In Remembrance of Elaine Lorber and Peter Ingram

Artsplosure recently lost two important and influential friends and supporters.

Elaine Lorber, who led the City of Raleigh Arts Commission during its formative years, passed away on October 12.

During her 15 years as executive director of the Arts Commission, Elaine helped create and championed many of the city’s seminal arts organizations, including Artspace, CAM Raleigh, Arts Access, and Artsplosure. She is credited with inventing the word Artsplosure to signify an “explosion” of art activity that will “expose” people to all kinds of art.

She also formulated and launched the City’s per capita arts grants making program, which remains the single most essential source of funding for most every Raleigh-based arts organization. I met Elaine soon after she came to the Arts Commission. The lessons I learned from her were to stay focused on the future; to collaborate with and support our fellow arts groups; and to be responsive to our current and future audiences and supporters.

Former Artsplosure board member, long-time performer, and collaborator Peter Ingram died on November 22.

For many decades, starting in the late 1960’s, Peter was without question the Triangle’s most significant Jazz advocate and organizer. A trained clinical physicist by day and accomplished drummer by night, Peter owned the Frog and Nightgown, Raleigh’s legendary and ahead-of-its-time Jazz club that presented both musical legends and the soon-to-be-famous. He founded Preservation Jazz, one of Artsplosure’s early programming partners, and performed at nearly ever First Night Raleigh, where he led the popular Jazz Jam. His service on the Artsplosure board in the early late 1980’s/early 1990’s was so impactful that the board voted to name a volunteer service award after him. One of my first acts as Artsplosure executive director was to call on Peter for his counsel and advice.

Elaine and Peter will be deeply missed.

Michael Lowder

Executive Director