Town guide · Piedmont
Wake Forest
A town just north of Raleigh that was the first home of Wake Forest College, with a historical museum, a renaissance center and a fall dance festival.
35.96° N · -78.51° W · Wake County
CRay Arts IndexGrade · see the report card ↓The town
About Wake Forest
Wake Forest lies just north of Raleigh, almost entirely in Wake County with a small part in Franklin County. Dr. Calvin Jones bought forested land here in 1832 and people began calling the area the Forest of Wake. He later sold the farm to the state Baptist Convention, which opened what became Wake Forest College. A railroad depot moved closer to campus in 1874 and the town was incorporated in 1880. The college moved to Winston-Salem in 1956 and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary took over the campus. The Wake Forest Historical Museum fills the 1820 Calvin Jones House. The DuBois Center, once a school for the Black community, is now a community center. The Wake Forest Renaissance Center offers theater, music and arts classes, and the fall Wake Forest Dance Festival at Joyner Park draws dancers from near and far. Falls Lake is close by. Source: Wikipedia
Events in Wake Forest
On in town this week
Every art form on one list, each in its own color. Sample events — illustrative dates
All Wake Forest eventsNothing posted for the next few weeks yet.
Places by art form
Where to go in Wake Forest
Venues, companies, guilds and more, by art form.
Search everything in Wake ForestMusic
All →- The Wake Forest Listening RoomListening Room
- Wake Forest Renaissance CentreLive music venue
- Trivuj - Triangle Music ProjectPerforming Group
- Chamber Voices For Change IncPerforming Group
- An Gorta Mor Memorial Pipes And DrumsPerforming Group
- Tune Swingers OrchestraPerforming Group
- School of Rock
- Record KrateRecord store
- Music & Arts - Wake ForestInstrument shop (new & used)
- WRDU 100.7 MHz (Wake Forest)
- Golden Era Music Inc.
Theater & Performance
All →Dance
All →Visual Arts
All →Craft & Traditional Arts
All →Literary Arts
All →Film & Media
All →Museums & Heritage
All →Make it a weekend
More towns in Piedmont
Ray Arts Foundation · North Carolina
Report Card
Ray Arts Index · 2026
- Town
- Wake Forest
- County
- Wake County
- Standing
- #28 of 60 graded towns
| Subject | Weight | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Local government supportExtra weightArts budget, arts office, grants, parks & rec arts | 18% | A |
| Arts educationExtra weightSchool district arts programs, arts schools and camps | 12% | A |
| Arts placesVenues, museums and galleries | 18% | F |
| ActivityArts events each month | 13.5% | F |
| FestivalsActive arts festivals | 13.5% | D |
| Arts organizationsArts nonprofits and their budgets | 13.5% | C |
| Creative economyArts businesses and working artists | 7% | C |
| HeritageLong-running arts institutions and history groups | 4.5% | Inc. |
Overall
C
HonorsNone yet
Marking scaleA 80+ · B 65+ · C 50+ (national typical) · D 35+ · F below 35 · Inc. not yet measured
Teacher’s remarks
The Ray Arts Index gives extra weight to local government support and arts education, because public investment in the arts, and in teaching it, is how creative communities grow.
For community leadersWhere Wake Forest has the most room to grow, and the next steps that would raise its grade. Show the breakdownHide the breakdown
Where Wake Forest has the most room to grow
- Arts places (grade F)
- Activity (grade F)
- Festivals (grade D)
Next steps
- Ask venues, museums and galleries to claim their listings and add seating capacity.
- Ask venues and arts groups to post their dates or an events feed, so activity is measured, not missed.
- List every recurring arts festival with its dates, so it counts.
- Add founding years to long-running venues, festivals and arts groups.
- Request the full Wake Forest advisory report from the Ray Arts Foundation.
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