Since 2014, the Stanly County Arts Council has recognized an Arts Person of the Year.

This person has made a significant positive impact on the arts in Stanly County and has worked to support, promote and create quality arts experiences for the whole community.

Tim Hedrick is the 2023 recipient of the Arts Person of the Year. Hedrick received his award at the awards ceremony at the 5th Celebration of the Arts on March 25 at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center.

Tim Hedrick displays his Arts Person of the Year award. (Contributed)

Hedrick received many nominations. The nominators included his involvement at Pfeiffer, Stanly County Concert Band and the Stanly County Concert Association.

Hedrick is a graduate of Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Music – Education Degree.

After teaching at Bunker Hill High School and Catawba Middle School for four years, Hedrick served as band director of the Albemarle high and middle school bands for 26 years. He retired from Albemarle High in 2003.

He also taught at Concord First Assembly Christian School for three years.

Hedrick has served as a concert band and marching band adjudicator and clinician in North Carolina and Tennessee.

Having been nominated by one of his students, Hedrick is a 1998 Time Warner Star Teacher. He is the 2003 recipient of the North Carolina Band Director’s Association Award of Excellence for the South Central District. He is also a Paul Harris Fellow through Rotary Club.
He has served as a past president of the Stanly County Arts Council.

In addition to enjoying retirement and being a grandpa, he does middle school and high school band consulting and some substitute teaching.
Hedrick is the adjunct director of instrumental music at Pfeiffer University, teaching Wind Ensemble and Pep Band. He is also one of the directors of the Stanly County Concert Band.

He is the leader and a performer in the Rowan Big Band All-Stars, a 20-piece band that plays music from the 30s and 40s to present day. His other current activities include Stanly County Concert Association Board of Directors treasurer and concertmaster, Central United Methodist Church Choir and handbell choir and technology chairperson.

He also performs in church and around the community in an instrumental trio with Carmella Hedrick and Charlotte Maness. He has also performed in the pit orchestra for Uwharrie Players shows and performs with several local ensembles.

Hedrick is married to Carmella Hedrick, flautist and musician, lead conductor of the Stanly County Concert Band, and the 2017 recipient of the Arts Council’s Arts Person of the Year. She also teaches at Stanly Community College.

They have one son, Jason, who is a computer and electrical engineer in Raleigh, who is a musician.

The Hedricks have three grandchildren, Linus, Cleona and George.

Hedrick joins previous Arts Person of the Year awardees of Charlotte Maness, Angela Moore, Wes Tucker, Carmella Hedrick, Tim Harris, John Williams, Aza Hudson and Kent Harkey/Edna Lipe-Harkey. For 2021, the Arts Person and Fine Arts Educator of the Year awards were combined and honored all arts educators in the county for their dedication to youth to pursue the arts during the pandemic.

The Stanly County Arts Council was founded in 1974. It continues to promote and support all art forms in the community. Its mission is to encourage and promote broad-based cultural and educational activities in the arts throughout Stanly County.

The Stanly County Arts Council is supported by private donations and by the NC Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.