French/West/Vaughan Retained as AOR for Carolina Performing Arts' Inaugural “All. Together. Now.” Festival

RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 28, 2026) – French/​West/​Vaughan (FWV), one of the nation’s leading independent public relations, advertising and digital media agencies, today announced it has been retained as agency of record (AOR) for Carolina Performing Arts’ (CPA) inaugural ​“All. Together. Now.” festival. Taking place Feb. 19 – 21, 2027, the three-day festival will bring artists, researchers, students, community partners and audiences together across UNC – Chapel Hill and downtown Chapel Hill to explore what becomes possible when people, disciplines and ideas meet.

As part of the engagement, FWV is leading integrated strategic communications and marketing counsel and support surrounding the festival, which started with the May 2026 announcement and full lineup rollout in August, through its February 2027 debut. The agency’s work includes communications strategy, messaging, media relations, content development, talent and program announcements, and influencer engagement designed to build regional and national awareness.

“Carolina Performing Arts is creating something distinctive: an arts festival rooted at Carolina and open to everyone, where visiting artists, local creators, campus researchers and community partners come together around a shared idea,” said FWV Chief Operating Officer Natalie Best. ​“We’re proud to help carry that story to new audiences as the festival builds toward its first annual event in February.”

The partnership comes as CPA prepares for one of its most ambitious initiatives to date through ​“All. Together. Now.” The festival’s full lineup includes comedian and ​“The Daily Show” rotating host and correspondent Josh Johnson, Tiny Desk Contest-winning hip-hop collective Cure for Paranoia, string quartet Brooklyn Rider and dozens of free, community-facing Open Gatherings featuring local musicians, poets, visual artists and UNC faculty.

“Launching a festival as ambitious as ​‘All. Together. Now.’ means helping people understand what makes the experience different and what they might discover within it,” said Ellen Lang, director of marketing and communications for Carolina Performing Arts. ​“FWV understood immediately that this festival is an open invitation to discover new artists, ideas and connections – and to see yourself as part of what we’re building together. Through thoughtful storytelling and influencer engagement, they are helping us share that invitation across the Triangle and beyond.”

FWV’s work with ​“All. Together. Now.” reflects the agency’s broader experience helping cultural, higher education and mission-driven organizations translate complex initiatives into clear, compelling stories that connect with media, stakeholders and target audiences.

Festival day passes are on sale, with tickets for Josh Johnson’s Saturday night performance at Memorial Hall going on sale later this fall. Additional information, the current festival schedule and programming lineup, and ticket details are available at caroli​naper​formin​garts​.org. Updates and additions to Open Gatherings will continue over the coming months.

About Carolina Performing Arts

Founded in 2005, Carolina Performing Arts is one of the nation’s leading multi-arts presenters and producers, housed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We collaborate with artists from Carolina’s campus and across the world to spark discovery, foster belonging, and create shared performing arts experiences on stage, in classrooms, and across communities. We invest in the research and development of new creative work, including commissioning 80 productions in our first 20 years. We work to expand access, including offering $11 tickets to every student statewide. Together, we’re building communities where shared arts experiences — and the connections they create — thrive, cultivating a North Carolina that is healthier, more joyful, and better connected.

About French/​West/​Vaughan

French/​West/​Vaughan (FWV) is one of the nation’s leading public relations, public affairs, advertising and digital media agencies. Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., with offices in NYC, Detroit, L.A. and Tampa, FWV has received 45 Global or National Agency of the Year honors since its founding in 1997, along with more than 1,800 PR, advertising and digital marketing awards on behalf of its global roster of blue-chip clients. FWV is the parent company of fashion and lifestyle PR firm AMP3; pet and animal health practice Fetching PR; and Prix Productions, a feature and documentary film production company. FWV is a partner in IPREX, a $508 million network of communication agencies with 1,100 staff and more than 60 offices worldwide. For more information, visit fwv​-us​.com or follow us on Facebook, X/​Twitter, LinkedIn, Vimeo or Instagram.