“Art”—meaning the visual arts—is often separated from “the arts,” a shorthand that divides creative expression into disparate parts: music, dance, painting, literature, and more. In this resource the broad spectrum of “the arts” is presented together to understand each in new and vital ways. For instance dancing celebrates the bodily response to a piece of soaring music, while a photograph of a dance performance captures the moment in perpetuity. As museums continue to rethink what can be shown or expressed inside their walls, the integration of various art forms plays a key role in reimagining visitors’ experiences.
At the North Carolina Museum of Art, we have commissioned dance performances in our galleries and held intimate concerts in the same spaces. Our musical playlists, often highlighting a single artist or artwork, allow visitors to consider visual art from new perspectives. This resource showcases works of art from across all areas of the collection—art inspired by dance, music, theater, and poetry. We invite you to consider how the definition of “the arts” can continue to be expanded or transformed.