About the Artist
Johnny Lee Chapman, III is a multi-disciplinary artist from Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. Chapman started writing as a "Tumblr poet" during his first year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2014, after graduating with a B.S. in Dental Hygiene, he leaped from page to the stage, beginning his career as a spoken word artist. Since then, he has performed regionally and nationally, and is an active voice within his Carolina community. Over the years, his professional range of activities have grown to include spoken word and movement performances, acting and directing, workshop facilitation, event hosting, and artist mentorship. Chapman also utilizes the mediums of film and photography to convey emotion without explanation under the moniker The Golden Moment.
Chapman embraces the title of storyteller. The one in charge of relaying information by inspiring the imagination of his audience. Offstage, he can be found cleaning the teeth of his community as a Registered Dental Hygienist, traveling with cameras to various places, playing guitar on the porch, or working out on the athletic field with a soccer ball at his feet.
"Never let your ink run dry.” - Johnny Lee Chapman III
Image by Jillian Clark
Curriculum Vitae
Ongoing
Cohort Artist, Southern Futures, Chapel Hill
Public Artist, New Bern Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Project, Raleigh
Public Artist, Gipson Play Plaza, Raleigh
Performer
MLK Day of Service, John Chavis Park, Raleigh 2024
Eno River Poetry Festival, Orange County Library, Hillsborough 2023
OTTO by Culture Mill, Saxapahaw 2023
Roaming Poets Series, Hillsborough Arts Council, Hillsborough 2023
The Poet is A Verb, Chapel Hill Public Library, Chapel Hill 2023
Inaugural Local Artist Showcase, People-First Tourism, Contemporary Art Museum, Raleigh 2023
Invincible, Runologie, Raleigh 2023
Inkspired, S.P. Endeavors, Raleigh 2018-22
Powhatan, PNC’s United States Colored Troops Park Opening, Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington 2022
The Iron Code, Raleigh Iron Works, Raleigh 2022
Barn Church by Culture Mill, Saxapahaw 2022
State of the South Conference, MDC, Durham, 2022
First Place, Annual Poetry Slam, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, Pittsboro, 2022
Lessons from the Rosenwald Schools, Wilmington, 2022
Weekend of Enlightenment, Floyd Family Center, Virtual, 2022
Crisis Materials, The Black on Black Project, Raleigh 2021-22
FRESH Sounds Fundraiser, Artspace, Raleigh, 2022
MANifest, Fuquay-Varina Arts Center, Fuquay-Varina, 2022
Battle of Forks Road Commemoration Day, Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, 2022
The Xcope, American Dance Festival & Nasher Art Museum, 2021
Finalist, Southern Fried Regional Poetry Slam, Virtual 2021
Will of the Father, SEEK Raleigh, Raleigh, 2019
MERGE, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte 2016
Ebony Readers/Onyx Theater, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 2014
Facilitator
Panelist, Writing Instructor, Exploring Black Self-Determinism through the Arts, Asheville 2024
Masters of Ceremony, North Carolina Climate Justice Summit, Haw River, 2023
Writing Instructor, Project Uplift Plus, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill 2023
Panelist, Pen2Page Talks with Piedmont Laureate, Fuquay-Varina Arts Center, Fuquay-Varina 2023
Writing Instructor, Youth Arts Program, Hayti Heritage Center, Durham
Writing Instructor, Love Letterpress Writing Workshop, Decree Company, Raleigh 2023
Guest Speaker, State of the South Conference, MDC, Durham, 2022
Guest Speaker, Creating Youth Voices for Change, StandUpSpeakOut NC, Virtual, 2022
Guest Speaker, Black Voices Mixer, PEN America, Greensboro, 2022
Instructor, Create + Connect, Artspace, Raleigh, 2022
Guest Speaker, Douglas Creative Arts and Science Magnet School, Raleigh, 2022
Guest Speaker, Career Conversations, North Carolina State University Academic Advising, Raleigh, 2022
Facilitator, Southern (Dis)Comfort: A Screening and Poetry Discussion With Johnny Lee Chapman III, Greensboro Public Library, Greensboro, 2022
Facilitator, A Meditation of a Powerful Legacy: The George Floyd Poetry Slam, Chapel Hill, 2021
Panelist, The Frontlines, The Black on Black Project, Wilmington, 2020
Panelist, Vital Health Workshops, The Black on Black Project, Virtual, 2020
Guest Speaker, Boys 2 Men, Arcata California, 2020
Facilitator, Poetry Showcase, St. Augustine’s University, Raleigh 2019
Facilitator, College Night, North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh 2019
Artist
Co-Founder, Capital Moments, Transfer Co., Raleigh, 2023
Artist Mentor, Arts Equity Fellowship, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, 2021
Artist-In-Residence, Southern (Dis)Comfort, Carolina Performing Arts, Chapel Hill, 2021
Exhibition Artist, Illuminate Art Walk, Downtown Raleigh Alliance & VAE Raleigh, Raleigh 2020
Exhibition Artist, Troublesome Presence, The Black on Black Project, Fayetteville, 2020
Exhibition Photographer, Don’t Wait Til It’s Cool Hip-Hop Exhibit, North Carolina Museum of History, 2019
Keynote Speaker, UMOJA Graduation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2018
Playwright, Tend to Your Own Home, Black Poetry Theater, Durham 2018
Actor, Tend to Your Own Home, Black Poetry Theater, Durham 2018
Official Photographer, Women of the World Poetry Slam, Dallas TX, 2018
Official Photographer, National Poetry Slam, Chicago IL, 2018
Image by Kennedi Carter
Awards/Accolades/Fellowships
#15th Ranked Individual Poet
Southern Fried Regional Poetry Slam 2021
North Carolina Millennial Traditional Artist
North Carolina Arts Council
Third Year Fellow
The Watering Hole Writer’s Retreat, December 2018-19, 2023,
Outstanding Performance for Southern (Dis)Comfort
Best of 2021 Chatham Life and Style Magazine
Inaugural Keynote Speaker
Umojaa Celebration of Black Graduates, UNC at Chapel Hill, May 2018
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Mu Zeta Chapter at UNC at Chapel Hill
B. S. Dental Hygiene
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2014
Recipient of Larry D. Keith Humanitarian Award
Medical Education Development (M.E.D.) Program, May 2013
Runner Up, Belford V. Lawson Oratorical Contest
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. , March 2013
Availability
Johnny Lee Chapman, III is currently accepting bookings for performances, workshop facilitating, writing commissions, and public art projects for the 2023 calendar year. Submit a request through the booking link below.