Author: Diana Pineda
(Header photo: Upper Piedmont Regional Meeting at Stokes County Arts Council)
Our Creative Economies team hosted five regional meetings throughout January 2024, gathering local arts councils and community representatives to talk about the impact that federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding had on communities around the state.
A study of ARPA investments at the local level in FY2022-23 showed significant growth in the number of new grantees, including multicultural institutions, receiving support, very strong spending on arts education programs, and a focus on long-term capacity building and infrastructure.
In total, $5 million of ARPA funding was granted to local arts councils in FY2022-23. Grantees used funds to invest in: people, education, and infrastructure.
- 26% of funding was spent on personnel
- 23% of funding was spent on artist contracts
- 10% of funding was spent on professional development and training
- 39 local arts partners spent more than 50% of their ARPA allocation on arts education
- 12% of funding was spent on long-term infrastructure improvements
More than 50% of funding was immediately subgranted:
- A total of 415 subgrants were awarded
- 30% of subgrants supported arts in education activities
- Statewide, 37% of grant recipients were new arts partners
- Of these new partners, 50% were multicultural organizations
ARPA funding helped support artists and arts organizations during one of the most challenging times our sector has faced. But equally important, these funds enabled hundreds of arts organizations to build capacity and engage in strategic planning to increase community engagement and stabilize the arts sector statewide.
These ARPA fund investments wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership shown by the North Carolina state legislature and Governor Cooper, who made the arts sector a priority during the last several years. The North Carolina state legislature allocated a larger percentage of Federal COVID-19 relief funds than most states to support our artists and arts organizations.