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Raleigh Arts Partners

Raleigh Arts

Image Above: Animazement 2023, photograph by Chris Facey

Raleigh Arts Partner organizations create all kinds of programs and events for Raleigh residents and guests to enjoy. From citywide festivals like First Night Raleigh to exhibitions, concerts, and theatre productions, from classes for all ages to amateur theatre-making, music-making, and choral singing, these organizations make sure there is something for everyone to see and do.

Recognizing how much community members benefit from these creative opportunities, the City of Raleigh Arts Commission supports the work of the 38 nonprofit organizations below.

African American Cultural Festival

The African American Cultural Festival promotes, preserves, and celebrates African American culture and heritage through its annual festival in downtown Raleigh, featuring music, visual art, dance, a marketplace, and activities for children.

Learn more about the African American Cultural Festival

Arts Access

Arts Access serves as a bridge between arts organizations and disability communities, providing resources and services to improve the engagement of people with disabilities in the arts, both as audiences and artmakers, in Raleigh and across the state.

Learn more about Arts Access

Arts Together

Established in 1983 as a community school for the arts, Arts Together cultivates individual creative strengths in preschoolers to adults in a diverse, inclusive, collaborative, and nurturing environment through visual arts, dance, drama, and more. 

Learn more about Arts Together

Artspace

Artspace inspires positive community impact through art with its free exhibits featuring national and local artists and studio space supporting 35+ creatives. A space for creativity and social practice, it offers classes, community conversations, and events.

Learn more about Artspace

Artsplosure

Known for its vibrant namesake festival, Artsplosure makes creative art and cultural experiences accessible to all through the diverse, inclusive and free events and festivals it produces annually in Raleigh, like the city’s New Year’s Eve celebration.

Learn more about Artsplosure

Burning Coal Theatre Company

Burning Coal Theatre produces professional theatre focused on issues of global concern. Known for supporting emerging NC-based theatre artists and companies, it offers performance and rehearsal space to other groups and acting classes for all ages.

Learn more about Burning Coal Theatre Company

CAM Raleigh

CAM Raleigh is a non-collecting contemporary art museum that provides an environment for community gathering and transformation through educational programs, cultural experiences, and bold, non-traditional exhibitions by living artists.

Learn more about CAM Raleigh

Carolina Ballet

Carolina Ballet creates community by presenting diverse seasons of ballets that showcase both great classics and new works by talented choreographers and composers. Its ballet school provides training to develop young and emerging dancers.

Learn more about Carolina Ballet

Chamber Music Raleigh

Chamber Music Raleigh connects the community to NC, national and international musicians through its intimate and accessible chamber music concert seasons. The artists also regularly support local music students through master classes and residencies.

Learn more about Chamber Music Raleigh

Community Music School

Community Music School provides high-quality music education to children from families who could not otherwise afford it. It teaches over 200 students yearly through $1 weekly lessons, free instrument loans, additional workshops, recitals, and more.

Learn more about Community Music School

CVNC

Cultural Voice of North Carolina (known as CVNC) publishes an online arts journal covering artists, arts groups and events across the state. It provides professional-quality reviews, feature stories, and an arts calendar showcasing North Carolina’s evolving cultural landscape.

Learn more about CVNC

Diamante Arts and Cultural Center

Diamante produces the North Carolina Latino Artists Exhibition Program and Community Engagement Series, comprising 14 exhibitions of North Carolina artists’ work. Its free community engagement programming includes artist talks, performances, films, and workshops.

Learn more about Diamante Arts and Cultural Center

Educational Growth Across Oceans

Over 12,000 people turn out every Memorial Day Weekend for Animazement, this organization’s anime and Japanese cultural arts celebration. In addition to professional anime artists’ panels, the event includes sessions on traditional dance, tea ceremony, and more.

Learn more about Educational Growth Across Oceans

El Pueblo

El Pueblo’s annual fall event La Fiesta del Pueblo is Raleigh’s largest and most diverse celebration of Latin American culture and arts, featuring live music, dance, art and folk-life exhibits, educational booths, and activities for the whole family.

Learn more about El Pueblo

The Justice Theater Project

Known for its focus on social justice issues, The Justice Theater Project is a professional theatre that produces compelling theater experiences to create dialogue, give voice to social concerns, and foster collaboration with community groups. 

Learn more about The Justice Theater Project

The North Carolina Chamber Music Institute

The North Carolina Chamber Music Institute trains young musicians as performers and community leaders through its uniquely structured small ensemble program. Mentored by instructors, students explore classical masterworks then perform for the Raleigh community.

Learn more about the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute

North Carolina Master Chorale

North Carolina Master Chorale reaches over 15,000 annually through its many concerts and performance partnerships. Boasting a 170-voice Symphonic Chorus, chamber choir, and Youth Choir, it provides avocational singers vocal coaching through choral masterworks.

Learn more about North Carolina Master Chorale

North Carolina Museum of History

Annually, the North Carolina Museum of History produces two free festivals – November’s American Indian Heritage Celebration and January’s African American Cultural Celebration. Each brings to life their communities’ cultural traditions, history and artistry.

Learn more about the North Carolina Museum of History

North Carolina Opera

The Triangle’s only professional opera company, North Carolina Opera has a reputation for high quality three-production seasons. Known for mingling nationally recognized singers with regional artists, it tackles both well-known classics and contemporary fare.

Learn more about the North Carolina Opera

NC State LIVE

To explore diverse cultures and issues defining our community and world, NC State LIVE connects Raleigh with internationally recognized artists through its performing arts series and via community-based collaborations, workshops, and events.

Learn more about NC State LIVE

NC State University Theatre

NC State University’s TheatreFEST is Raleigh’s hub for summer theatre, connecting local theatre companies, artists, and audiences for a one-month celebration of live theatre every June. Events include full-scale productions, playreadings, and peeks behind the scenes.

Learn more about NC State University Theatre

North Carolina Symphony

North Carolina’s state orchestra calls Raleigh home with concert seasons and educational programs. The symphony showcases some of the world’s greatest talents and embraces local musicians from classical to bluegrass, creating distinctive live music experiences.

Learn more about the North Carolina Symphony

North Raleigh Arts & Creative Theatre

Award-winning and dynamic, this community theatre’s eight-show season highlights diverse community voices in its intimate space. The theatre provides a creative outlet for all, welcoming participation onstage, backstage, in classes, and as audience.

Learn more about North Raleigh Arts & Creative Theatre

Nuv Yug Cultural Organization

India is a blend of highly diverse regions with over two dozen languages spoken. Nuv Yug’s India Fest celebrates those rich cultural traditions, dance, music, and cuisines. With the feel of a homecoming, this free event attracts 10,000 people yearly.

Learn more about Nuv Yug Cultural Organization

PineCone, Piedmont Council of Traditional Music

Dedicated to the music of North Carolina’s Piedmont, PineCone is the state’s largest bluegrass and roots music presenter. From monthly jam sessions to its highly regarded Down Home Concert Series, it engages people with old time, blues, and gospel music as well.

Learn more about PineCone

Pure Life Theatre Company

Pure Life Theatre is a diverse artist collective serving the community through exceptional theatre experiences that explore and nourish truth, hope, redemption, and love. Founded in 2019, its three-show season explores different social issues yearly.

Learn more about Pure Life Theatre Company

Raleigh Civic Symphony Association

Unique in the area for its performance of contemporary works of classical music, Raleigh Civic Symphony Association consists of professional, avocational, and college musicians and regularly commissions and performs new pieces by American composers.

Learn more about the Raleigh Civic Symphony Association

Raleigh Little Theatre

One of the oldest community theatres in the country, Raleigh Little Theatre exists to create and teach theatre that serves the community, offers a welcoming and inclusive place, and embraces diverse stories, artists, and students in powerful ways.

Learn more about Raleigh Little Theatre

Raleigh Music Collective

Guided by a belief in the power of social change through music education, Raleigh Music Collective offers classes in the violin, viola, and cello to approximately 150 students (3rd-12th grade) in Raleigh annually with the aim to positively impact and transform students’ lives. 

Learn more about Raleigh Music Collective

The Raleigh Ringers

Nationally recognized leaders in the field of handbell ringing, The Raleigh Ringers are known for their exceptional concerts, having commissioned over 130 works to provide audiences with unique interpretations of sacred, secular, and popular music.

Learn more about The Raleigh Ringers

Raleigh Youth Choir

Raleigh Youth Choir provides an inclusive and supportive environment for all youth who love to sing. Students learn the art and joy of singing through its beginner to advanced choirs that include weekly rehearsals, performances, and summer camps.

Learn more about Raleigh Youth Choir

ShopSpace

As the only metalworking workspace in Raleigh, ShopSpace serves a unique community role. This makerspace focuses on teaching and providing an open workshop for hands-on learning about all forms of metalwork like forging, jewelry making, and welding.

Learn more about ShopSpace

Theatre In The Park

Theatre In The Park involves the community in the creation of live theatre to nurture appreciation for the arts. Through its five-show seasons and its beloved A Christmas Carol, the theatre engages diverse audiences in quality theatre experiences.

Learn more about Theatre In The Park

Theatre Raleigh

Theatre Raleigh enriches the community through innovative, intimate theatrical experiences in North Raleigh. This professional theatre mixes Broadway veterans with local artists creating high quality theatre experiences that resonate with audiences.

Learn more about Theatre Raleigh

TheGifted Arts

TheGifted Arts provides a culture and space intent on transforming the lives of youth through culturally responsive artistic experiences. With classes, camps, and performances in the arts, K-12th graders can explore their identity, discover their greatness, and cultivate skills that allow them to flourish.

Learn more about TheGifted Arts

Triangle Youth Music

With a mission of educating the next generation in great classical and jazz music through ensemble performance, Triangle Youth Music provides professional training to over 500 students annually through its orchestra and jazz ensemble programs.

Learn more about Triangle Youth Music

VAE Raleigh

With exhibition opportunities, projects, educational programs, and funding, VAE Raleigh is a hub for a diverse network of artists, a venue for artists to advance their careers, and a voice to influence positive change for the creative community.

Learn more about VAE Raleigh

Women's Theatre Festival

With a mission to create, produce, and promote extraordinary theatre by women and all underrepresented genders, Women’s Theatre Festival’s annual festival showcases new and boundary-breaking works, along with workshops and panel discussions.

Learn more about Women's Theatre Festival

Contact

 

S.A. Corrin
Arts Grant Director
sarah.corrin@raleighnc.gov
919-996-4686

Department:
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources
Service Categories:
Raleigh Arts
Board, Commission or Committee:
Arts Commission
Related Services:
Arts GrantsArts Resources

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