To the Moon!!

We are over the top about our new website, upyourarts.org which launched without a glitch last month, courtesy of Frontage Marketing Group. The activity has been atmospheric ever since, because of these cool, new features, with lots of links and cross-references:

• Calls for artists, grants, exhibitions, and residencies
• Videos of all Live from R&B’s House performances (Lucylu Productions)
• Updates of everything we’re up to, including saving the hall. (Y’all.)
• A photo gallery of real local people and real local places — see if you can spot yourself!
• Archived newsletters and press clippings
• And, the event calendar is baaaack!

It’s a whole new world: there’s much, much more!

Arts Center Project Moving Forward

On December 10, the Southport Board of Aldermen formally approved a continuation of our Save the Hall, Y’all campaign to establish an arts center in the heart of the city’s downtown. Targeted planning for the rebuilding of Southport’s former city hall and historic Brunswick County Courthouse on Moore Street will take place in 2021, with significant milestones achieved to ensure construction can begin the following year.

Up Your Arts invites you to ring in the new year with us — read all about upcoming art center plans here.

Not One, but TWO, Arts Council Grants!

Up Your Arts is celebrating the recent award of two grants from the North Carolina Arts Council through its local agency, the Brunswick Arts Council. We couldn’t be prouder of our partnership with these two organizations!

A Grassroots Arts Grant for $2,500 will support the performance of a Gullah heritage storyteller at our 2021 Southport Plein Air Festival, and the NC Cares for Arts Program grant will reimburse us for expenses related to scheduled events that had to be cancelled, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

… and Diana makes 11

We are pleased to introduce Diana Setaro, Up Your Arts’ newest board member. This marks the first time we have had the full complement of 11 directors anticipated in our bylaws — yes, we are finally maxed out!

Diana is a familiar name to families in the greater Southport area. The retired social worker supervisor with Brunswick County Child Protective Services has contributed to the local community professionally and altruistically for more than two decades, since she moved here from Southern California. Diana’s current focus on pregnant and parenting teens with Samara’s Village allows her to continue taking an active part in the village it takes to raise a child.

As vital to this inclusive worldview is Diana’s conviction about the role creative arts play in nurturing a healthy environment for all ages. Up Your Arts has a bigger heart and more open arms under Diana’s watch.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Metallic Fruit?
Up Your Arts board member Emma Thomas was awarded another Golden Pineapple last month from the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce for superior customer service at her Southport business, The Adventure Kayak Company. After previously winning a dozen of these coveted awards, you would think resting on her laurels was in order. No way, no how, not if Emma’s customers keep having a say-so!

Who to Watch For
Not to be outdone, UYA board chairperson Robert Carroll recently earned this year’s 40 Under 40 designation from the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. Chosen with 39 other young honorees from a pool of 170 across the Cape Fear Region, Robert was celebrated for bringing “fresh ideas to the table” and professional distinction to his expertise in real estate brokerage. Up Your Arts is happy to claim him, too.

Best Customer Service
And, last but not least, Moore Street Market, one of our favorite local partners, won the Small Business Customer Service of the Year award last week from the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce. Owners Andrew Laing and Bridget Reichhart have gone above and beyond since they opened, and Up Your Arts wholeheartedly applauds this recognition.

Livestreaming the Charlie Brown Christmas Album

Plan to spend a much-anticipated holiday hour with the Charlene Brown Trio on December 17 from 7-8pm, when Live from R&B’s House broadcasts a performance of “A Charlie Brown Christmas Album.”

It doesn’t get any better this time of year than bringing Vince Guaraldi’s classic soundtrack live to our local yuletide celebrations with Jamie Hoover on upright bass, Pete Borgia on piano, and Sam Falvo on drums

Upcoming Events

BCC classes
The Southport campus of Brunswick Community College on Lord Street keeps increasing the number and variety of its arts-related classes. Even better news: the Spring schedule is here, instruction fees remain an unbelievable bargain, and there’s still time to sign up. Don’t wait too long, though – classes start in January and fill up fast!

Spring jetport concert
We had so much fun at our Bennie With the Jets concert last month, we decided to do it again. April 17, Cape Fear Regional Jetport, two great bands, food trucks, cheap tickets, and lots of room to social distance, dance with abandon, and dodge the parachutists. Just sayin.

Plein air festival
Calling all painters to sign up for the 2021 Southport Plein Air Festival scheduled May 14-15. Registration opens next month; stay tuned for more details by joining the festival Facebook group here.

Thank You!

Thank you for catching up with us and stay safe!

Until the next one…
Sign up. Show up Stay In. Celebrate and enjoy!

The folks at Up Your Arts