Omar Composer Rhiannon Giddens to Visit UNC-Chapel Hill
The recent Pulitzer winner will join WUNC’s Leoneda Inge for a discussion of her artistic research and the new Southern Futures Digital Platform and Archive
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., October 5, 2023 – This afternoon, Carolina Performing Arts (CPA) will partner with UNC-Chapel Hill Libraries to host “Rooted in Research,” a discussion between Southern Futures at CPA Artist-in-Residence Rhiannon Giddens and WUNC Race and Southern Cultures Reporter Leoneda Inge. In a wide-ranging conversation, Giddens will touch on the challenges of artistic research and the development of important American art forms.
“As a musician and as the composer of Omar, Rhiannon has brought unprecedented visibility to essential Carolina stories,” said Alison Friedman, the James and Susan Moeser Executive and Artistic Director at CPA. “It’s inspiring to see her continue that throughout this research residency. UNC Libraries has been a crucial partner in this critical work of primary-source excavation.”
During the event, Giddens will also introduce the Southern Futures Digital Platform and Archive. This new resource is the culmination of a multi-year effort documenting the research and creative processes of various Southern Futures artists-in-residence at CPA, including Giddens herself. It provides free public access to artist-generated materials, behind-the-scenes stories and resources drawn from UNC Libraries. These elements provide important context and background on the many networks of creators, histories, communities and ideas that define the Southern Futures initiative.
“This platform makes visible a rich tapestry of artistic practices and scholarly commentary within local, national and historical contexts,” said Taylor Barrett, Southern Futures archivist and digital project lead. “It’s a treasure trove of documentation and storytelling, now accessible to students and scholars in the South and across the world.”
Visit southernfuturescpa.org to explore this dynamic new resource. To learn more about Rhiannon’s visit, as well as her upcoming 2024 performance with Martha Redbone, Pura Fé and Charly Lowry, click here.
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About Carolina Performing Arts
Carolina Performing Arts is the leading multi-arts presenter in the American South, housed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Our mission is to spark curiosity and inspire community members to discover and more deeply engage with the world. We collaborate with artists from Carolina’s campus and across the globe to create performing arts experiences. In under two decades, CPA has presented thousands of performances and master classes by more than 450 artists from 56 countries and territories, commissioned 69 new works and hosted 48 world and U.S. premieres. Our performances, engagement efforts and campus partnerships have reached hundreds of thousands of patrons, students and faculty.
About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, is a global higher education leader. Carolina is passionately public, with a commitment to ensuring that every student who earns admission can come to Carolina and thrive. Addressing the greatest challenges of our time through innovative teaching, research and public service, Carolina is an engine of opportunity for the next generation of students, the economy and innovation in North Carolina and beyond. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Carolina regularly ranks as the best value for academic quality in U.S. public higher education. More than 361,000 alumni of Carolina’s 15 schools including the College of Arts and Sciences live in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories and 149 countries. Nearly 190,000 live in North Carolina.
