Carrboro is known for a quaint, quirky vibe that inspires artists of all stripes. Now, a group called Creative Carrboro is exploring if the town should formalize the way it supports the arts.

“Is an arts district something that we want to do? Obviously Carrboro has a very rich and full arts culture, but do we need to put some organization around that, some structure? Do we need to take it to the next level? So that has been our mission, to investigate that,” says Carrboro Economic Development Director Annette Stone.

Town officials are partnering with the ArtsCenter and other stakeholders figure out the best ways to nurture the creative community. Art Menuis says that support is vital because while arts are proving a huge draw for the town, increased demand is driving up real estate prices, and some fear that could drive out the working artists and small business owners.

“How do we keep creative businesses, the creative community and creative economy strong in Carrboro given all the pressures? Carrboro is such an incredibly desirable place to live, so how do we keep it affordable instead of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs?”

This Saturday, the organizers of Creative Carrboro want to hear your ideas.

They’re hosting an information gathering and sharing event from 10 a.m. until noon at Carrboro Town Hall.

“What’s exciting about Saturday morning is it’s a much more informal opportunity for citizens and residents to interact with the committee members, check out the information we’ve been gathering first-hand and give us their feedback on key questions,” says Menius.

To find out more:
http://www.creativecarrboro.org/336/Creative-Carrboro
https://www.facebook.com/creativecarrboro

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