Over three years ago, then-Vice-Provost for Graduate Studies and Research Tom Meyer gathered together a handful of arts folks on campus to begin a discussion. They talked about their needs, their challenges, and the many strengths and opportunities among the diverse performing, visual, and literary programs at Carolina. Others soon came on board, and the Creative and Performing Arts Discussion Group created a vision that the arts at UNC would enjoy the visibility deserving of a hallowed tradition that has yielded such talents as Doris Betts, Paul Green, Andy Griffith, Charles Kuralt, Thomas Wolfe, and many more. That vision also called for increased collaboration among the University departments, as well as with other arts organizations and artists throughout North Carolina and beyond.

After careful planning, commitments of financial resources, office space, and administrative support came generously for a three-year pilot period from the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice Provost, the College of Arts & Sciences, the Ackland Art Museum, and the departments of Art, Communications Studies, Dramatic Art, English, the Creative Writing Program, and Music. As we seek to expand those funds from a variety of sources, we give a heartfelt thanks to those who stepped to the plate early and took a leap of faith that this experiment would succeed. Thus, Arts Carolina was born.

The office officially opened in January 2000 when I took the reins as Arts Carolinaís first permanent director. Two part-time assistants, Rosemary Howard and Jules Odendahl (both are graduate students in the Department of Communications Studies) joined the staff in July. We are here to provide one-stop-shopping for information about the arts events at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Through a printed news tabloid and calendar in partnership with the Herald-Sun Niche Publications each semester, our Arts Information line at 919-843-ARTS, and our new website, we want to send you the message that the arts at UNC are vital and abundant. We invite and welcome you to check out the exciting array of events on campus.

We welcome your feedback on our new site and your ideas for strengthening the arts at Carolina. Please let us know your thoughts and

Enjoy the arts this fall!

Amy Brannock
Director, Arts Carolina