Enjoy Plenty of Great Art in Greenville, NC
From live music and sculptures to galleries and museums, you will find a plethora of creativity in eastern North Carolina.
From live music and performing arts venues to public art, museums and galleries, Greenville-Pitt County is awash with creativity. In fact, this region is considered the arts and entertainment hub of eastern North Carolina. If you’re looking for great art in Greenville, here are the best ways interact with the creative scene in this vibrant, supportive community.
Performing Arts
Across the county, the quantity and quality of the performing arts are incredibly impressive. Whether you’re looking for music, dance, theater or a combination, finding it will not be a problem. Touring performing artists appear on the flagship S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series at East Carolina University (ECU) and at the Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival of Eastern North Carolina and the Billy Taylor Jazz Festival.
For music lovers, the Greenville Choral Society, which was started in 1969, welcomes both children and adults to audition to join their ensemble. The organization is made up of more than 100 adults, youth and children. ECU showcases the talent of their students through ECU Opera Theater and Loessin Playhouse.
In the theater world, Greenville’s Magnolia Arts Center is well-known for both its facility and artistic offerings. In Ayden, the nonprofit children’s theater Smiles and Frowns Playhouse fosters a love of the arts from a young age. And in Farmville, the Paramount Theatre, which is owned and operated by the Farmville Community Arts Council (FCAC), is an especially beloved local institution.
“It is truly amazing the bounty of talent that resides in Farmville and surrounding areas,” says Fred Austin, executive director of the FCAC.
Live Music
Craving the sweet sound of music in the air? Greenville’s got you covered. While many local establishments offer live music, one can always be counted on for a good time: A.J. McMurphy’s, an authentic Irish pub and restaurant. With a rhythm and blues open mic on Monday nights, music bingo on Thursday nights and live music on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights, there is quite literally something for every musical taste.
If you prefer to hear those floating notes in the great outdoors, there are excellent opportunities to do so in the region. A Greenville tradition since 1973, Sunday in the Park is a summer concert series that takes place at the Toyota Amphitheater on the Town Common.
The Town Common is also where the Concert on the Common series takes place. A relatively new tradition, it began five years ago when Inner Banks Media, which owns multiple local radio stations, spearheaded the idea, finding support and partnership with the city and The Junior League of Greenville, NC. The free concert series features a wide array of musical talent, with a special emphasis on tribute bands.
“It’s a great family event,” says Henry Hinton, president of Inner Banks Media. “A lot of kids play down in front of the stage where parents can watch them while they’re watching the show.”
Museums, Galleries and Public Art
Calling all art lovers: Greenville-Pitt County is bursting at the seams with public art, museums and galleries. A few public works of art you must feast your eyes on include “Whisper Benches” by sculptor Jim Gallucci; the “C.M. Eppes Memorial,” a relief wall and gateway reminiscent of C.M. Eppes High School, a Black high school in Greenville that burned down in the 1970s after integration; and mural-adorned traffic boxes painted by Ramiro Davaro-Comas, Dee Dee Oliver and Carlos Romero.
As for museums, the Greenville Museum of Art offers a mix of traveling exhibitions as well as a permanent collection. Nearby, ECU’s Wellington B. Gray Gallery features both traveling exhibits and artwork from its students, faculty and staff.
Pitt County Arts Council’s headquarters can be found at Emerge Gallery & Art Center (EGAC), a staple in the Greenville arts community for both displaying art and offering workshops and classes. Plus, EGAC is the anchor and a partner in presenting the First Friday ArtWalk, now featuring the Emerald Express trolley circulator. More than 24 exhibition and pro-arts spaces participate in activating Downtown Greenville at these free events.
“Emerge supports local artists through exhibition opportunities, different grants, and the ability to promote themselves on our artist database and Pitt County arts calendar,” says Holly Garriott, executive director of EGAC. “We also offer weekly adult classes in pottery, metal design, painting and bookmaking as well as youth classes, including our summer camps for children.”
Get to Know Greenville-Pitt County
Want to learn more about living and working in Greenville, NC? Check out the latest edition of Livability Greenville-Pitt County, North Carolina.
