Illustration by Julie Z. Russo
City Serene is an online news service promoting arts and park-related news and events in the City of Raleigh and surrounding counties of North Carolina. The news service is designed to connect the broader trends and narratives about art across the city, state and country from various perspectives including museum institutions, exhibiting artists, and visitors to museums and performing arts centers, as well as to share the broader trends and narratives about public and private park planning initiatives to promote healthy living and sustainable environmental and economic practices.
Designed as a source of respite and renewal, City Serene helps readers discover cultural and natural resources in town, whether it’s finding a park oasis, a place of prayer or an art opening. Raleigh serves as the capital for the third fastest growing metropolitan area in the country, and home to nearly a half a million residents. Surrounding Raleigh is Wake County and the center of the Research Triangle in Cary with its high tech industries. The cities of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill combined have a total of 1.9 million residents. Raleigh has more than 9,500 acres of parkland, 37 park facilities, ten museums, and three major performing arts centers. City Serene’s weekly news aggregates update readers on news and events occurring at cultural attractions and park-related facilities throughout the city, as well as top stories highlighting sustainable energy practices, city planning initiatives, and art-related reviews. The website also highlights events at public libraries and art festivals.
City Serene includes real-time social updates occurring at major attractions throughout the city, state, and country that will give readers the opportunity to share a perspective with readers. The City Serene news service will incorporate news from organizations like the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Raleigh Convention Center, the City of Cary and Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Departments, art councils, and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The general population, who depend on a broad listing of updated cultural and natural resource information, will benefit.
With North Carolina’s art industry valued at the billion-dollar mark the need to connect businesses and employees in the creative sector has never been stronger. Art and park organizations are increasingly invested in sustainable economic information and initiatives to conserve energy, protect the environment, and generate new sources of revenue to meet public demand. City Serene is following this trend by reporting on timely information, supporting green technologies and protecting the environment, and matching artists with audiences with real time updates and sales opportunities.