Central Piedmont Community College will debut the new Parr Arts & Humanities Series in September. Tickets for the inaugural season’s events are on sale now.

The Parr Arts & Humanities Series will bring renowned authors, artists and performers to Central Piedmont for the benefit and enrichment of the college, its students and the community. The inaugural season of the series will start on Sept. 19, with a presentation and discussion on, “A Tradition of Discretion, Loyalty and Hospitality at the White House,” by journalist and historian Kate Andersen Brower.

Brower is the author of New York Times bestsellers, “The Residence,” and “First Women,” as well as “Team of Five,” “First In Line,” and the children’s book, “Exploring the White House.” “The Residence” is being made into a television series produced by Shonda Rhimes, for Netflix. Brower’s most recent book, “Elizabeth Taylor,” is the first authorized biography of the Hollywood icon.

Brower is a CNN contributor, and she covered the Obama administration for Bloomberg News. She also is a former CBS News staffer and Fox News producer. She has written for the New York Times, Vanity Fair, and the Washington Post. 

Subsequent season-one events and performances include:

• Dimensions Dance Theater of Miami, a bold, innovative, contemporary ballet company, on Oct. 17,
• Social artist, speaker, author and connection catalyst Kat Vellos on Feb. 8, and
• Jazz prodigy Matthew Whitaker Quintet on April 11.

Pre-sale tickets and book bundles for Brower’s Sept. 19 event are available for a discounted rate. Seniors, students and Central Piedmont employees also are eligible for discounted tickets.

In June 2022, Central Piedmont concluded its “Powering a Stronger Future” fundraising campaign. The highly successful endeavor raised more than $66.3 million, including a $10-million gift to strengthen arts and humanities programming at the college. The Parr Arts & Humanities Series is one result of that transformational gift.

“The Parr Arts & Humanities series will provide our students and community members the chance to hear, see and listen to influential authors, musicians and other noted performers as well as the opportunity to interact with them. We see these events as unique educational programming for the community and a way to support and augment the wonderful things already going on in our classrooms,” said Stacy Moore, Central Piedmont dean of arts and humanities.

“The Parr Arts & Humanities Series marks a first movement in a new direction for the college’s arts offerings. This inaugural season promises to set the stage for many more to come,” Moore added.