Author: Andie Freeman
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. Arts Council, communication with the local arts councils was also a top priority so we could respond to the real needs that were being assessed.
Now, as 2025 begins, efforts focus on rebuilding the region's robust network of arts organizations. Representatives from Arts AVL, Arts NC, and the N.C. Arts Council recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to make presentations to representatives from federal agencies involved in recovery and elected officials on Capitol Hill. These presentations focused on western North Carolina's arts and culture sector, highlighting both its economic impact and reconstruction needs.
"We aim to rebuild with an even stronger foundation for the region," says Vicki Vitiello, deputy director of the N.C. Arts Council. " The recovery process is helping us reimagine broader, innovative arts initiatives that could serve all of North Carolina." She emphasizes that success requires collaboration: "As always, we do our best work in partnership with others. The arts sector is already planning along side leaders at the local, state, and national levels to ensure that the people of western North Carolina benefit from the public good that the arts provide – things like economic impact, wellness and resiliency, and cultural identity and heritage. These things are essential to rebuild in the coming years.
Collaboration will be crucial to support the rebuilding of this important arts community. “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to help support the North Carolina Arts Council in their recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “Hurricane Helene was devastating for the cultural sector of western North Carolina. Natural disasters like this underscore the importance of helping the field with disaster preparedness and recovery, through education and a wide range of resources. At the NEA, we continue to work with our state and federal partners to increase access for the arts community to necessary resources before, during, and after disasters occur.”
Keeping the arts community involved in decision-making is important, and the reason that the Arts Council has been in close communication with arts organizations as they rebuild—especially with Arts AVL, the largest local arts council in the region. The federal government is playing a key role in building back the infrastructure of western North Carolina. Arts AVL, Arts North Carolina, the N.C. Arts Council, and the NEA are making sure that the arts and culture sector of the area will be part of the conversation and will benefit from the investments made.
To support immediate recovery, the Arts Council has launched a new grant category for nonprofit arts organizations in affected areas. These flexible grants, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, can fund:
- Salaries and wages
- Repair and conservation of artistic and cultural materials
- Replacement supplies and equipment
- Projects and activities
- Marketing campaigns to reconnect with audiences
Organizations can apply between January 6 and January 24, 2025, with decisions announced by February 14, 2025. To read more and apply, see Hurricane Helene Relief Grants for Organizations in Western North Carolina.