Arts Councils Present Gift to CBC and WRAL as Thanks for Second Big Night In

Leaders of the four Triangle arts councils stopped by WRAL-TV on Thursday, September 1, 2022, to meet with station management and present CBC and WRAL with a pottery jar by NC artist Mark Hewitt on as thanks for their partnership on the second annual Big Night In For the Arts this past spring.

Capitol Broadcasting and WRAL-TV proudly help raise $265,400 through the one-hour program which aired on WRAL on Thursday, March 10, and featured performances from a super-star lineup of artists from North Carolina. The evening benefited the United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County, Chatham Arts Council, Durham Arts Council and Orange County Arts Commission.

The group included Orange County Arts Commission Director Katie Murray, Chatham Arts Council Artistic Director Cheryl Chamblee, United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County Vice President for Education and Community Programs Ragen Carlile and Development Coordinator Laura Montgomery, along with the recently installed President & CEO Jennifer McEwen. Durham Arts Council Executive Director Sherry DeVries sent her regards.

The group presented CBC and WRAL with a two-gallon pottery jar made by NC artist Mark Hewitt. He blended North Carolina potter traditions in the piece.

“The yellow ask glaze on the shoulder and lid is from the Catawba Valley tradition, while the salt-glazed lower half is from the Randolph County tradition,” Hewitt said of the piece. “Blending the two is emblematic of modern North Carolina while also acknowledging our world-class heritage.”

Carlile filled to roll of interim chief of United Arts for the past year. She proudly took part in the presentation of the pottery artwork to CBC and WRAL.

“The Triangle arts community is so grateful for the ongoing support and partnership with WRAL,” she said. “In this time of transition, to have a partner like WRAL gives us a platform to showcase the value of the arts to so many viewers at once. Reaching 37k+ households with a single event is unheard of in the arts and there is no way that any one of us could have made this type of impact possible.”

The pandemic has been a time of challenge and of change but has also resulted in creative solutions like Big Night In, which have turned out to be a big success.

“Having undergone its own leadership transition over the past year, I am so pleased to now welcome Jenn McEwen as the new President & CEO of United Arts,” added Carlile. “She’s eager to jump in – both to the community and this partnership with CBC – and can’t wait to get started on Big Night In 2023!”