The North Carolina Arts Council is developing a bold five-year strategic plan that will strengthen our state's arts community. Over the past year, we've taken time for research and reflection to shape this vision. The staff began by examining their work priorities, assessing current conditions in the field, and identifying challenges that need attention. The Arts Council’s board leadership then joined staff to form a strategic planning committee that moved the process forward.
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Western North Carolina was forever changed by Hurricane Helene. The floodwater, high winds, and mudslides caused widespread devastation across 26 counties, covering more than 10,000 square miles of the North Carolina mountains and foothills. Once the waters receded, the storm’s impact on the region’s infrastructure and economy was clearly historic. The arts, a key industry in the highlands, felt the brunt of this disruption.
One of the ways the state invests in the arts is through the North Carolina Arts Council’s grant programs. The Arts Council gives these financial awards to sustain and advance our diverse and widespread network of arts organizations and artists.
Last September, Hurricane Helene brought destruction to western North Carolina that was unexpected and overwhelming. The storm changed the landscape, and washed homes and businesses away. During the early days of relief efforts, the goal was the health and safety of everyone in the region. To that end, Arts AVL—the local arts agency for Asheville and Buncombe County—distributed $750,000 in small grants to artists for urgent needs, using funds from the North Carolina Arts Foundation and other sources. For the N.C.
The arts don't merely accompany our seasonal celebrations. They fundamentally shape how we experience this time of year, from the gifts we choose to the stories we tell.
Images courtesy of the artists and Zoe van Buren. Clockwise from top left: Herman Oxendine, Loretta Oxendine, Chester McMillian, Gaurang Doshi, Helen Gibson, and The Glorifying Vines Sisters.
The North Carolina Arts Council is proud to share the six artists/groups who will receive the 2025 North Carolina Heritage Awards for their lifetime contributions to our state’s cultural vitality. The N.C. Heritage Award is our state’s highest honor for traditional artists.
A cohort is a group of people working in concert with each other for a common goal. Military units can also be known as cohorts. So it seemed more than fitting to bring together the nine organizations receiving an N.C. Arts Council Military and Veterans Healing Arts grant this year, to form an arts cohort to learn and share ideas to make the arts more accessible for veterans, those currently serving in the military, and their families.
It’s time to get into the holiday spirit and #shoplocal to support our North Carolina communities!
Artists and artisans work hard all year but at the holidays, they really show up to share their beautiful work. This year, we are including some virtual markets that are helping artists in the western part of the state to sell to a wider audience. Take time to check out events in your county, or visit one of these events happening in November and December 2024.
Recently, the N.C. Arts Council announced three traditional artist teams from western N.C. who have received a North Carolina In These Mountains Appalachian Folklife Apprenticeship. The apprenticeship provides an opportunity for one generation of master artists to pass along specialized knowledge to a new generation, expanding access to unique traditional skills.
Few could have imagined the effects of Hurricane Helene on western North Carolina in September. "The devastation was beyond belief," Governor Roy Cooper remarked during his September 30 visit to the area. "And even when you prepare for something like this, this is something that's never happened before in western North Carolina."
The region's vibrant arts community was among the hardest hit. Yet, it has been the case during previous upheavals, the arts community has also emerged as a beacon of hope and support.