Johnston County Creates: 50 Years of Creativity

Book Synopsis: Johnston County Creates is a unique collaboration featuring 13 creative organizations, businesses, and educators and spotlighting over 50 creative individuals in celebration of the Johnston County Arts Council’s 50th anniversary. Among these pages is a wealth of creative resources, including local libraries and museums. Johnston County Creates also pays tribute to the legacy artists and leaders who continue to shape the county’s creative landscape.

Discover a wealth of enticing photography, inspirational stories, and valuable resources, including libraries, museums, legacy artists, and leaders that have shaped Johnston County’s creative landscape.

Explore:
• a grassroots group that used an arts grant to spark change in a small town;
• a dance instructor’s academy that has been a positive influence on 7,000 young dancers;
• three venues that have brought a combined 100 years of live music and play performances to the area, and more.

Meet:
• an Emmy award-winning filmmaker who got his start at age 10 when his mom bought the family’s first camcorder;
• a Nashville songwriter who composes original sound healing music;
• a chiropractic physician who used painting to heal from her traumatic brain injury, and many more.

Johnston County Creates belongs on every home’s coffee table and in every professional’s creative space.

“Johnston County Creates is an attractive, engaging, comprehensive, and delightful book featuring painters, dancers, potters, musicians, chefs, educators, and writers produced by a very talented group in Johnston County, North Carolina.”
– Donna Bailey-Taylor, president and CEO, Johnston County Visitor’s Bureau.

“Johnston County has grown and changed from a largely rural population of 65,000 in the early 1970s to an urban community with an estimated population of 230,000 today. We are building on a marvelous foundation. As one can see in the pages of this book, the future of the arts in Johnston County looks bright.”
– K. Todd Johnson, executive director, Johnston County Heritage Center

Johnston County Creates provides opportunities for artists throughout the community to share their stories, publish their creative work, connect with yet-to-be discovered creatives, and highlight 50 years of creativity in and around the community.

Join the creative conversation on Facebook:@JohnstonCountyCreates

Proceeds from book sales fund Johnston County Arts Council programs and artist support grants.

This project is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.