Supporting Creative Economies
Operating Grants
- August 2025 - $55,000 in General Operating Grants to Visual Arts organizations
- January 2025 - $99,000 in General Operating Grants to Performing Arts organizations
- July 2024 - $40,000 in General Operating Grants to Craft organizations
- April 2024 - $45,000 in General Operating Grants to Arts Councils
North Carolina Arboretum Society
- Region: WNC
- Grant Amount: $40,000
- Fiscal Year: 2026
- About: to install the premier U.S. exhibit of world-renowned Danish artist Thomas Dambo’s Trolls: A Field Study, bringing art, hope, and economic and environmental benefits to Western North Carolina.
John C. Campbell Folk School
- Region: Clay and Cherokee counties
- Grant Amount: $50,000
- Fiscal Year: 2025
- About: to support a concert series celebrating its centennial in 2025-2026 that will attract five major headliners, upgrade the sound system in the outdoor venue, and support marketing and promotion.
Land of Sky Regional Council as fiscal sponsor for WNC upscaling Creative Manufacturing Project
- Region: WNC
- Grant Amount: $100,000
- Fiscal Year: 2025
- About: to expand business support services for creatives in Helene-affected areas by addressing space and logistical needs through the POWER Pass Program; the expansion of Craft Your Commerce providing direct support in marketing, branding, website development, and storytelling; and supporting the launch of the inaugural WNC Creative Manufacturing Conference.
Asheville Symphony Society
- Region: WNC
- Grant Amount: $40,000
- Fiscal Year: 2024
- About: to help alleviate extraordinary financial hardship brought about by the closure of Thomas Wolfe Auditorium; funds will be applied toward musician compensation, soloist fees, and venue rental costs.