(From April 17-19, 2007)

The North Carolina Arts Council is continuing its series of public meetings to discuss the latest economic impact of the arts, including a report on the state's creative work force. Grant programs, new initiatives and local impact of Arts Council programs are also being discussed. All meetings are from 7-9 p.m. and include a 30-minute presentation by Arts Council Executive Director Mary Regan. The events are open to the public. The last two gatherings are scheduled as follows: Rocky Mount: Tuesday, April 24, Imperial Center for the Arts & Sciences, 270 Gay St., Rocky Mount; Wilmington: Tuesday, May 1, Louise Wells Cameron Art Museum, 3201 S. 17th St., Wilmington.

The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher along with Earth Day Alliance will host a Kids EcoZone at Hugh MacRae Park, Wilmington, from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 21st, along with other Earth Day activities at the Aquarium itself. The Aquarium will also host an exhibit of Richard Triebe's underwater photography from May 1 through July 31 in the Spadefish Gallery.

Delta Fine Arts, Winston-Salem, will present "Stories for Grown Ups" at the Arts Center on New Walkertown Road at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 ($5 admission) delores kay productions will present members of the N.C. Association of Black Storytellers. Call 336-577-1237 or e-mail deloreskaywatson@juno.com for more details.

Duke Homestead, Durham, will recreate an authentic 19th-century style southern church revival on Sunday, April 22 from 1-4 p.m.

The Greensboro Children's Museum will celebrate Earth Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 21 with special activities (no additional fee beyond standard admission), and will hold Build-A-Bank workshops for children from 5:30-6:45 p.m. on April 24 (fee charged, pre-registration suggested -- call 336-574-2898, extension 311).

The Search Room of the N.C. State Archives will be closed from May 1 through July 10 for renovations, and conduct its stacks inventory at the same time. Go to the blog at www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/archives/default.htm or call 919-807-7310.

As part of Earth Day 2007, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, will hold a free event from 9-4 on Saturday, April 21, with vendors and by hosting the N.C. Sustainable Building Design Competition, with a public awards ceremony at 2:30 p.m.

SciWorks (Winston-Salem) has scheduled SpringFest 2007 for Saturday, April 28th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

An exhibit created by nine UNCG Museum Studies grad students based on Rosetta C. Baldwin's 1963 Class Photo will be on display at the High Point Museum from May 4 through August 5, 2007.

"Preserving Your Past" will be the subject of a presentation by Barbara Rowe, Cape Fear Museum curator, and Cheryl Sparks, family historian, at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 23 at Bellamy Mansion, Wilmington (call Madeline Flagler, 910-251-3700, extension 104, to make a reservation).

Tryon Palace, New Bern, will host a lecture by Ansley Herring Wegner on "Phantom Pain: N.C.'s Artificial-Limbs Program for Confederate Veterans" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 26th -- free, in the V.C. Auditorium.

The Mint Museum of Craft & Design will host a free Live Jazz! event on Thursday, April 19th from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. as part of the ongoing Target Third Thursdays program. On Sunday, April 22 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. (free to the public) will be Twisted! A Day of Fun & Frolic.

The Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, will offer the film "Urban Explosion" at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, and a lecture on "Aesthetics, Meaning and Consciousness" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 26th. The opening reception for the 2007 UNCG MFA Thesis exhibition will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 29.

The Charlotte Nature Museum will celebrate Earth Day with a Festival and hold Astronomy Day as well on Saturday, April 21st. Both begin at 10 a.m.; the Festival continues to 3 p.m., while Astronomy Day ends at 2 p.m.

The Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, has several upcoming events, including a Tango Film and Demonstration starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 20; a Literary Reading by author David Gessner at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 22; and the William Ivey Long exhibition opening event (public) from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 29.

Historic Oak View County Park's "Turn of the Century Outing" is scheduled from 10 to 2 on Saturday, April 28th in Raleigh (free admission), and the Park will host an Antique Auto Show on May 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (also free!).

The N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort, will host The Wooden Boat Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 5 (an event held each year since 1975).

Workshops:

"When It's In My Backyard," May 14, 2007, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Asheville Art Museum, Pack Place, Asheville. Mountain Area Cultural Resources Emergency Network (MACREN) will hold a workshop on disaster preparedness and response for museums, historic sites, archives and libraries. The workshop is intended to provide the basic information necessary to prepare your museum or archive for the possibility of a disaster. Snacks, drinks and lunches will be provided. Advance registration is required; a registration form is available on request, and form and payment should be mailed before MAY 10. General questions about the workshop can be addressed to Frank Thomson at 828-253-3227 or fthomson@ashevilleart.org, and registration questions can be addressed to Diana Sanderson at 828-771-3055 or dsanderson@warren-wilson.edu.

"Federal Grant Workshop for Museums & Libraries," May 14, 2007, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Imperial Arts Centre, Rocky Mount -- A Federal Grant Workshop is scheduled to be held in Rocky Mount, addressed to North Carolina museums and libraries. The workshop will focus on competitive grant opportunities and will include speakers from federal government departments. Deadline for registration is MAY 9. To register online, visit http://burr.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Events.Form.