Fred Motley Performance Kicks off Black History Month Celebration at Piedmont Arts

Danville-based storyteller Fred Motley performed for area students at Piedmont Arts’ Preschool in the Galleries on Wednesday, January 24, 2018.

A modern-day griot, Motley has traveled to festivals and other venues to teach African-American history, music and dance for over 30 years. His performance included classic folktales and songs. He also led preschoolers in memory games, inviting students to participate through movement and song.

Motley’s performance kicked off Piedmont Arts’ Black History Month celebration, which includes a month full of family-friendly events honoring the contributions of African American artists, authors and storytellers to American culture. 

Piedmont Arts’ Preschool in the Galleries is designed to foster a love of the performing and visual arts at a young age. Performances are free of charge to students and schools. Additional funding for Motley’s performance comes from ARTStart: A Preschool Arts Initiative, a Piedmont Arts program designed to increase the awareness and importance of the arts and enhance accessibility to the arts for children up to age 5. ARTStart is funded through a $10,000 Pick Up the Pace! (PUP) grant from Harvest Foundation.

A list of upcoming Preschool in the Galleries performances and Black History Month events can be found here.