ARTS Day Speakers & Artists

12:30 – David Heinen

David Heinen has been with the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits since 2007, leading the Center’s public policy and advocacy work and providing non-answers (and occasional useful information) about legal compliance, trends in the nonprofit sector, and advocacy to hundreds of nonprofits. He has served on boards of a variety of local and national nonprofits. David is a graduate of Duke University and the William and Mary School of Law. Before returning to North Carolina to work for the Center, David spent seven years as an attorney with a Washington, D.C. law firm serving the nonprofit community. He lives in Raleigh with his wife and three children, the oldest of whom describes her dad as “weathered.”

1:00 – Randy Cohen

Randy Cohen is Vice President of Research at Americans for the Arts—the national advocacy organization for the arts—where he has been empowering arts advocates since 1991. Cohen is known for balancing rigorous research methods with accessible and actionable results. His work at Americans for the Arts has provided new perspectives on the nonprofit arts. He recently published Arts & Economic Prosperity 6: The Economic Impact of Nonprofit Arts & Culture Organizations and their Audiences and Americans Speak Out About the Arts in 2023, a national public opinion study about the arts. Randy led the development of The National Arts Index, the annual measure of the health and vitality of arts in the U.S. and the National Arts Policy Roundtable, an annual convening of leaders who focus on the advancement of American culture—launched in partnership with Robert Redford and the Sundance Institute. He is the 2024 recipient of the Sidney Yates Advocacy Award for outstanding advocacy on behalf of the performing arts in America. His 10 Reasons to Support the Arts blog received the Gold Award from the Association of Media & Publishing—their top honor for best blog post of the year. A sought-after speaker, Randy has given speeches in all 50 states, and regularly appears in the news media—including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and on C-SPAN, CNN, CNBC, and NPR.

2:20 – Jeff Bell

Jeff Bell is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Arts Council, where he drives the agency’s mission to help create vibrant communities filled with opportunities for all of its residents to engage with the arts and arts-supported education, and to spur local economic development.  

Jeff has more than 20 years of arts leadership experience throughout North Carolina, including most recently serving as executive director of the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park and Museum in Wilson and Arts Innovation coordinator for the city of Wilson. He has also held leadership positions at  21c Museum Hotel in Durham, CAM Raleigh, and Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University. 

 Jeff holds a Master’s in Fine Art from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and degrees in Art History and Studio Art from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Jeff is also a sculptor and has exhibited his works across the state. He currently lives in Wilson, N.C. with his wife, Amanda Duncan, and their four children.   

2:45 – Jordan Lee, LEEVILLE

Jordan Lee, known professionally as LEEVILLE, is a multifaceted artist, educator, and producer renowned for his innovative contributions to modern music education and artistic expression. As a 2X GRAMMY-nominated and CMA Give A Note Awarded music educator, Jordan is dedicated to nurturing honest and open-minded individuals through the transformative power of music.

Mr. Lee founded ACE (A Collective of Excellence), a non-profit Multicultural Praxis Space dedicated to cultivating growth mindsets through cultural identity and celebration. ACE, which encompasses ACOBE (A Celebration of Black Excellence) and CHROMATICA (creative music collective), promotes multicultural exchange and celebration, fostering dialogue and interactions across cultures, ages, races, gender identities, and socio-economic statuses through creativity.

Under Mr. Lee’s leadership, the ACE Spirit Week Festival was born, transforming from its predecessor, ACOBE. This annual festival is a transformative cultural development and opportunity celebrating the beauty of culture and excellence within the greater community of North Carolina.

A seasoned choral director for years, Jordan’s journey has evolved from teaching and leading festival mass choirs to unifying his identities as Jordan Lee, the choral director, and LEEVILLE, the artist. This culminates in a momentous event as he takes the stage in June 2024 at Carnegie Hall, debuting original compositions written for popular music.

As an artist, Jordan Lee, under the moniker LEEVILLE, is the maestro of Alternative Pop & Electronic R&B, and his compositions thrive in a world of harmonious melodies, seamlessly transitioning from lush arrangements to pulsating dance tracks. LEEVILLE’s music serves as windows into his synesthetic experiences, showcasing his passion for collaborative harmonic expression. This multifaceted artist is not just a creator of captivating sounds but also an educator, weaving his roles seamlessly.  https://www.mrleeville.com/

3:50 – Ken Melton

Ken Melton, principal/owner of Ken Melton & Associates, has lobbied in the NC General Assembly for over two decades. During that time he has earned statewide recognition for successes achieved on behalf of his clients, regularly being named one of North Carolina’s top 50 lobbyists by the NC Center for Public Policy Research. Prior to lobbying, Ken worked in the General Assembly as a legislative staff member, serving then State Senator Virginia Foxx (now Congresswoman Foxx) the House Finance Committee and the Research Division.

Ken’s tenure as a lobbyist includes four years as Director of Legislative Affairs for the NC Department of Revenue where he worked as a top deputy for Secretary Norris Tolson. Before that he spent four years as a contract lobbyist with Alley Associates, one of North Carolina’s top-ranked firms for nearly two decades.

As head of his own governmental affairs and lobbying firm, Ken has represented a diverse list of clients, including numerous associations; medical companies; utilities; manufacturers and distributors; and local, state and federal retirees. He specializes in a number of policy areas, including child care and early education; health care (pharmaceuticals and MH/DD/SAS); taxes/finance; transportation; alcohol and beverage control, and gaming.

Ken has a Master of Public Affairs Degree and Bachelor of Science Degree from Western Carolina University. He is a North Carolina native, who grew up in New Bern and currently resides in Garner.

4:30 – Charly Lowry

Charly Lowry, a musical powerhouse from Pembroke, NC, is proud to be an Indigenous woman belonging to the Lumbee/Tuscarora People.  As an Artivist (artist/activist), she is compassionate as it pertains to raising awareness around issues that plague underdeveloped and underserved communities.  Since her teenage years of studying the sounds of Motown, Pura Fé, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and southern gospel, Charly has established a career as a professional singer-songwriter (acoustic/electric guitar and Native American hand drum) who is known for her strong, passionate voice and versatility.   She serves as a voice for her ancestors, as well as the youth of today, and remains committed to music that honors roots but lives vibrantly in the here and now.  

Over the past decade Lowry has received 2 kidney transplants, toured extensively and internationally (US, Europe, Canada) as lead singer and recording artist of the multi award-winning band, Dark Water Rising; collaborated with numerous artists, bands, and organizations including (UlalÍ, Rhiannon Giddens, New Mastersounds, Decolonizing Wealth and more); founder and executive-director of “Peace in the Park”, a non-profit that seeks to use the performance arts as a means of combatting violence; founder and co-owner of Credentials Social Club (private club and performance venue for members and guests) in Pembroke, NC .  https://www.charlylowry.com/

Interactive Art Activity

Leading the Interactive Art Activity are two accomplished teaching artists.

Jeannette Brossart, has been a professional mosaic artist for twenty years, and has lived in Durham, NC (USA).  Her work includes public murals, large scale sculpture, custom installations, gallery and garden art.   Utilizing recycled and repurposed materials is important for Jeannette, and she understands the global benefits of taking advantage of these items in her creative process.  www.mothernaturemosaics.com

Maria Geary is a Durham, NC based mixed media and fiber artist with a passion for visual journaling.  She creates bold and expressive art and is influenced by her journaling practice and social issues.  She incorporates texture and found objects in her work and encourages viewers to contemplate the feelings the art unveils.  relaxinginart.com

9:00 Legislative Kickoff

D. Reid Wilson is the secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. He brings a wealth of experience in land conservation, environmental protection, and government and nonprofit leadership to the department.

From 2017-2020, Wilson was the department’s chief deputy secretary, responsible for the agency’s natural resource divisions. Prior to joining DNCR, Wilson was the executive director of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, a statewide nonprofit that advances land conservation and connects people to the outdoors. Under his leadership, the group’s budget nearly doubled and CTNC became a national leader in bringing greater diversity and engagement with young people to conservation.

Wilson has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Biology from Grinnell College in Iowa. He and his wife, Karen Rindge, live in Raleigh. One of their children attends a state university in North Carolina, and the other one recently graduated from one. 

Singer/songwriter Laurelyn Dossett lives and writes in the piedmont of North Carolina, and her songs tend to reflect the stories of the region, both traditional and contemporary. Laurelyn is a frequent performer at regional music festivals such as Merlefest and has been a guest on the radio show Prairie Home Companion. She has toured with folk legend Alice Gerrard and songwriter Diana Jones, and has toured with the North Carolina Symphony in 2009 and 2011 and 2013.

In recent years Laurelyn has partnered with Triad Stage’s Preston Lane on five plays featuring regional folklore and original music.  Commissioned by the North Carolina Symphony, Dossett and the symphony premiered her new song cycle, “The Gathering: A Winter’s Tale in Six Songs, in November 2011.  Laurelyn has taught songwriting and singing at the Augusta Heritage Center, as well as at many universities, workshops and festivals.

10:15 – Poetry Out Loud Finalists

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry, helping students master public speaking skills and build self-confidence while learning about literary history and contemporary life. The program is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and in North Carolina by the NC Arts Council.

Students advance from local contests to Regionals, then State competitions, and finally a National competition held in Washington DC. Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is proud to be the host for the North Carolina Regional and State Finals of the Poetry Out Loud competition this year.

Performing today are:

• Richmond Parris (Forsyth County), NC Champion – Recent Graduate from University of North Carolina School of the Arts – High School Program
• Caliyah McColl (Wake County), NC Runner Up – Rising Sophomore at Knightdale High School
• Alyssa Melvin (Guilford County), NC 3rd Place Finalist – Rising Sophomore at Weaver Academy

10:45 – Jordan Matthews High School

Jordan Matthews High School is a small, 2-A school with big opportunities.  Opened in 1957 and located in a residential section of Siler City, North Carolina, they have a student body of about 900 and a staff of about sixty. 

The Mixed Advanced Choir is composed of seven seniors and one sophomore. Members of this ensemble have been in choir for multiple years and many participate in extracurricular arts activities such as A Cappella and theatre. Members also participate in quizbowl, robotics, environmental science, and more, making them extremely well rounded leaders in our school. These choral students are so excited to share their musical talents with you today! 

The dances you are seeing today are performed by the Dance 2 class at Jordan Matthews High School. Throughout the semester, these dancers have trained in several different styles of dance including modern, jazz, and hip hop, which you will see reflected in their performances today. These are hard working students who are passionate about dancing, and also participate in the school musical, track, and cheerleading.

11:30 – Leela School of Dance

The Leela School of Dance was founded by Mrs. Asha Bala, recipient of the 2018 North Carolina Heritage Award, given in recognition of lifetime contributions to the cultural heritage of our state. Through her studies in traditional and modern dance at the university level in India and the United States and her teaching career spanning over 30 years, Asha has come to appreciate how much dance benefits from knowledge and understanding of its historical and philosophical roots. She exposes her students to a well-rounded, holistic education that incorporates in-depth instruction in the practice of Bharata Natyam, a dance form that originated in South India thousands of years ago and is practiced in Indian communities in North Carolina. Asha is also the founder and director of the Leela Foundation, a space where artists, scholars, and students of all disciplines come together to create extraordinary works of art. Asha is a board member of the NC Arts Council. The NC ARTS dance performance will be by Leela School of Dance’s Nayikas class, consisting of adults who have discovered or rediscovered their love of Bharata Natyam while juggling full-time careers and families. Dancers performing at NC ARTS 2024 are: Suma Rao, Sharlini Sankaran, Durga Sivamani, Shivali Bhaskarabatla, and Preeti Chauhan.

12:00 – Surry County TAPS Program

The Surry County TAPS program meets weekly, year-round, each Thursday in the Old-Time Music Heritage Hall at the Historic Earle Theatre in downtown Mount Airy. Students gather for dance classes at 4:30 followed by fiddle at 5:30 pm. Guitar, mandolin, and banjo classes begin at 6:15. Older students serve as mentors and some play together forming “bands.” Each summer there is a Strings Camp. In addition to playing traditional music, the students are encouraged to compete at the Tommy Jarrell Celebration Youth Competition as well as the Mount Airy Old-Time and Bluegrass Fiddlers Convention. Former TAPS student, Darrius Flowers, serves as the dance instructor and assists award winning musician and teacher, Jim Vipperman, with the classes each week.

Performing today are Shawn Rippel, Neely Sizemore, Darrius Flowers, and Natalie Sizemore.