Somewhere & Elsewhere

Join us as we take you inside the Polish Festival in Castle Hayne, North Carolina, an annual celebration of Polish heritage hosted by St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. Held every November, the festival is a vibrant gathering filled with authentic Polish cuisine, lively traditional music, and energetic dancing. In this episode, we capture the sights and sounds of the festival through interviews with attendees, conversations about what draws people to this cherished event, and live recordings of the music that brings the community together. Whether you're a longtime festival-goer or hearing about it for the first time, this episode offers a rich glimpse into a beloved local tradition. The next festival is scheduled for Saturday, November 1, 2025, from 11 am to 5 pm.Learn more at: ststanspolishfestival.org.

In this episode of Somewhere and Elsewhere, we sit down with Corey Scott, co-owner and chef of On Thyme Restaurant in Wilmington, North Carolina. Corey takes us through his journey—from washing dishes at a hospital to launching a beloved spot on Castle Street. With support from his wife and inspired by family traditions, he shares how he learned to cook in his childhood kitchen and turned that passion into a culinary career.Scott talks about the challenges of running a business, the impact of the pandemic on his catering and food truck ventures, and the power of faith and community in overcoming obstacles. As he redefines soul food with his creative dishes, Corey remains rooted in his beginnings and committed to building a space where customers become family.Produced by audio contributor Nick SzuberlaArtwork by Day CamposecoMusic by  PenguinMusic – Better Day from Pixabay.On Thyme Restaurant is located at 918 Castle St, Wilmington, NC 28401.

In this episode of Somewhere & Elsewhere, we hear about an exciting youth media project that brings together storytelling and media arts skills. Hosted by Akshay Gokul, this episode dives into the Coastal Healing Project, an initiative in Carteret County empowering local youth through art, storytelling, and media. Our guest, Sarah Sloan, co-director/founder of the project, shares how this program is transforming lives by giving young people the tools to shape their narratives. Hear from poet Jaelah Vann, one of the talented youth participants, whose work captures the essence of life in Beaufort. Join us as we celebrate the resilience and creativity of our coastal communities.

Somewhere and Elsewhere sat down with event producer, and local documentary filmmaker Christopher Everett to talk about his upcoming event featuring Talib Kweli. Somewhere and Elsewhere sat down with event producer, and local documentary filmmaker Christopher Everett to talk about his upcoming event featuring Talib Kweli.TALIB KWELI LIVE IN CONCERT: FEATURING SKYZOO + LANDON WORDSWELLFresh off the heels of 50 years of hip-hop and the first annual 3 Chambers Festival, 3 Chambers presents Talib Kweli Live in Concert featuring Skyzoo, Landon Wordswell and Trvy & The Enemy. Also performing live is Wilmington's own S. Dot Lee. Hosted by Coast 97.3 FM's DJ Bigg B.Join us for a historic night of hip-hop at Waterline Brewing Company in Wilmington, North Carolina on Monday, July 22. Doors open at 7 PM. Show starts at 8 PM.  This is an outdoor event.Early Bird Tickets: SOLD OUTGeneral Advance Tickets: $30Tickets at the Door: $40RAIN DATE: JULY 29THLOCATIONWaterline Brewing Co., 28401

Hosted by Kevin Lee-Y Green and Terrill Williams Featuring filmmaker, poet, and organizer Ricki NelsonMusic by  PenguinMusic – Better Day from Pixabay.Ricki Nelson, a Wilmington native, UNCW graduate, and reigning Miss Black North Carolina USA, is having an amazing year.  Her film "I Am Not Your Black Girl" recently won a film festival and her TikTok community is continuing to grow.  She sat down with Somewhere & Elsewhere to talk about her work including the launch of her organization Black Creatives Social Club. 

Hosted by Kevin Lee-Y Green and Terrill WilliamsFeaturing filmmaker and producer Dru RichardsMusic by  PenguinMusic – Better Day from PixabaySomewhere and Elsewhere sits down with Wilmington independent filmmaker Dru Richards.  Richards describes has journey to picking up the camera and how he sustains himself creating work.  

Hosted by Kevin Lee-Y Green and Terrill Williams Featuring artist and producer Regina McLeod Music by  PenguinMusic – Better Day from Pixabay.Regina McLeod is a longtime artist and producer working in coastal North Carolina and nationally.  Her company, Cleod Nine Productions is currently producing Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery, a play by Shay Youngblood.  Terrill and Kevin sit down in the Shoresides' studios to learn about McLeod's background and recent projects. 

Somewhere & Elsewhere sat down with Kim Henry of Theatre for All to learn more about this amazing company in coastal North Carolina.  Theatre for all was born out of a desire that people with disabilities deserve and are important members of our arts community.  Learn more about Theatre for All and how to get involved. Music by PenguinMusic - Better Day from Pixabay.  

Coming up on Somewhere and Elsewhere.Around the country, traditional regional theater companies are struggling. A recent report says shares that theater companies stil of various sizes are in deep financial trouble, in what is rapidly turning into the most severe crisis in the 70-year history of the regional theater movemen.But a new refrain is being heard. Small Means All. Theater companies are finding new ways and new audiences.What does this all mean for the coastal region's arts? And what does it mean for these community theater companies that hold a  mirror to their communities, reflecting their stories, struggles, and triumphs?In an upcoming report, we will explore what Smalls Means All for the coastal region theater scene. 

We are following Techmoja Dance and Theater Company as they create a new work on sexual trauma in rural Black communities in the South.  In this episode founder Kevin Lee-Y Green talks developing work informed by the place he lives - coastal North Carolina. Kevin has a conversation with Thomas F. DeFrantz who is a scholar, dancer,  choreographer, and the author of Dancing Revelations: Alvin Ailey's Embodiment of African American Culture.  DeFrantz speaks to strategies for touring, as well as the process of creating new work.  (note this interview was done while DeFrantz was based in North Carolina / please check link to his site for updated bio information) Quiet As It's Kept follows choreographer Kevin Lee-Y Green as he creates a new dance work addressing sexual trauma through  the lens of Blackness and southern culture.  While there are a few tough stories in this podcast series this is a story about the power of dance and culture to build resilience in ourselves and communities. 

This episode starts with our host Kevin sharing a traumatic experience from his teenage years.  He shares this with you, the listener, so that you can better understand the context for his effort to create a new dance work addressing sexual trauma.  Some listeners might find this story upsetting, so please take care of your needs.  Kevin shares a little more about the Techmoja company and their mission and brings his friend therapist Franchon Francees into the conversation.  Francees talks about the role racial identity plays in understand sexual trauma and the steps to take for healing .  Quiet As It's Kept follows choreographer Kevin Lee-Y Green as he creates a new dance work addressing sexual trauma through  the lens of Blackness and southern culture.  While there are a few tough stories in this podcast series this is a story about the power of dance and culture to build resilience in ourselves and communities. 

We are following Techmoja Dance and Theater Company as they create a new work on sexual trauma in rural Black communities in the South.  In this episode founder Kevin Lee-Y Green talks about what informed his decision to return home to Bolivia, North Carolina to create dance.  He describes the act of creating Techmoja, in the face of white dominated arts ecology in coastal Carolina, as an act of rebellion.   Kevin introduces us to company member Terrill Williams as we learn about the context for Black artists making work in small southern towns.  We learn that many art spaces were built by enslaved people and ironically Black artists have difficulty accessing those spaces as their whole selves.   Quiet As It's Kept follows choreographer Kevin Lee-Y Green as he creates a new dance work addressing sexual trauma through  the lens of Blackness and southern culture.  While there are a few tough stories in this podcast series this is a story about the power of dance and culture to build resilience in ourselves and communities. 

Quiet As It's Kept follows choreographer Kevin Lee-Y Green as he creates a new dance work addressing sexual trauma through  the lens of Blackness and southern culture.  Green works from his rural community in the coastal Carolina where he directs Techmoja Dance and Theater Company. Using his own story of sexual trauma as point of departure we learn about the power of dance in his life.  While there are a few tough stories in this podcast series this is a story about the power of dance and culture to build resilience in ourselves and communities. In this episode Green starts us off sharing a little about his life growing up  in Bolivia, North Carolina and introduces us to family friend, Reverend Dierdre Parker as a way of taking us along with him on his artistic journey. 

Greenville, North Carolina based acrylic, gouache, and digital artist Rakîa Jackson (Black Peace Art) speaks with host Brittani Smith about the challenges of being an artist and how she incorporates self-healing into her practice.Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, Somewhere & Elsewhere  uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.

Art teachers and professors do much more for their students than just teaching art. However, their ability to engage and inspire students beyond the scope of artistic endeavors often goes unnoticed beyond the realm of their school or institution. Host Antoine Williams talks with Cornell D. Jones, a mixed media artist who teaches art at Fayetteville State University as well as at the elementary level, about collaboration, the role of arts educators for students, and how identity influences his artistic endeavors. 

Art is a powerful tool for personal growth and shaping one's identity. With the growing accessibility of digital art and graphic design, more and more artists have the opportunity to use art for change, and represent their identity through that art. Host Antoine Williams talks with Jacinda Aytch, a graphic designer and illustrator residing in Greenville, North Carolina. She discusses her inspirations, how she finds identity through her art, and the representation of women of color in media. This episode was produced by Dana Rossi.Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, Somewhere & Elsewhere  uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.

Want to vote early in coastal North Carolina? Here's how.¿Quieres votar temprano en la costa de Carolina del Norte? Escucha este anuncio. 

Shane Fernando has a long history as a member of the arts community in Wilmington, NC. In his current role as the Vice President of Advancement and Arts for the Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College, he shares some of the ways that he and his team are working to provide more access to the performing arts through work programs for students, stage and technology access for local performance groups, free tickets for nonprofit groups, and new technology being developed for the differently-abled. Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, Somewhere & Elsewhere uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Photo courtesy of the Wilson Center. 

Murals are not just large paintings on a wall - they carry so much more history, meaning and importance. Erica Nelson, a muralist who runs her own business, Mural Modern, installs art in the Wilmington area. In this episode, she describes the art of painting murals, their importance and the challenges of working during COVID. Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, Somewhere & Elsewhere uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Photo courtesy of Mural Modern. 

Covid-19 has drastically changed our lives, including the way we learn and educate our future generations. Early education has had to radically adapt, and with that comes the challenge of providing a well-rounded education to elementary, middle, and high school students. Irese Robinson, founder and creative director of New Freedom Hill, discusses these challenges, the adaptations of arts education, why it is important to continue to teach art as we transition online and how the future of arts and media production careers is rapidly growing. Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, Somewhere & Elsewhere uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Photo courtesy of New Freedom Hill. 

Brittani Smith (@PropheticPoetic, @JourneyBBones) is a poet from Wilmington, North Carolina. In this episode, Smith describes and performs her poem, "They Call Her Sapphire." Smith speaks about the history of the angry Black woman stereotype and how she's addressing it with her art. Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, Somewhere & Elsewhere uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.

Wilmington on Fire, a 2015 feature-length documentary that tells the story of The Wilmington Massacre of 1898, is about to have a sequel: Wilmington on Fire II. The sequel will show Wilmington, North Carolina's modern day community members and their forms of activism - whether it's fighting for reparations, protesting police brutality, or building the black business community. North Carolina filmmaker Christopher Everett is the film's director. Everett is the founder of Speller Street Films and BLK Docs, as well as the Communications Manager for the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina. Wilmington on Fire is streaming on Amazon Prime and a campaign to support Wilmington on Fire II is posted on Seed & Spark. Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, Somewhere & Elsewhere uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.

It can be devastating to lose irreplaceable items like family photographs or heirlooms to a storm. Here are 5 tips from Katy Menne, educational curator for the NC Maritime Museum in Southport, to ensure that your memories survive the upcoming hurricane season.In reference to the dishwasher question:https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/dishwasher-hurricane/More tips on caring for private or family collections: https://www.nedcc.org/assets/media/images/Pres_Fam_Collections_2013.pdfThis episode was produced by Dana Rossi. Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, Somewhere & Elsewhere uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

"I take the stewardship of the collection real seriously... I want to do the best I can to keep the treasures safe for future generations of North Carolinians." Come hurricane season, collection managers in museums across the Carolina coast are asking themselves – am I doing the most that I can to preserve my culture's history? Over the years, NC coastal museums have developed many tried and true rituals for protecting their town's most sacred items. But, as we learn in this episode, most museum staff still aren't sleeping through the night when a hurricane rolls through. In this episode we speak to Lynn Anderson, collections manger of the NC Maritime Museum System and Chris Sawin, executive director of Dare Arts Council. This episode was produced by Christian Green. Photo by Jannette Pippin.Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, Somewhere & Elsewhere uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

When you think of protests, art is probably not the first thing to come to mind. North Carolina artist Antoine Williams talks about how art has the ability to motivate change and become part of the conversation, but efforts should not end there. This episode was produced by Elena Hernandez.Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, Somewhere & Elsewhere uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

Nicole Triche is a professor at Elon University and director of "All Skate, Everybody Skate", a documentary about the 50-year-old Topsail Island Skate Rink located above a rural post office and the woman who runs it all. Triche discusses why documentaries are such a powerful medium and how filmmakers in small, rural areas are able to cover global issues through their own town's stories.This episode was produced by Dana Rossi.Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

Design is everything. It has the power to impact us in ways we may not even be aware of. Freelance graphic designer Emma Cooper, of Wilmington, NC discusses the responsibility she feels for using art to create change, the ability to make a living through her art, and the power we hold as creators and designers. This episode was produced by Dana Rossi.Broadcast from the Shoresides studio, this series uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

Hunters and carvers along the Core Sound have been hand-carving wooden duck decoys for well over a century. In this episode, three members of the Core Sound Decoy Carver's Guild on Harkers Island walk us through the history of that tradition, how it has changed, and what it can teach us about how culture moves. Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild: https://decoyguild.com/Wayne Davis: https://decoyguild.com/the-guild/Jerry Talton: https://jerrytaltondecoys.com/Casey Arthur: https://www.caseyadecoys.com/Joshua Hinson: http://www.lokosh.com/This episode was produced by Christian Green.Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

 It often seems that success in the arts means becoming prominent in a big city, or at least moving somewhere that's not a small town in Eastern North Carolina. But for Maximillian Mozingo, a mixed medium artist based out of Kinston, North Carolina, working locally has made a tremendous impact on his life and career. He discusses his connection to the community, how he finds support through programs like SMARTKinston, and why local art matters. This episode was produced by Dana Rossi.Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

For many, surfboards can be seen as pieces of art more than functional tools. But to shaper Gary Wilson, the functional and craft comes first, and the art is an ever evolving and changing trend that follows.  Instagram: @kineticsurfWebsite: https://kineticsurfdesigns.com/This episode was produced by Dana Rossi.Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

Kevin Spears cares deeply about how his community is represented. Today, Spears is most known for his community organizing and his seat on Wilmington's City Council. But years before any of that, Spears was organizing poetry events to build community and provide a platform to those around him to use their art.This episode was produced by Christian Green.Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

For most of her childhood on Harkers Island, Abigail Garland didn't think she could become an artist because she couldn't draw. Then, a trip to a museum showed her how much more art could be than lines on canvas. Now, the 18 year old is working to make sure the next generation sees just how much art surrounds them.  Abigail Garland on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCesiL3lQ7YjZqoW5x3su7cgThis episode was produced by Christian Green.Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

Covid-19 has affected us in almost every aspect of our lives, and the local film festival industry of coastal North Carolina is no exception. Dan Brawley, Chief Instigating Officer of Cucalorus Film Festival discusses how upcoming festivals like Surfalorus are adapting and responding to the challenges of social distancing, while still trying to share the creative works of local filmmakers. This episode was produced by Dana Rossi.Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

Content Warning: This episode deals with self harm and suicide.Olivia Stubblefield of Wilmington, NC, has been making art her entire life, but it wasn't until she reached one of her darkest points that she realized just how much art meant to her. Now, she uses her art and her blog to remind herself and others of how much joy there is to be had in life.You can follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bipolarlili/ or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bipolarlili/This episode was produced by Christian Green.Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)

From on set production jobs to higher up creative positions, fewer women hold these jobs in the film industry than men. The gender imbalance in film is a pervasive issue even on a local scale. Filmmaker Erica O'Brien describes her experiences as a woman trying to find her way in the film industry, and how she grew to find her voice and her identity as an artist. O'Brien also explains the story of the group Creative Coven, a network for female filmmakers.This episode was produced by Elena Hernandez.Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series uncovers stories from artists across the coastal Carolina region.Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/)