Cultural organizing Helps us Re-Imagine What is Possible

Written By Dasan Ahanu

Dancers from Stage LYFE in Kinston performed as part of the "Ballots & Balance" roadshow, which focused on driving voter engagement in the fall 2024 election. (Photo credit: Danny Pena)

I joined NCCJC as Cultural Organizing Director in early 2024, bringing my own experience as an artist and cultural organizer as well as a framework and vision for the role of cultural organizers in climate justice movements. Artists help us “Re-imagine” what is possible, and creatively communicate our vision for a just, regenerative, and joyful world. 

NCCJC has been uplifting performing and visual artists since the very first Summit in 2014. I am so proud of how we've expanded the TapRoot Cultural Program’s offerings over the past 2+ years! Read on for some recent highlights from our cultural organizing work. (And if you’re an NC-based artist who is interested in getting more involved in NCCJC’s art and cultural organizing work, I would love to connect.)

Finalists from this year's 4 Rs Independent Film Festival with NCCJC staff. (Photo credits: Danny Pena)

4 Rs Independent Film Festival (4RIFF)

We were so excited to hold our second annual 4RIFF in person this year, at the American Tobacco Campus Theatre in Durham. It was a beautiful celebration of independent filmmaking, climate justice storytelling, and diverse community voices! We awarded $2500 in prizes to 11 creatives and artists, who submitted entries across 3 categories. (Click on the links below to watch all the winning films.)

All-Around Awards:

Words Spoken: Video content featuring performed text

Picture This: Slideshow videos that can include text animation, narration) or music.

Change in Motion: Edited video content connected to our theme.

We wrapped up this year’s Film Festival with many gratitudes, including for:

  • All the artists and creatives who shared their work with us;

  • The wonderful Festival crowd there who showed so much support for each of our finalists; and

  • Our friends at Full Steam Brewery for being great partners and hosting the event!

Members of the 2025 - 2026 TapRoot Arts Residency kicked off the program in western NC last summer.

Wrapping up the 2025 - 2026 TapRoot Arts Residency

In June, we are wrapping up NCCJC’s second TapRoot Arts Residency cohort. This year’s cohort supported 15 artists who, over the course of the residency, created art that catalyzed climate justice movement building. TapRoot Residents contributed poems and videos to mark the anniversary of Hurricane Helene. They performed at stops all along last fall’s roadshow, “The Art of Us” and helped redesign our Inner Resilience Toolkit. Many of the Residents also entered (winning!) submissions to this year’s 4RIFF!

And launching the 2026 - 2027 TapRoot cohort!

We are also thrilled to announce that applications are now open for the 2026 TapRoot Arts Residency! 

A few details:

  • Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with a deadline of June 15, 2026.

  • Applicants are asked to submit their information, a sample of their artistic work (by file or link), and a short statement on why they would like to participate in this residency.

  • The residency will kick-off with an in-person retreat in late July in western NC, so please confirm your availability for those dates before submitting an application.

Dasan Ahanu
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