Author: Jeff Bell
Header image: North Carolina Arts Council staff at the 2025 ARTS Day conference. Photo by Andie Freeman.
Happy spring! I hope you’ve been able to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and art around our state. Spring is always a busy time at the North Carolina Arts Council, and this year is no exception. A highlight of the season is ARTS Day, the annual conference hosted by Arts North Carolina. This year’s conference, which took place on April 22, was filled with engaging speakers and performances. Maggie Thompson, chief deputy secretary of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, welcomed the audience, sharing stories of a recent trip to the western part of the state. Vicki Vitiello, deputy director of the North Carolina Arts Council, gave an overview of our new strategic plan and how it will help the field. Pam Breaux, president and chief executive officer of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA), and David Holland, deputy director of Creative West, shared valuable insights on advocacy for the arts from national, regional, and state perspectives. There were great performances by ShaLeigh Dance Works and Donna Ray Norton. Norton is an eighth-generation balladeer who was recently awarded the In These Mountains Appalachian Folklife Apprenticeship. The day closed with an inspiring presentation by comics creator and cartoonist Keith Knight and an energetic performance by multi-instrumentalists and singer-songwriters Larry and Joe. We are grateful to Arts North Carolina for this annual opportunity to bring the nonprofit arts community together.
In April, senior staff traveled to Winston-Salem for our spring board meeting and were joined by Secretary of North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Pam Cashwell and Chief Deputy Secretary Thompson. I appreciated the opportunity for our board to meet the new secretary and for her to experience the work we are doing with our board and staff to broaden the reach and impact of the arts in North Carolina.
Arts Council staff and panels are reviewing our 2025–2026 grant applications. The staff has worked hard to help applicants with their proposals, and we look forward to again supporting organizations so they can continue making North Carolina a great place to live and experience culture.
This month, we are excited to share more about our North Carolina Heritage Awards honorees through podcasts and videos, so keep an eye out for those. The Heritage Awards event is on June 7, and we would love to see you there.
The N.C. Arts Council is an agency of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. A department-wide program is America250 N.C., a commemoration of the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the development of a new country dedicated to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Watch for more information on our social media channel as well as the social media channels of America250 N.C.