Orange County Arts Commission Launches Monthly Performance Series and Open Mic at Eno Mill Gallery
On January 11, 2023, the Orange County Arts Commission (OCAC) will introduce Weave & Spin, a monthly performance series and open mic, the first of its kind in Hillsborough.
The series is a collaboration between the OCAC and Hillsborough poet and resident Morrow Dowdle. Inspired by First Fridays at the Mill monthly openings, Dowdle envisioned a space where visual, literary, and performance arts could meet. The series would also compliment the OCAC’s efforts to build community and facilitate social awareness through the arts.
“I wanted to start something that was not your run-of-the-mill poetry reading,” Dowdle stated. “Poetry often comes across as obtuse and inaccessible to the general public. My goal is to make this more inviting and inclusive, especially for people of color and the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s also important to me to create an event that is socially conscious and elevates the voices of marginalized folks, honoring the realities of life across the human spectrum, from the joyous to the traumatic.”
Inspired by Raleigh’s Tongue & Groove open mic, Dowdle decided to expand Weave & Spin beyond poetry to include storytelling, spoken word, and music. Each event will kick off with a featured performer, followed by an open mic, in which participants will have 3-5 minutes to share their work. January’s inaugural event will feature Dasan Ahanu in his first appearance as the 2023 Piedmont Laureate.
“We want Weave & Spin to serve as a venue for poets, storytellers, spoken word artists, and musicians to share their work in a safe, creative space,” said OCAC director Katie Murray. “The nature of being an artist of any type is being vulnerable, but we hope to create an environment where presenters feel comfortable telling their truths, and the audience leaves with feelings of connection and understanding,”
Weave & Spin will take place on the second Wednesday of every month from 7-9 p.m. at the Eno Arts Mill Gallery. Admission is free, and refreshments will be for sale. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Attendees must be 18 and older to enter and perform.
For more information about Weave & Spin, please contact Morrow Dowdle at morrowdowdlepoetry@gmail.com.
