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.
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.
100% of all donations to this fund go to artists and non-profit arts organizations in western North Carolina that have suffered from the devastation of Hurricane Helene.
Total amount that has been distributed as of November 1:
To artists: $200,000
To non-profit arts organizations: $115,000
We hope you will contribute, as the need remains great. Go to the NC Arts Disaster Relief Fund to make your donation through a credit card, PayPal, Venmo, or a personal check.
When you donate enter the word “RELIEF” in the description for your gift.
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.
