Artsplosure Mission and Program Description Artsplosure’s mission is to produce high quality annual festivals that celebrate excellence in the performing and visual arts; to promote and bring recognition to national, regional, and local artists; and to bring artists and the larger community together to improve the quality of life and cultural environment. Artsplosure, The Raleigh Arts Festival, is a non-profit organization founded in 1979. The organization has produced an annual multi-disciplinary Arts Festival for 23 years. The festival held each spring gathers together artists from around the nation to present an exciting week of visual and performing arts the third week of May.

FNR ORGANIZERS Artsplosure — the presenter of First Night Raleigh — is funded in part by the City of Raleigh based on the recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission and by United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, with funds from the United Arts Campaign and Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency. Artsplosure also receives support from the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts. First Night Raleigh Production Team Executive Director Michael Lowder Program Director Terri Dollar Business Manager Ellen Landau Operations Assistant Crista Misenheimer Media Coordinator Trevor Holland Technical Supervisor Jeff Linker Children’s Celebration Coordinator Jill Listrom Signage SignShop Venue Management Explorer Post #512 Volunteer Coordinator Lucinda Chew Honorary Chair Barbara H. Mulkey   Artsplosure Board of Directors President Ken Barnes Vice President Lee Kirby Secretary Camille Patterson Treasurer Diane Gupton Becton