In today’s episode of Artsville, you’ll hear from Gina Phillips, a dear friend and someone who has played an integral part in the growth and development of Mitchell County, North Carolina. Gina’s commitments to the Penland School of Craft, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and rural education efforts in Mitchell County helped birth the idea for Hilloween, a countywide event that unites several areas over something we all love: spooky season! Hilloween is a natural expression of Gina's love for the theater and her years of performing and producing in New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina. Join us as she shares how the event leverages the county's strong arts heritage and introduces a new generation of Mitchell County residents to the magic and beauty of the arts. We also discuss what to expect from the 2023 edition, how Hilloween acts as a “mechanism for unity,” and Gina even sings us a few bars of 'Good Old Mountain Dew’ from Lulu Belle and Scotty Wiseman, plus so much more!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to Hilloween and the annual Halloween party that inspired it.
• Gina’s goals for economic and cultural development in Mitchell County.
• How art brings people together (and attracts outsiders to underserved communities).
• Insight into Gina’s collaboration with the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
• Ways that Hilloween leverages Mitchell County’s strong cultural heritage.
• What you can expect from the 2023 edition of Hilloween!
• Why Gina refers to this year’s event as the “Bringing Dale McCurry Home Tour.”

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Gian Phillips on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-phillips-a848a616/

Hilloween – https://www.hilloweennc.org/

University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) – https://www.uncsa.edu/

Samuel L. Phillips Family Foundation – https://www.wellsfargo.com/private-foundations/phillips-family-foundation/

Artsville — https://www.artsvilleusa.com/

Artsville Podcast — https://www.artsvilleusa.com/tag/podcast/

Scott “Sourdough” Power — https://www.notarealartist.com/

Louise Glickman — https://www.louiseglickman.com/

Daryl Slaton — http://www.tailsofwhimsy.com/

Crewest Studio — https://creweststudio.com/

Sand Hill Artists Collective (SHAC) — https://sandhillartists.com/