CenterFest holds planning focus groups

We invite your participation in the CenterFest continuing planning process!
Durham Arts Council, producer and presenter of CenterFest Arts Festival for 37 years, announced in July its plans to expand and re-envision CenterFest. DAC and its key partners have been underway in the visioning/planning process for the 2012 event and invite your participation in the next step: CenterFest focus groups.
Focus Groups take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Durham Arts Council, 120 Morris St. in Durham. If discussions need additional time the groups will continue to 8 p.m.
Please RSVP by clicking on the link for each focus group. You are welcome to attend one, several or all.

CenterFest—Visual Arts Focus Group
Wednesday Jan. 18 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
The visual arts focus group will discuss event components related to the visual artists who apply for sales/display booth space and other possible visual arts elements of the festival such as interactive public art, art demonstrations, student art showcase and other ideas.
Co-Moderated by: Molly Pasca, Pottery artist and Lucy Grant, DAC Board Member

CenterFest—Creative Community Focus Group
Friday, Jan 20, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
The focus group for the creative community will discuss some new elements being considered for CenterFest such as showcases for new creative businesses, design arts and technology and favorite past elements such as the non-profit showcase. Although anyone is invited to attend, this focus group will be most appropriate for designers, game developers, architects, music industry, film arts, arts non-profits and other creative businesses that have not typically been part of traditional arts festivals.
Co-moderated by: Matthew Coppedge, Downtown Durham Inc. and Meredythe Holmes, Monarch Services and Beverly Meek, Duke University

CenterFest—Food/Beverage/Culinary Arts Focus Group
Monday, Jan. 23, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
This focus group will discuss possible new culinary arts/beverage/food elements for CenterFest and how we might do that. Locally sourced foods, wine festival, beer garden, food truck rodeo, chef competitions and other foodie ideas will be on the table. Restauranteurs, brewers, wine folks encouraged to attend and all who can think with gastronomic glee.
Co-moderated by: Diane Daniel, author of Farm Fresh North Carolina and Shelly Green, President & CEO of Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau

CenterFest—Music/Performing Arts Focus Group
Thursday, Jan. 26, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
This focus group will discuss the music and performing arts entertainment elements of the festival, including performances on the festival grounds and main stages and surrounding venues. This may possibly include both non-ticketed free performances, ticketed performances, a wrist-band access series, roaming entertainment, interactive crowd elements (planned and spontaneous) and other ideas.
Co-moderated by: Mike Woodard, DAC Board VP/Duke University/City Councilman; Joe Newberry, musician; Marc Lee, WNCU radio announcer/emcee; and Kirk Ridge, NC Songwriters Co-Op

CenterFest—Site/Venues/Format Focus Group
Monday, Jan. 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DAC. If discussion needs additional time the group will continue to 8 p.m.
This focus group will discuss the possible sites, venues, event layout, gating, admission, load-in/load-out, look and feel of the event, security, volunteers and other site and format considerations.
Co-Moderated by: Casey Steinbacher, President & CEO, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce;
Sioux Watson, Publisher, The Independent; and Sherry DeVries, DAC Executive Director.

Durham Arts Council Executive Director, Staff and Board Leadership will be present at all the focus groups to provide information, listen and document all the great ideas, and answer questions.
Thank you in advance for your feedback.
Thanks to all of you who have already responded to the CenterFest Survey. You can still fill out the survey -click here!

The CenterFest Focus Groups will culminate in early February in a final Design Charrette co-facilitated by DAC and the Durham Area Designers with support from DCVB, DDI, Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, and Durham Office of Economic and Workforce Development.

Orange County small business loan program provides funding to Hillsborough microbrewery

Orange County’s small business loan program recently provided support to West Hillsborough’s newest business, Mystery Brewing Company, an artisanal brewery focused on creating distinctive beer. Their approach to their craft is summarized on the Mystery Brewing website: “Our mission is to create a cornucopia of high-quality, small-batch, rustic ales for the discriminating consumer, to test the boundaries of creativity and style. In short, to make outstanding beer.”
“The County is very pleased to be able to support the growing West Hillsborough Business District," Orange County’s Director of Economic Development, Steve Brantley, said. "This fine company will be a great new addition to the vibrant culture that helps define this community.”
Mystery Brewing is also one of the collaborators behind a new retail venture offering supplies for homebrewers. Nash Street Homebrew is also located in West Hillsborough and will carry home brewing equipment, ingredients and recipes, and serve as a resource for all levels of homebrewers.
The loan program is a revolving loan fund designed to foster small businesses development and expansion of local companies that may have limited access to conventional financing. This program is open to small businesses located in Orange County with gross revenues of less than $3 million. The program is managed through the County’s Economic Development office and administered by a volunteer board of directors composed of local business owners, bankers and staff representing several Orange County departments. For more information on this program, contact Dottie Schmitt of Orange County Economic Development at (919) 245-2327 or at dschmitt@co.orange.nc.us.

Around town: The Depot

Check out this new hot spot on Nash Street! Originally opened as an event space, the general store revitalized in April and boasts a variety of items from baked goods to candy to coffee to the wares of local artists. The store also hosts live entertainment, from local bands to open mic nights. For a full event list, see The Depot's website. For more information, see the Wednesday, June 15, edition of the News of Orange.

This feature is part of an occasional ongoing series profiling local businesses downtown and on Nash Street. For more information or to participate,  contact Vanessa at v [dot] shortley [at] newsoforange [dot] com.

Around town—Hillsborough BBQ Company

Hillsborough BBQ Company, located at 236 S. Nash St., opened its doors this spring and prides itself on traditional, wood-smoked barbecue. The restaurant offers a variety of pork, from barbecue to brisket to ribs, as well as a variety of sides. A few of the sides are vegetarian, for the non-meat-eating customers. 

The BBQ joint also features a bar, complete with a variety of beer on tap and fixed with a few flat-screen TVs. For more information, visit the restaurant's website or see the May 25 edition of the News of Orange.

This feature is part of an occasional ongoing series profiling local businesses downtown and on Nash Street. For more information or to participate,  contact Vanessa at v [dot] shortley [at] newsoforange [dot] com.