About the Artist
Third Place Arts is the brainchild of Johnny Lee Chapman III, a multidisciplinary 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, where he graduated with a B.S. in Dental Hygiene. A storyteller with a deep love for discovery, Chapman weaves together imagination and information, producing enriching works that empower communities through performance and public art. Alongside speechcraft, Chapman is a musician (Johnny Varina), movement artist, and workshop facilitator/event host. A longtime believer in the transformative power of the arts, Chapman encourages people of all ages to explore their imagination as a way to reshape the realities of their everyday lives. Offstage, he can be found cleaning the teeth of his community as a Registered Dental Hygienist or in class at NC State University, beginning an academic journey in cultural anthropology.
"Never let your ink run dry.” - Johnny Lee Chapman III
Curriculum Vitae
Current
Artist in Residence, Birdland Art Gallery (hosted by VAE Raleigh), Raleigh
Public Artist, New Bern Avenue Bus Rapid Transit Project, Raleigh
Performer
A Symbol of Peace, Black on Black Project, Wilmington 2025
Blackademia, Black on Black Project, Winston-Salem 2025
Roots of Wealth Initiative, Kindred Futures, Atlanta 2025
Juneteenth Celebration, Henderson, Nevada 2025
State of the South Report Release Party, MDC Inc., Ella West Gallery, Durham 2025
Shadow Casting, Paradigm Poetry x Raleigh Denim, Raleigh, 2025
NC African American Heritage Commissioner’s Meeting, NCAAHC, Raleigh, 2025
Celebrating & Connecting: NC Rosenwald Schools Convening, North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, Raleigh, 2024
End of Summer Showcase, Capital Moments x Raleigh Iron Works, Raleigh, 2024
Southern Futures Festival, Culture Mill x Carolina Performing Arts, Chapel Hill ,2024
School of Night, FuckUp Nights, Raleigh, 2024
MLK Day of Service, John Chavis Memorial Park, Raleigh, 2024
Eno River Poetry Festival, Orange County Library, Hillsborough, 2023
OTTO by Culture Mill, Saxapahaw, 2023
Roaming Poets, 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
Instructor, Battleborn Summer Camp, Henderson, Nevada 2025
Event Host, Cookup @ The Aquarium, Raleigh, 2025
Master of Ceremonies, North Carolina Climate Justice Summit, Haw River, 2025
Panelist, Black & Queer South Panel: Exploring Sex & Identity In The Black South, Griot & Grey Owl Black Southern Writer’s Conference, Durham, 2024
Conference Speaker, Empowering Communities Through Arts: A Collaboration Between Dix Park Conservancy and Raleigh PRCR, National Recreation and Parks Association Annual Conference, Atlanta, 2024
Panelist, Writing Instructor, Exploring Black Self-Determinism through the Arts, Asheville, 2024
Master of Ceremonies, 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, 2022-23
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
Public Artist, Another Day in the Life, Gipson Play Plaza @ Dix Park, Raleigh 2025
Panelist, MDC State of the South Report Livestream, MDC Inc., Ella West Gallery, Durham ,2025
Public Artist, The Iron Code, Raleigh Iron Works, Raleigh, 2024
Artist-In-Residence, Ballad of the Black Pearl, Carolina Performing Arts x Culture Mill, Chapel Hill, 2024
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 Jillian Clark
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 accepting bookings for performances, workshop facilitation, and commissions for the 2026 calendar year. Submit requests through the link below.