Wednesdays at 6:30 PM | September 9–30, 2026
Duke Arts returns to American Tobacco Campus in September with a new season curated by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Tift Merritt. This year’s theme centers foremothers and a lineage of women singer-songwriters who have shaped generations through storytelling and creative influence.
The full lineup will be announced this summer.
The Duke Arts at American Tobacco series, now in its sixth year, features free live concerts on Wednesdays in September at American Tobacco Campus in Downtown Durham.
The series is presented by Duke Arts in partnership with American Tobacco Campus and Tift Merritt.
These outdoor concerts are free, appropriate for all ages, and open to the general public. No registration is needed. Come early, bring a chair or blanket, and enjoy food and drinks from any of the 15 bars and restaurants on campus. Alcoholic beverages are allowed ONLY if they have been purchased from an establishment participating in The Bullpen Social District; all other alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited. The stage is located under the Lucky Strike water tower, and the closest parking is at the South Parking Deck at ATC.
Concerts are weather permitting, with notice of cancellation announced at dukearts.org and via Duke Arts social media accounts on the day of the event.
Closing out the series this year, Nashville-based artist Denitia has spent years remapping country music. Her sound drifts between Nashville roots and Brooklyn edge—acoustic guitar and pedal steel woven with shimmer, soul, and restraint.
Don’t miss out — Dior Ashley Brown is an award-winning emcee, poet, and activist whose work fuses music and social change. A powerhouse of the D.C. arts scene, she uses her voice to uplift women and honor hip-hop’s roots.
Join us as Nashville-based artist Kenny Sharp takes the stage and delivers a Southern-fried blend of soul, funk, country, blues, and rock. He calls it “Brown Liquor Music”—a sound that’s smooth, punchy, and deeply rooted.
Shana Tucker kicks off the Duke Arts and Hayti Heritage Center at American Tobacco series on September 3 with her signature “ChamberSoul” sound — a captivating blend of jazz, classical, folk, acoustic pop, and soul, anchored by cello and voice.
Acclaimed artists from the Music Maker Foundation’s record label take over American Tobacco Campus in this free event. No reservations are required.
This double-bill of two North Carolina-based family Gospel ensembles showcases Gospel as one of the quintessential musical genres of the American South. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required.
Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. leads his father’s Grammy Award-winning Ils Sont Parti Band, one of the few zydeco groups to achieve mainstream success. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required.
Multinational salsa band Conjunto Breve was founded by percussionist Brevan Hampden in 2012. Members of the band come from all corners of the Americas. This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required.
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