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Orange Co. Arts Commission

Promoting and strengthening the artistic and cultural development of Orange County, North Carolina

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      • OPEN NOW: Grassroots Program Grant
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    • Weave & Spin Open Mic
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    • July 11: Clothing and Art Swap at the Eno Arts Mill
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Programs


The roles of the Orange County Arts Commission include the following:

  • Serve as the N.C. Arts Council Designated County Partner for Orange County.
  • Manage state Grassroots Arts Program funds, as well as county arts grants funds, through an annual grants cycle for artists, schools and nonprofit organizations creating high-quality, diverse, cultural programs and projects in Orange County.
  • Manage emergency relief efforts for the arts community, including fundraising, federal/state grants management, information disbursement, and advocacy.
  • Promote artists and arts happenings through our website monthly e-news, social media (@OCNCarts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) as well as traditional media sources.
  • Participate in several Triangle-wide arts programs including the Piedmont Laureate Program, the U.S. 4th Congressional District High School Art Competition, and Durham Arts Council Emerging Artists Program.
  • Initiate and facilitate public art throughout Orange County.
  • Serve as the primary advocate for the arts in Orange County, making sure our community, elected officials and community leaders understand the critical and significant role the arts play in our economy, community and schools.
  • Serve as a source of information for local agencies and organizations regarding all areas of arts administration, including programming, fundraising and marketing.
  • Help provide physical space for the arts through our partnership with the Eno River Mill in Hillsborough.
  • Connect the creative community through special events and happenings.
  • Provide resources (training, money, promotion) to artists and arts organizations in Orange County.

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ONGOING CLASSES

 

Drop-In Life Drawing Studio
with Tom Stevens
2nd Tuesdays of the month: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
4th Tuesdays of the month: 3:00 – 5:00 PM
NEW, TEMPORARY LOCATION: Tom Stevens Gallery @ 126 W King St in Hillsborough, NC
$15 per session
Ages 18+

Join us for Life Drawing sessions facilitated by Tom Stevens. Each session will start with a round of 2 and 5 minute poses, followed by three rounds of 20 minute poses. No instruction, but a great opportunity to practice your life drawing/painting skills from poses by a live nude model. Artists provide their own materials. Absolutely no photography or video allowed in the sessions.
The studio is located on the second floor of 126 W King Street in Hillsborough, and the building has no elevator; participants must be able to navigate stairs to access.

 

Junk Journal Artisans Meet-Up
This meet-up is PAUSED until the move back to the Eno Mill.
Every Thursday
10 AM – 1 PM
Eno Arts Mill Classroom
$5 per session, drop-ins welcome

This Junk Journal Artisans Meet-up is a gathering of individuals who share a passion for creating and embellishing junk journals. This drop-in club provides a supportive space for artists to work on their journals together, share ideas and techniques, and learn from each other’s experiences. Bring your work in progress and craft with others in a shared space. Each artist will be responsible for bringing their own supplies to each session.

 

Community Craft Lab
with Shaerie Mead
3rd Saturdays
2 – 5 PM
West Campus Office Building, 131 Margaret Ln, RM 004 Hillsborough, NC
FREE
Join us for a casual crafternoon of creativity! Bringing together makers of all different experience levels and mediums, our goal is to create community, foster imagination, pass along skills, or just chill out for a bit. Follow the prompt / project of the day, or bring your own work in progress & supplies. Meetup is FREE with registration! Come take a deep breath, be inspired, and leave feeling a bit more connected.

 

Teen Arts Collective: LGBTQIA+
with Natalia Torres del Valle
Every Tuesday
5:00 – 6:00 PM
Eno Arts Mill Classroom
FREE

This weekly group is a safe and creative space for LGBTQIA+ identifying teens. Group sessions are led by Natalia Torres del Valle, MA, Registered Expressive Arts Therapist #2104. Interest in any art form is welcome. Basic visual art materials are provided and teens are encouraged to bring supplies to express themselves in their favorite artistic medium (i.e. visual, music, writing, movement, drama). Sessions begin with a grounding exercise, an art exploration centered on a theme, and ends with group processing. Email Natalia with interest at: Natalia Torres del Valle contact@littlehouseartstherapy.com

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Copyright © 2026 Orange County Arts Commission
(919) 245-2129
437 DIMMOCKS MILL RD., SUITE 17 | HILLSBOROUGH, NC 27278
Website by Tomatillo Design

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