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1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: October 6, 2015 <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. 4-a <br /> SUBJECT: Arts & Humanities Month — 2015 Piedmont Laureate James Maxey <br /> DEPARTMENT: Orange County Arts PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br /> Commission <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> Press Release Martha Shannon, 968-2011 <br /> PURPOSE: To introduce and hear a brief selection from Hillsborough resident and speculative <br /> fiction author James Maxey, the 2015 Piedmont Laureate, during National Arts & Humanities <br /> Month (October). <br /> BACKGROUND: The 2015 Piedmont Laureate Program is co-sponsored by the Orange County <br /> Arts Commission, the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, the Durham Arts Council, and United Arts <br /> Council of Raleigh and Wake County. Now in its seventh year, the primary goal of this program is <br /> to promote awareness and heighten appreciation for excellence in the literary arts throughout the <br /> Piedmont region. The Arts Commission participates so that Orange County writers can apply and <br /> Orange County sites can host the Piedmont Laureate free of charge. The Piedmont Laureate is <br /> contracted for 20 events (readings or workshops at schools and public sites) and at least 5 media <br /> appearances throughout the three-county area during calendar year 2015. <br /> The 2015 application process was open to all speculative fiction authors residing in Orange, <br /> Durham or Wake counties who met the guideline criteria. In addition to the program sponsors, the <br /> selection panel included Samuel Montgomery-Blinn (Publisher, Bull Spec Magazine), Mur Lafferty <br /> (speculative fiction author) and Tony Daniel (Editor, Baen Publishing Enterprises). Two finalists <br /> were selected by the panel and interviewed by the program sponsors. James Maxey was chosen. <br /> As a free Halloween offering, Mr. Maxey will be reading his ghost story "Silent As Dust" at the <br /> Burwell School Historic Site in Hillsborough from 7-8 pm on Friday, October 30, 2015. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Arts Commission's portion ($1,350) of the 2015 Piedmont Laureate's <br /> stipend & website (www. iedmontlaureate.com) expenses was paid from FY15 County grant <br /> funds. <br /> SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Orange County Social Justice Goal impact associated <br /> with this item. <br /> RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board recognize James Maxey, the <br /> 2015 Piedmont Laureate. <br />