Rowan-Cabarrus Community College will host its second Literary & Fine Arts Festival April 7-11. The free, family-friendly festival is open to the public; it was developed by school faculty.
The festival is collaboration between the English and fine arts faculty and uses the expertise and creativity of the faculty and their literary and fine arts associates to provide a festival that will grow annually. The festival will include music and drama this year.
The festival’s signature events include an evening at the Norvell Theater with authors Cathy Smith Bowers and Robert Morgan, as well as a celebration featuring The Embers at Kannapolis Village Park.
Bowers, former poet laureate of North Carolina, has dealt with great loss. She navigated her heartache by writing five poetry collections. Her goal is to demonstrate the power of the spoken word in transforming hurts and pains into healing and to celebrate triumphs and joys. Smith Bowers teaches poetry at Queens University in Charlotte.
Author Kelly McCullough will bring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to life. McCullough has 11 published or forthcoming science fiction novels. His stories have appeared in numerous publications, including Chronicles of the Wandering Star, which was written as part of a National Science Foundation middle school science project.
Morgan grew up on a farm in the N.C. mountains. He is the author of 11 poetry books, three nonfiction books and eight novels, including the bestselling “Gap Creek.” He teaches at Cornell University. He won the Academy of Arts and Letters Award for Literature in 2007.
Visiting artist Peg Gignoux is an artist, designer and educator who consistently links literacy with visual images.
The festival will be held in conjunction with the Salisbury Sculpture Tour, which will install new pieces beginning Friday, April 5. In recent years, RCCC has had two sculptures from the tour and will continue its participation.
The college’s annual Weaver’s Knot Awards, Creative Writing Awards and Literary Awards will be also be announced.
A finalized schedule of events is upcoming.
Garrett White, author of “A Boy’s Best Friend,” will read, discuss and sign books noon-3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb 23, at Literary Bookpost, 110 S. Main St. The book showcases his love for the outdoors, relationships and responsibility through taking care of a beloved pet.