art scene of downtown Carrboro and Chapel Hill by participating in the art walk on the second Friday of each month, featuring new exhibitions and artists at every event. Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 12; 2ndfridayartwalk.com The seventh annual Bluegrass Festival at Moorefields returns this fall for an afternoon of listening to bands, including The Carolina Cutups, GrassStreet, Vintage Blue and Counterclockwise String Band. The event features lawn seating, food trucks, free parking and on-site sale of beer and wine. Sept. 18; moorefields.org Margaret Lane Gallery presents “Deep Roots, High Hopes: Young, Promising Artists of Talent,” in which Kennedy Lytle and Sol Ramirez, both members of the local NAACP Youth & College Division, provide an artistic exploration of their roots and hopes. Through Sept. 19; margaretlanegallery.com Check out the “Architectural Angles” exhibit at Margaret Lane Gallery to see artists’ depictions of buildings and other structures. Artists featured include Terri Gibson, Katherine Jennings and Carly Joy. Through Sept. 19; margaretlanegallery.com Rhiannon Giddens joins fellow musician Tift Merritt on her Carolina Performing Arts podcast, “The Spark.” Rhiannon has performed at the White House and is a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant.” Sept. 23; carolinaperformingarts.org Walk through historic Hillsborough the last Friday of each month to experience all the art and music the town has to offer throughout the downtown area and Nash Street’s West End. Sept. 24, Oct. 29, Nov. 26; hillsboroughartscouncil.org 36
chapelhillmagazine.com September/October 2021
The NC 10by10 Play Festival returns to The ArtsCenter for its annual show, presenting ten of the best 10-minute plays submitted by writers in North Carolina. Featuring a 10-actor format, the festival is the most attended short play festival in the region and is slated to host both in-person and livestreamed theatrical events. Sept. 17-19, 23-26; artscenterlive.org The exhibit “Dreamscapes” at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts features paintings by Lolette Sudaka Guthrie, the photography and digital art of Eric Saunders and blown glass made by Pringle Teetor. Through Sept. 19; hillsboroughgallery.com “Unmuted” features work from Marcy Lansman, Ellie Reinhold and Lynn Wartski at the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts. An opening reception will be held on Sept. 24. Sept. 20-Oct. 24; hillsboroughgallery.com Michigan Rattlers, a rock band formed from a group of high school friends, showcases its Midwestern roots and folk-rock sound at Local 506. Sept. 25; local506.com The Carrboro Music Festival, a free two-day event which showcases artists from the area, returns for its 24th year featuring a variety of musical styles. Sept. 25-26; carrboromusicfestival.com The music duo of 75 Dollar Bill opens for Superchunk frontman Mac McCaughan at Cat’s Cradle. Oct. 2; catscradle.com Studio 71 Frame Shop hosts a “Zombie Frame” giveaway, offering gently used frames for local artists and community members to repurpose at no cost. Oct. 2; gallery71nc.com For its 21st annual performance, Paperhand Puppet Intervention presents the giant puppet show titled “Unfolding Seeds: Invocations of Transformation,” sharing stories of love for the community and the Earth at the Forest Theatre. Weekends through Oct. 3; paperhand.org The Ackland Art Museum presents “Buddha and Shiva, Lotus and Dragon: Masterworks from the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection at Asia Society,” an exhibition that shines light on the artistic impact and evolution associated with Buddhism and Hinduism. Beginning Oct. 8; ackland.org The 11th annual Off the Wall Fundraising Gala is coming back to the Frank Gallery, with limited seating available in the gallery and virtual tickets available for Friends of Frank. Oct. 9; frankisart.com The 16th annual West End Poetry Festival features readings from poets and celebrates various poetic styles. Poets are invited to engage with audiences and share in the reading, writing and listening of poetry. The festival may take on a hybrid format with both virtual and in-person events at multiple venues. Oct. 14-16; westendpoetryfestival.com The rockabilly and swing trio, The Straight 8s, play a live concert at Yonder Southern Cocktails & Brew. Oct. 15; yonderbarnc.com Chapel Hill’s annual Festifall returns, now as a multi-day event featuring 20 to 30 local artists and craftspeople selling their works. The festival will also host dance performances, poetry readings and live music. Locations TBD. Oct. 15, 23, 30; chapelhillarts.org/festifall Theatermakers 600 HIGHWAYMEN return to Carolina Performing Arts this fall to perform “A Thousand Ways Part Two: An Encounter” at CURRENT ArtSpace + Studio. Challenging the traditional definition of theater, the performance invites the audience to also be the actor. Oct. 1-17; carolinaperformingarts.org