Patty Griffin, Madison Cunningham, Kaia Kater, and Ken Pomeroy will headline the 2026 Duke Arts at American Tobacco concert series curated by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Tift Merritt. The free four-week outdoor music series, presented in partnership with American Tobacco Campus, is part of We the People, a Duke and Durham initiative marking the nation’s 250th anniversary through performances, exhibitions, courses, and public programs examining the nation’s evolving identity and the people who define it.
This year’s series honors the women whose artistry and audacity have shaped generations of musicians. Merritt has invited participating artists to reflect on the women who influenced their own creative lives and showed them how to carve space for their own work in music.
“When I was asked to put a series together all I could think about was how can we nourish our lineage forward and backward, honor the magic of the women who knock the doors right off the garden gate so everybody can come in to the table?” explains Merritt. “So much goodness, so much kindness, so much hope given. How do I even begin to say thank you?”
The series opens September 9 with Patty Griffin, one of the most beloved voices in American folk and Americana, whose remarkable career was recognized with the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting. On September 16, Kaia Kater, whose acclaimed NPR Tiny Desk performance introduced her to a global audience, brings a fresh perspective to folk music through songs exploring identity, migration, and memory. Ken Pomeroy, the emerging Cherokee songwriter whose music has reached national audiences through Reservation Dogs and the Twisters soundtrack, performs September 23, drawing on personal experience and Native storytelling traditions with powerful results. The season concludes September 30 with GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist Madison Cunningham, whose inventive musicianship and adventurous songwriting have made her one of the most admired artists working across contemporary folk and rock today.
Concerts will take place Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. from September 9–30 beneath the Lucky Strike Water Tower at American Tobacco Campus. Now in its sixth year, Duke Arts at American Tobacco has become a signature September tradition in downtown Durham. This ongoing partnership between Duke Arts and American Tobacco Campus brings world-class artists to the heart of the city through free public performances open to all audiences.
“Tift has brought together an incredible group of artists to share with our community right in the heart of downtown Durham,” says Duke Arts director of programming Aaron Shackelford. “When we first sat down over coffee, Tift immediately began to imagine a celebration of artistic lineages and generosity. Like so much of our programming, her vision encourages us to reflect on how we as a people arrived at this moment and imagine the future we want together.”
Duke Arts at American Tobacco is presented by Duke Arts in partnership with American Tobacco Campus and Tift Merritt. Generous support of this series is provided by the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation.
The Duke Arts at American Tobacco series is part of the previously announced Duke Arts Presents 2026-27 Season: Our Common Home, featuring a range of programming from September 2026 through April 2027. Review the full Duke Arts Presents lineup at dukearts.org.
Two-time Grammy Award–winning songwriter Patty Griffin is one of the most beloved voices in American folk and Americana. For more than two decades, she has written songs that capture the small moments and big emotions that shape everyday life.
From NPR’s Tiny Desk to award-winning screen work, banjoist and songwriter Kaia Kater fuses folk, bluegrass, and contemporary roots music to tell stories of heritage and home.
Drawing on folk and Americana traditions, Cherokee artist Ken Pomeroy creates quietly powerful songs whose poetic lyrics have appeared in Reservation Dogs and the Twisters soundtrack.
Madison Cunningham moves between indie folk, rock, and art-pop, known for layered arrangements and fearless songwriting—an approach that earned her a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.
No tickets or registration are required. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy American Tobacco Campus restaurants and bars before the performances. Early arrival is encouraged for these popular events. 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.
In the event of inclement weather, concerts will be moved to indoor locations. Weather updates will be announced on the date of the event. Updates and additional visitor information are available at dukearts.org.
