Wake County welcomes another visiting artist

Each year Wake County welcomes an artist in residence with the goal of expanding the arts scene in the area. This year's artist is a photographer from Brooklyn who will spend the next year working on a photography documentary project called "Year in the life of Arts in Wake County."

"I try to look at what's not being taken, what's going on behind the scenes or what is less expected," said Christopher Janaro, this year's Artist in Residence who was chosen by the United Arts Council from a pool of eight candidates.

Janaro comes to Raleigh from Brooklyn and has a BFA in Photography from SUNY Purchase and a Masters of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts. He is also a Navy veteran.

"I had never been to Raleigh before. This is my first time here. Everyone has been extremely welcoming," he said.

Janaro will spend his time photographing different events in Wake County and has already attended the Hopscotch Music Festival and Wide Open Bluegrass. The United Arts Council is taking suggestions for other events he should attend that represent the arts scene in the area.

"I feel like I just walked into like a boomtown," Janaro said of Raleigh. "There's just so much going on. Every day I feel like I am learning something new."

The Artist in Residence is paid by the Wake County United Arts Council, an organization that receives $500,000 dollars in funding from Wake County each year. The program kicked off last year, with its first recipient being a costume designer who spent her time helping local theaters and holding workshops for children.

Janaro will also hold photography workshops and classes during his stay in Wake County. His photo documentary will be displayed for the public in an exhibition sometime in June of 2020.