May 18 – July 22, 2023
Opening Reception May 18 – 6-8pm
The Galleries at Cabarrus Arts Council
65 Union St South | Downtown, Concord NC
Curated by TuxedoKat | Hosted by Cabarrus Arts Council
LIM|NAL:
The Space Between
What is a LIM|NAL space?
The word liminal describes a “threshold”.
A liminal space could be:
- place: a mall at 4am or a school hallway during summer
- metaphysical: a spiritual transformation, a shedding of habits
- mental: between consciousness and unconsciousness
- aesthetic: unique feelings of eeriness, nostalgia, and apprehension
- inevitable: life acting as the space between lifetimes and the death being the space which ushers in the next life
Richard Rohr describes this space as, “where we are betwixt and between the familiar and the completely unknown. There alone is our old world left behind, while we are not yet sure of the new existence. That’s a good space where genuine newness can begin.”
TuxedoKat and LIM|NAL
TuxedoKat became obsessed with the concept of “liminal” after hearing the word in a podcast about “quitting”. She, herself, was in a space of “quitting”, not because her goals were challenging and time consuming but because she was not fulfilled by the places her efforts were taking her. She felt like she was growing in the wrong direction.
Then, the moment came when she quit.
Her quitting opened up an external silence where her permission to withdraw from the world to listen to the voices in her heart, her intuition, her Self was cultivated. This surrender created a cocoon of internal reflection where she could observe old programs of fear-based thought patterns and victory-above-all-else belief systems. In this space between shedding these old programs and consciously rebuilding her identity, she created a new foundation which aligned with the person she wanted to become.
Historic Concord and LIM|NAL
Downtown Concord is about to jump into the 21st Century with three modern, five-over-one, economy-boosting apartments; a courthouse the size of a city block, and a complete makeover to the store fronts of Downtown proper: Union Street. All of these projects will create a new atmosphere in the historic city mingling modern architecture with centuries-old buildings. America’s first gold rush and vital textile industry brought droves of people to Cabarrus County in the 19th & 20th centuries. And now the next boom is approaching as the country-wide mass migration to North Carolina will flood its cities with new influence and overflow into their smaller cultures – including Historic Concord.
So as the construction of the apartments, courthouses and streetscapes overflow into Downtown’s way-of-life, we tune out the beeping of dump trucks and take in the space between the Old and the New Concord.
Before we welcome the wave of new citizens and businesses that will influence our small town culture, we will showcase the creatives who live and influence Concord’s unique “vibe” in there here and now.
The Galleries
The Galleries at The Old Courthouse in Historic Downtown Concord, NC
The Cabarrus Arts Council curates four gallery exhibitions on the first floor of the 1876 historic Cabarrus courthouse each year. The Galleries display works by regional and national artists working in a variety of media.
LIM|NAL: The Galleries
Experience the here and now through creative expressions
Being a creative individual is a product of one’s inner freedom and external environment. LIM|NAL invites those living in the erupting changes that Downtown Concord , Kannapolis, Midland, and Mount Pleasant are experiencing to share their experiences of the NOW – the environment that built us will soon evolve into its next era – before constructions ends and outside influences flood within and add to our ever growing culture.
The Davis Theatre
The Davis Theatre in The Old Courthouse in Historic Concord, NC
One of two of Historic Concord’s theater, The Davis Theatre occupies the former courtroom on the second floor. With 227 seats, the theatre provides an intimate environment that brings audience members close to the performers. The theatre is named for business and community leaders Roy and Sue Davis in tribute to their generous contribution to its renovation.
LIM|NAL: Stage Production
For the first time in Cabarrus Arts Council history, The Davis Theatre will host performances that coincide with the works in The Galleries
Creative expression takes many forms. To explore this, LIM|NAL will not only celebrate our local 2D & 3D creatives but also those on the performance front. You’ll be introduced to our local musicians, spoken word and rap artists, interpretive dancers, and more!
TuxedoKat is seeking any performance-based expression to fill the stage of The Davis Theatre. Please inquire with any questions.
Art Submissions are CLOSED
Featured Artists Announced Friday, March 3
Opinion Submissions OPEN
Submit your opinions into the show
Special Thanks
Cabarrus Arts Council
The Cabarrus Arts Council was founded in 1980 in response to the North Carolina Arts Council’s plan to establish a local arts council in every county. In 1982 the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners selected the arts council to serve as its Designated County Partner, receiving and distributing Grassroots funding from the state and the state arts council.
Today the arts council programs and operates the Davis Theatre and The Galleries, conducts one of North Carolina’s largest art-in-education programs for both the Cabarrus County and Kannapolis City school systems, supports arts organizations and artists through grants and workshops and serves as a catalyst and consultant for public and corporate art.