goingbarefoot — boxes opened, pages turned…
a few markers along the way from “there” to “here”

goingbarefoot started ‘going' awhile back…I just didn’t know it.
Johnston County, NC... maybe 1950? There are probably some indicators even in this photo that I'd do well at arranging furniture & doing flowers.
Well, well, well...Steve is gonna go somewhere. The first summer to be out of the tobacco field...1968
En route on The Experiment to India, via Cairo, 1968; the camel didn’t behave as well as my champion 4-H pigs at home
The Burlington Award announcement in Chicago 1968; Letitia Baldridge to my left
1968, Chapel Hill, with brother Michael; pic by Jock Lauterer
Peace Corps, Eldama Ravine, Kenya 1969
Kenya National Theatre, Nairobi - Call Me Madam - November 1971
Gig at Sunflower & Lamu, November 1971, Nairobi
At The Experiment in International Living, Putney, VT 1973
The white-faced gigs, EIL, Vermont; Jacques Brel & Sondheim & Joe Roposo 1974
For Chez Condoret Cabaret/Chapel Hill/1980?
In the "after all" portion of Stephen's, 1981, the opening week with Barbara Cook
Starting Here, Starting now w/Marnie Carmichael & Maggie Roberts at Stephen's After All, Dec. 31, 1981
May 15, 1983 at Stephen’s, After All; Freddy Cole was the final act
The incredibly wonderful Carolina Theatre staff, 1987
With Robert Townsend at the Carolina...The guy managed 30+ media interviews in two days. We ain’t be got no weapons! 1987
The Carolina Theatre's final week in 1988 before closing to begin a six-year restoration; with Monte Moses, bless him forever
The years with Brightleaf Music Workshop at Duke. Thank you, Lisa. 1988-1994
The headshot years...late 80s; photo by Bill Russ
Another headshot; late 80s…. must’ve been about teeth; photo by Bill Russ
Barbara Cook -- the love affair from the opening week of Stephen's in 1981 stretched to the stage of Thalian Hall in 2006
Back to Kenya & Eldama Ravine, 2012
On the Royal Clipper 2014
With Ms. Lisa Fischer 2014
The Stephen’s sign, to da dump 2015 - about time!
Airbnb hdqtrs lobby portrait, San Francisco; photo by Erik Tanner
The Airbnb Belo Award gala, Orpheum Theatre, L.A. 2016

A memorable, invigorating performance at any venue is the fruit of a true working partnership, an evening when all our “jobs” just couldn’t be more fulfilling. It happens with artists who not only magically connect with receptive audiences and blow us away with their talent and skill, but who also address our crews by name and thank them, who arrive for load-in as scheduled, whose riders are accurate and current, who are flexible when an unexpected glitch occurs - and who value the larger “team” from the moment the engagement is confirmed ... At goingbarefoot, we come from a presenter’s point of view, having been in that role for 20 years and for every artist we represent. We can say - from being there - that these are artists at the top of their game. And they make you feel you’re at the top of yours.

About goingbarefoot

goingbarefoot•inc. was formally founded in 1994, building on past experience to more closely focus on arts project management services and customized entertainment planning, design & production for commemorative events.

In addition to information provided about artists represented, this website also outlines goingbarefoot’s record of services, in corporate and not-for-profit sectors, within areas noted above. A few photos and endorsement statements from clients are included along the way, and a short video reel provides a quick glimpse at a sampling of goingbarefoot customized commemorative events.

Services to clients have included customized galas & openings, campaign kick-off’s, fundraising events & product launches, plus artist booking, programming & series management for performing arts centers and presenter networks. Consulting work has concentrated mainly within programming development for historic theatres, emerging arts centers and presenter networks. In 2007, goingbarefoot added a boutique artist agency to its range of client services, representing a few select invited artists for performing arts venues nationwide.

Stephen Barefoot

Stephen Barefoot is is a journalism graduate of UNC-CH and served as a US Peace Corps volunteer for three years in East Africa. With more than 25 years' experience in performing arts production, presenting and administration, he brings a well-seasoned view to a broad range of arts-related clients. He presently programs performing arts series for multiple NC venues and has served as a programming consultant on numerous U.S. historic theatre restoration projects. He is contracted as administrative director for the 200-member NC Presenter Consortium, and has booked & coordinated state and regional tours for artists including Leahy, Gregory Popovich’s Comedy Pet Theatre, the musical Good Ol’ Girls & others. He has served as executive producer for commemorative events including the Duke Children's Classic with guest artists including Faith Hill, Jeff Foxworthy & Perry Como, kick-off for the UNC-CH Bicentennial Campaign with James Taylor and Charles Kuralt, Light Up Durham featuring the Radio City Rockettes and a 1,500-voice student choir at Durham Bulls stadium, Duke Cancer Center's 25th anniversary with Sam Donaldson, and special events for the Board of Trustees of Duke University. As a presenter, he has provided consulting services for organizations including the Performing Art Exchange, Tennessee Arts Commission, Virginia Commission on the Arts, Kentucky Arts Presenters, Ohio Presenters Network, Mississippi Arts Commission, Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour & others. For eight years, Barefoot served as editor of the NC Presenter Consortium's statewide calendar guide, ON STAGE IN NORTH CAROLINA, and is co-chair of the biennial performing arts showcase conference ArtsMarket.

  • School of Journalism, B.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1969
  • U.S. Peace Corps, 1969-1972, Nairobi, Kenya
  • Dir. of Public Relations, National Office, The Experiment in International Living, Putney/Brattleboro, VT 1972-1975
  • Dir. of Marketing, A Southern Season, Inc., Chapel Hill, 1975-1980
  • Owner/operator, “Stephen’s, After All” in Chapel Hill, NC, 1981-1983
  • Managing Director, historic Carolina Theatre, Durham, NC 1985-1988
  • Executive Director, Brightleaf Music Workshop, Duke University, 1988-1994
  • President, goingbarefoot•inc., 1994-present

“I’ll tell others they will never find a better club than Stephen’s, really. I’ve never been able to say that before, anywhere.” Sir Richard Rodney Bennett

“The best club, the very best, I’ve ever set foot into..” Author & jazz critic R.C. Smith

“One of the happiest engagements of my life.” George Shearing