Culture

Harnett County Arts Council Has a New Home for Exhibits, Events

Visual Artists show and sell their work in the new Harnett County Arts Council facility.

Ask any artist: Art requires risk.

Ask any arts patron: The arts cost money.

Harnett artists and patrons are committing both‚ with a major investment by the Harnett County Arts Council. It leased space for a permanent physical presence in Lillington‚ the county seat‚ at a cost of more than half the council’s roughly $60‚000 granting budget‚ but Claudia Cole‚ Hartnett County Arts Council part-time director‚ says it’s worth it.

“Having an actual home helps artists‚ showing the county’s commitment to their work is real‚” Cole says. “It helps patrons‚ too‚ giving them a place to support.”

The building is perfect for the use‚ Cole says – a 1920s-era furniture store with hardwood floors‚ pressed-tin ceilings‚ and a facelift from council volunteers. The owner who leases it to the council is an artist himself – and now a patron.

“We’ve supported more performing arts in the past; this year we’re going to help visual arts more‚” she says. “Visual artists need a place to show and sell their work‚ and we can keep granting money to the other groups that don’t need physical space.”

The Harnett County Arts Council also plans to offer classes in the new facility‚ and use the back garden for fundraisers‚ receptions and the like.

“It’s really beautiful‚” Cole says. “We’re going to keep it.” She believes the building will be a magnet for the county. “Our challenge this year is to draw them into Lillington.”

Cole plans to work on fundraising and applying for grants from arts groups to fund some of the overhead and administrative work – freeing up more money for artists.

Members also support the council‚ and it gets a small piece of what artists sell there.

Moreover‚ the council is just one piece of the artistic puzzle in the county. Harnett Regional Theater is in its 31st season and plans several shows this year: The Fantasticks in the fall; a Christmas show called The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus in December; and a springtime comedy‚ I Hate Hamlet.

The theater began as a traveling troupe‚ says Chuck Beidler‚ theater president‚ but for about the last 10 years has called the historic Stewart Theater in downtown Dunn its home.

Harnett County is also home to galleries‚ clubs and guilds‚ as well as others who are part of the drama of Harnett County arts‚ including Campbell University‚ the Harnett County Library and the Cape Fear Friends of the Fine Arts.

“Campbell is a huge help‚” Cole says‚ with a music program‚ a theater‚ and visual arts and graphic design.

The Cape Fear Friends Community Concert Series has drawn performers such as the North Carolina Symphony‚ Lawrence Welk All-Stars‚ and the Von Trapp Children singers. The Friends’ recent season included an appearance by Mickey Rooney.

As such programs spread‚ the Harnett County Arts Council will be the hub for the various spokes – from spoken-word performance to paintings and plays.

“The building is a big commitment for the long term – there’s nothing like this here‚” Cole says. “People are really excited about it.”

For more information and scheduled events‚ please visit www.harnettarts.org.

Story by Paul Hughes
Photo by staff

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