The devastation that occurred in Western North Carolina from Hurricane Helene is staggering. The region is well-known for its rich cultural traditions and vibrant creative communities, and artists and arts organizations are among those that have suffered enormous losses.
Our hearts go out to those suffering losses from the fires in California. If you would like to support the LA Arts Community, the Getty has set up a Fire Relief Fund.
You can help in the recovery of the arts sector by contributing directly to the NC Arts Disaster Relief Fund. Or you can choose to support a project featuring artists of Western North Carolina that will inspire and help heal those who suffered the trauma of losing homes, businesses, personal possessions, and loved ones.
If you have questions, please feel free to contact us through the Information Request Form.
The Arts Disaster Fund for Western North Carolina was created through a collaboration of the North Carolina Arts Foundation, Arts North Carolina, and the North Carolina Arts Council in the days after Hurricane Helene hit the region. As of February 10, $912,500 has been distributed for the benefit of artists and arts organizations in the counties that suffered the worst devastation. We all are deeply grateful to the 1,337 donors who made contributions!
It was a privilege for the Arts Foundation to be a partner in this effort. Our staff solicited contributions, processed and acknowledged donations, and then distributed the funds to regional partners who could quickly provide these resources to those in need. The only overhead costs paid with donations were small transactions fees if the gift was received through a digital or mobile payment platform, and compensation for extra bookkeeping and processing costs associated with receiving so many separate donations. Overall, these administrative costs constituted less than one percent of the funds received.
The Arts Foundation believes it is important to continue to assist Western North Carolina in its time of need and donations given to the Arts Disaster Fund after February 10 will be used to support artists, regional arts organizations, or projects that help the region heal. In order to avoid appreciable losses to our operations budget, the Arts Foundation may opt to take a 10% fee to cover administrative costs associated with raising and distributing relief funds.
2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the first commercial recordings made in the Southern Appalachians. Recorded at the Vanderbilt Hotel in Asheville, the sessions documented some of the region’s most influential musicians. Planning for a public commemoration of the event and a high-quality reissue of the recordings has taken on added significance since the hurricane’s destruction. The project will underscore Asheville's continuing role in shaping American roots music.
Read more about the Historic Asheville Sessions and how you can support this project.
The Search for Elisha Mitchell is a film documenting a play of the same title written by Dylan Wilson, a 5th generation resident of Yancey County. The documentary explores not only how a work of art is made but, after the devastation from Hurricane Helene, how heroic efforts are often required from those who choose, or feel chosen, to create.
Read more about how you can help bring this documentary project to completion.
As a charitable non-profit, the North Carolina Arts Foundation is a catalyst that enables individuals and organizations to learn about and support arts programs with proven public benefit. As North Carolina emerges from the pandemic, a top priority is to find resources for arts programs that help our youth succeed in school and in life.
A+ Schools of North Carolina believes that the arts are fundamental to teaching and learning. Schools in the A+ network develop a creative culture in which our state’s Standard Course of Study is taught through collaboration and multi-discipline integration, with the arts woven into every child's learning experience. Our foundation is building an endowment that will support the growth of A+ Schools across North Carolina.
When acclaimed musician Ben Folds approached the North Carolina Arts Foundation about “giving back” to his home state, together we created Keys for Kids, which provides music lessons and keyboards to students who might not otherwise have access to these resources. Keys for Kids is now in its second year with partner sites in seven counties across the state.
The Arts Foundation supports a rising generation of traditional musicians, dancers, and crafts artists in North Carolina by supporting folklife apprenticeships and afterschool programs. Traditional Arts Programs for Students (TAPS) employs local artists to teach traditional arts of their home communities.
Be a partner in supporting the arts across communities in North Carolina.
The benefits of arts education for students and their families are well documented. As North Carolina emerges from the pandemic, our top priority is to help our young people succeed in school and in life.
