The Arts in Public Service
In 2015, the Buckley Public Service Scholars (BPSS) program at the Carolina Center for Public Service and Carolina Performing Arts (CPA) partnered to create the Arts in Public Service program, which encourages students to enrich their communities and work toward social change through the arts.
UNC-Chapel Hill and the Triangle area are both rich with opportunities to connect the arts and public service. This may mean pursuing public service in a creative mode, pursuing the arts in a service-oriented mode or some mixture of the two. This program emphasizes expansive definitions of both “service” and “arts,” and advocates for creative modes of connecting them. Arts in Public Service will learn the ways in which the arts have effected and will continue to effect social change, develop necessary skills for engaging in this work themselves and gain first-hand experience supporting local arts and public service projects. The staff supporting this year’s cohort includes Katelyn Bodwell, Program Officer for Community Engagement at CCPS, and Amanda Graham, Associate Director of Engagement at CPA.
Arts in Public Service Components
Arts in Public Service (APS) is a special recognition for Buckley Public Service Scholars to demonstrate their arts-based engagement.
In order to receive this recognition, students must display an arts-based focus when completing their BPSS components. To graduate with a recognition as an APS, students must complete:
- APS Orientation (in addition to the BPSS Orientation.) to learn more about the program and the expectations.Orientations are offered once each Fall and Spring Semester.
- 100 arts-based service hours of your own choosing (of the 300 necessary for BPSS)
- Two arts-based skills trainings (of the four required for BPSS), skills trainings might cover fundraising in the arts, ethical engagement, activism in the arts, and more.
- One arts-connected academic service-learning course of your choice.
- Two of the pre-selected performances – Students are asked to attend a minimum of two performances (tickets provided by CPA) that are pre-selected by staff. These performances will include a staff-led group reflection on connections to community engagement and social change. These performances can count as service hours and will include a pre-flection before the performance and a short written reflection afterwards.
Students will have the opportunity to work with Carolina faculty and staff to help them connect to arts-based projects. Students who complete these requirements, as well as BPSS components, will receive a graduation cord, certificate, transcript notation, and the Arts in Public Service recognition!
How to Get Started
To get started with Arts in Public Service, you must first enroll as a Buckley Public Service Scholar. Once enrolled, you can join the group for Arts in Public Service to see upcoming orientations and events.
2024-2025 APSF Events
Buckley Public Service Scholars looking to receive the recognition in Arts in Public Service can attend any of the below events to count towards this designation. Events can be completed in any order and student must register on the Buckley Portfolio. Events are filled on a first come, first served basis. To register for these events, you must first join the group for Arts in Public Service. This year’s APSF events are:
Performances
- October 25, 2024– This Land Is Our Land, Protected: Martha Redbone Roots Project and American Patchwork Quartet
- November 20, 2024 – American Railroad, Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens
- February 27 & 28, 2025 – Rich With History and other stuff you say at a haunted house, David Neumann, Marcella Murray, and Tei Blow for Advanced Beginner Group
Skill Trainings
- Date TBD – Fundraising & Development for the Arts with Carolina Performing Arts
- Date TBD – Movement in Community with George Barrett
About Carolina Performing Arts
The mission of Carolina Performing Arts is to enrich lives by creating and presenting exceptional arts experiences and connecting them to the UNC community and beyond. Established in 2005 at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carolina Performing Arts presents the very best from the full spectrum of the performing arts: internationally renowned recitalists and orchestras, chamber ensembles, jazz, folk and world music artists, dance and theater.
CPA strives to nurture artistic innovation and the development of new works on and off campus; to challenge and inspire audiences with powerful and transformative performances; and to integrate the arts into the life of the University, embracing its mission of teaching, research and public service.