“That is almost twice as much as what Arts Davidson County received in Grassroots funding last year,” said Amanda Feliciano, executive director of Arts Davidson County. “This is a big win for us here in Davidson County. The arts have always been a powerful tool for revitalizing our rural areas, cities and communities that are facing tough times. With this investment, we can continue to create sustainable programs that bring life back into our towns and offer support where it’s needed most.”

Each year, local arts organizations wanting to add an art component to their programing apply for Grassroots funding from Arts Davidson County. Past recipients include Lexington Youth Theatre, Lexington Live Community Theater, Lexington Choral Society, the Thomasville Martin Luther King Jr. Social Action Committee, Lexington Parks and Recreations’s Multicultural Festival, Black Butterfly Networks Artist Invitational and Davidson County Senior Services.

She said Arts North Carolina lobbied for an increase in arts funding for the Grassroots Program and other art funding from the N.C. General Assembly.

“With this increase in funding, N.C. has acknowledged the importance of the arts in our communities,” she said. “The educational impact is just as important. The arts help spark creativity in young minds and support academic success across various subjects. With this new funding, we can expand our educational programs and continue to inspire the next generation of creators and leaders.”

Funding increased across the state in 99 of North Carolina’s counties. The North Carolina Arts Council announced Wednesday $11.5 million in grant awards for 2024–25. A record-number of grant applications were submitted this year.

Statewide 366 grant were awarded to support nonprofit arts organizations, schools, after-school programs, municipalities and artists in all 100 counties this year. The grants range from $5,000 to $338,000.

Funding priorities this year include organizations and projects that:

• Emphasize community outreach and audience engagement
• Improve organizational capacity and capabilities
• Connect K–12 students with artists in a range of disciplines, notably the traditional arts of North Carolina
• Foster public-private partnerships that leverage state and federal funding with local support
• Provide outreach to military service men and women, veterans, and their families

This year’s grant awards significantly increase the N.C. Arts Council’s investment in small and mid-sized arts organizations. Eighty-five new organizations are receiving flexible funding through an expanded category called Sustaining Support, more than doubling the agency’s investment in work that promotes stability and sustainability in the arts sector.