FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PBS North Carolina Announces Season 2 of ‘Visibly Speaking’

The series, which spotlights the power of public art, debuts new digital stories this month.
 

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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, 9/22/2026 — PBS North Carolina announces season two of Visibly Speaking. This series, a production of PBS NC in association with the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, follows the creation of public art projects that honor under-told stories of North Carolina’s diverse people—including women and Black, Indigenous and Latino communities—throughout the state.

Digital segments from season two of Visibly Speaking will be released online and on YouTube, the free PBS app and Facebook beginning September. Full half-hour episodes from season two will premiere on PBS NC and the PBS app beginning Thursday, January 28.

“PBS North Carolina is proud to spotlight the vibrant and diverse communities of our state,” said David Crabtree, the network’s CEO and General Manager. “Viewers of Visibly Speaking will be moved when they see how local artists, residents, community organizations and civic leaders came together to create artwork for all North Carolinians to experience and learn from. We hope their journeys inspire fruitful conversations and understanding.” 

This season, Visibly Speaking will feature nine public art projects, from murals about the Coharie Tribe in Clinton and sculptures that center adults with disabilities in Hendersonville, to a memorial sculpture in Winnabow that honors the more than 2,000 enslaved African survivors who entered North Carolina ports between 1759 and 1787.

The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation launched its Inclusive Public Art Initiative in 2018 to support art that spotlights women and people of color in North Carolina whose stories have been untold or under-told. It also aims to catalyze community conversations that result in a shared and fuller understanding of our common history—and common bonds—as North Carolinians.

“Art is a tool that can bring people together to better understand our common humanity,” said Joy Vermillion Heinsohn, executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. “The stories told through the Inclusive Public Art Initiative’s artists and projects matter far beyond the communities where they were created, and we’re grateful to partner with PBS North Carolina to help share them with the whole state.”

Stories from Visibly Speaking will be on view in the exhibition Echoes of Us: North Carolina Storykeepers at the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, October 24, 2026–May 23, 2027.

Digital Release Schedule
New stories will be released every two weeks online and on YouTube, the free PBS app and Facebook.

Viva La Vida: City of Washington
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A powerful mural in Washington, NC, celebrates Latino heritage, capturing community resilience, family and cultural pride. Vivid colors and traditional patterns honor the journey and contributions of Latino residents, reflecting the neighborhood’s spirit and history. This artwork invites viewers to appreciate the rich diversity of Latino culture in the heart of the city.
Artwork now on view at Bobby Andrews Recreation Center, 231 East 7th Street, Washington, NC 27889

Representation Through Art: The Hope Center of Hendersonville
Premiering Wednesday, September 23
The Hope Center of Hendersonville, a day program for adults with disabilities, transformed its building into a work of public art. Artists Becky Bonnema and Robert Allen worked alongside program members to create a 2,600-square-foot mural and three figurative metal sculptures that bring visibility to a community whose experiences are often overlooked.
Artwork now on view at The Hope Center of Hendersonville, 552 Ridge Road, Hendersonville, NC 28792

Stitching Stories Reimagined: Arise Collective
Premiering Wednesday, October 7
When COVID-19 further isolated the women incarcerated at the NC Correctional Institution for Women in Raleigh, they came together to crochet a quilt that would share their stories with the outside world. Organized by the nonprofit Arise Collective, the project has been reinterpreted by a group of artists and transformed into modular installations inspired by the women who were “stitched” together.
Artwork now on view at Dix Park, 1100 Umstead Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603

Open Frames, Enduring Stories: Highland Neighborhood Association
Premiering Wednesday, October 21
In Gastonia, the Highland Neighborhood Association highlights its community’s under-told yet long history of excellence in art, public service, education, healthcare and entrepreneurship. A new sculptural plaza honors the legacy of local figures, such as famed muralist John Thomas Biggers, NBA champion James Worthy and accomplished actress and singer Maria Howell.
Artwork now on view at Erwin Center, 913 North Pryor Street, Gastonia, NC 28052

We Are Still Here: Coharie Intra-Tribal Council
Premiering Wednesday, November 4
The Coharie Tribal Center, formerly the East Carolina Indian School, is preserving its community’s history through public art. Using oral histories and led by Coharie artist Keith Carter, the Tribe commissioned murals by Taylor White and a stone sculpture by Paris Alexander to share tales of segregation, integration and resilience, proclaiming to travelers on U.S. Highway 421 “we are still here.”
Artwork now on view at Coharie Tribal Center, 7531 North U.S. Highway 421, Clinton, NC 28328

Africa to Carolina: The North Carolina African American Heritage Commission
Premiering Wednesday, November 18
The NC African American Heritage Commission’s “Africa to Carolina” initiative memorializes the journey of over 2,000 enslaved Africans who entered the U.S. through NC ports between 1759 and 1787. Once a major point of entry, Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson is now home to a sculpture honoring survivors and their immense contributions to our state at the site where their futures began to take shape.
Artwork now on view at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site, 8884 St. Philips Road SE, Winnabow, NC 28479

Crafting Legacy: Tryon Palace Foundation
Premiering Wednesday, December 2
Tryon Palace shines a light on the Black artisans who thrived more than 200 years ago during New Bern’s golden age of arts and culture. A sculptural “portal”—with an interactive digital component by artists Georgie Nakima, Marcus Kiser and Stephen Hayes—connects the past to the present while honoring the free and enslaved people whose art and artisanship left an indelible mark on New Bern.
Artwork to be unveiled September 24 at Wilson Park, Corner of South Front Street and Craven Street, New Bern, NC 28560

A Spirit of Welcome: Hola Carolina
Premiering Wednesday, December 16
A colorful mural by Cornelio Campos in Franklin celebrates the rich traditions and diversity of western North Carolina’s Latinx community. Created through a partnership between Hola Carolina, UNIDXS WNC, Centro Unido Latino Americano and local community members, the project uses public art to foster visibility, belonging and a spirit of welcome for all who call the region home.
Artwork to be unveiled fall 2026 at 86 East Main Street, Franklin, NC 28734

Redefining a Cultural District: Museum of the Cherokee People
Premiering Wednesday, December 30
The Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee, NC, along with community partners are redefining the cultural district with authentic representation through art. Countering outside stereotypes, they’ve created sculptural story signs and sidewalk murals to represent true Cherokee soul, celebrating community, family and the robust history of the Cherokee people. 
Artwork to be unveiled by December 31 at Museum of the Cherokee People, 589 Tsali Boulevard, Cherokee, NC 28719. Murals at intersection of Tsali Blvd and Drama Road (adjacent to the museum); sculptures in key locations along Tsali Blvd

Catch up on stories featured in season one on YouTube.

About the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation

The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation (ZSR) is a private family foundation that serves the people of North Carolina. It was established in 1936 by the children of R.J. and Katharine Smith Reynolds in Winston-Salem as a memorial to their brother Zachary Smith Reynolds. ZSR’s founding charter states its purpose as “the accomplishment of charitable works in the state of North Carolina.” Almost a century later, ZSR’s mission remains broad: To support people and organizations working to improve the quality of life for all North Carolinians. Since its founding, ZSR has invested more than $730 million into organizations working to build a more just, inclusive and sustainable North Carolina. To learn more, visit zsr.org.

About PBS North Carolina

As North Carolina’s statewide PBS network serving the country’s third largest public media market, PBS North Carolina educates, informs, entertains and inspires its audience on air, online and in person. Through its unique partnership of public investment and private support, the network includes in-person engagement, digital-first social and online content delivery and four over-the-air channels: PBS NC, Rootle PBS KIDS, the Explorer Channel and the North Carolina Channel. Its transformational events and content spark curiosity and wonder for all North Carolinians. Additionally, PBS North Carolina serves as the backbone for North Carolina’s state emergency services. To learn more, visit pbsnc.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

-PBS NC-

Media Contact
For press info and resources, email press@pbsnc.org.