2024-583-E-Arts Commission-Milbre E. Burch-Storytelling as Civic Engagement

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Community Impact Returning to Chapel Hill in 2018, I have taken every opportunity to impact community in my adopted home state through storytelling-focused events: By performing for children at the Kidzu Museum, the Chapel Hill Public Library's Star Party, and the International Children's Day Celebration at the Raleigh Museum. And by performing for adults at house concerts in Chapel Hill; at Clapping Hands Farm and the Roadhouse Storytellers series in Pittsboro; in the virtual National W omen's Theatre Festival in Raleigh; at the Old North State Storytelling Festival in Cary; in the virtual Remembrance and Renewal Storytelling Festival at UNC, and at a fundraiser for resettled Afghan refugees in the Triad. Also by guest lecturing in classes for the Folklore Program, the Performance Studies Program and the School of Information and Library Science at UNC, and teaching from the mountains to the sea -- at Storytellers W ildweek in Little Switzerland and the NC Storytelling Guild's W inter W orkshop in Fort Caswell. Finally by conducting a previous OCAC-funded Artist Project, partnering with the UNC W omen's Center, the Crisis Unit of the Chapel Hill Police Department and the Compass Center for W omen and Families, presenting stories/panels online to benefit survivors of domestic violence. Narrative can be used intentionally to divide a “we” into an “us and them.” But it can also be used to bring people together, creating a new “we.” By offering multiple performances of my retrospective show "Myth America" along with community conversations and voter registration drives, I aim to build "we" relationships with community stakeholders, neighborhood organizers and local advocacy groups in Orange County. My first two confirmed venues are the Binkley Church and the Chapel Hill Public Library. The Binkley Fellowship Hall holds 150-200 people, while the Library's Meeting Rooms A and B have a capacity for 84-162, respectively. Between the two, I hope to attract at least 150 participants. After confirming a Jackson Center partnership, I'll reserve the 100-person Hargraves Community Center Auditorium or its 50-60 person Meeting Room for another event. I expect to hold an event in Hillsborough, possibly at the St. Matthews Episcopal Church (seating 160) or the more intimate Eno Arts Mill Gallery. Between those next two settings, I hope to attract another 125 listeners. Potentially, that's 275 people before I confirm my final neighborhood partners, hopefully the Seymour Center and Carrboro's Century Center. W ith six events planned, I expect to serve at least 350 Orange County residents. W ith help from my neighborhood partners to attract their constituencies, I will also draw from my network in the Triangle, the Triad and statewide to expand our audiences. The final numbers will include not only listeners, but also venue hosts/partners, post-show conversation leaders, voting registration volunteers and those who attend so that they can register to vote. Docusign Envelope ID: 4F5C001D-1290-48A7-83E3-BEF874E0C5BE