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Art programs across North Carolina to benefit from $11.5 million in grants

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Averlee Painter, Emrie Fulmer, pre-K students at Sunny View Elementary School, search for decorations during arts and crafts. Liz Bell/EducationNC

The North Carolina Arts Council has announced $11.5 million in grants to be distributed across all 100 counties in the state to benefit schools, after-school programs, nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and artists during the 2024-25 fiscal year.

“The arts benefit North Carolinians of all ages,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a press release. “These grants will enrich our communities as well as grow their economies throughout all one hundred counties.”

The grant money is divided into 366 awards, ranging from $5,000 to $338,000. The full list of grant recipients, which includes several school districts and one community college, can be found here. 

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To award the grants, the N.C. Arts Council assembled panels of reviewers with a variety of expertise, including in artistic disciplines and community leadership.

According to the press release, this year’s grant recipients include a greater number of small and mid-sized arts organizations.

“The record number of applications we received this grant cycle signals that artists are inspiring audiences and producing arts experiences that make our state a wonderful place to live, work, and visit,” said Jeff Bell, the Arts Council’s executive director. “I thank Governor Cooper and the General Assembly for championing our arts and culture sector. The arts deliver more than $2 billion in economic impact annually to our state and are a powerful tool to uplift entire communities.”

Priorities for funding include programs that highlight community engagement and outreach, encourage public-private partnerships, promote organizational capacity, and connect K-12 students with artists — especially those who practice North Carolina traditional arts. Funding will also go toward programs offering outreach to veterans, service members, and their families.

“The arts are woven into the fabric of our state’s identity, and as I travel across North Carolina, I see firsthand how much the creative sector contributes to the cultural and economic vibrancy of cities, towns, and regions,” said Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson. “When the arts flourish, communities flourish.”