The relationship between arts education and improved student outcomes is well-established, with research demonstrating that students who study the arts have better attendance, lower dropout rates, and higher standardized test scores in reading and math and are better prepared to enter the workforce. The North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC) has long recognized the importance of…
Helping the folk and traditional arts to thrive is an important part of what state arts agencies do. Using a mixture of federal and state funds, state arts agencies provide a wide variety of programs and partnerships that help culture bearers and communities to celebrate, preserve, share and dynamically grow their cherished traditions. Mississippi, Nevada…
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) contains nearly $200 billion in emergency funding for states and territories to support a continued public health response, build infrastructure and promote equitable recovery. This state-led funding gives states and territories the ability to use these dollars in the ways that are most effective for each state. As with the…
State arts agencies (SAAs) are continuing to respond to the changing dynamics of the pandemic, which severely disrupted audience attendance patterns for live and in-person arts events. To address this issue, some SAAs are undertaking promotional campaigns to encourage the public to visit cultural venues and participate in the arts. Iowa, North Carolina and New…
The COVID-19 pandemic is placing severe restrictions on public gatherings and physical interactions. Those limits in turn curtail opportunities for traditional face-to-face commerce. To help the arts sector address this new reality, state arts agencies are establishing virtual marketplaces and helping artists develop new platforms for online retail. Kentucky, Maryland and North Carolina all offer…
The State of North Carolina, through the North Carolina Arts Council and the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, is running a year-long campaign, Come Hear NC, in response to Gov. Roy Cooper and First Lady Kristin Cooper proclaiming 2019 as The Year of Music. The state is celebrating the composers, musicians, studios, venues, instrument…
This summer, the North Carolina Arts Council (N.C. Arts Council) is working with two interns to cultivate the state’s folklife infrastructure as well as the future of public-sector leadership. The interns will help realize N.C. Arts Council’s folklife programming—by engaging in grant making, field research, financial planning and management, and other activities—while benefiting from related professional…
The North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC) recognizes that the intrinsic benefits of the arts—including empowerment through self-expression and interpersonal connections through creativity—can be especially important to military service members, veterans and their families, who face unique challenges stemming from frequent relocations, long deployments abroad and the loss of loved ones. With this in mind, NCAC…
As part of its 50th-anniversary celebration, the North Carolina Arts Council (NCAC) created a podcast highlighting and honoring the rich history of the arts in North Carolina, which have shaped the state’s identity and vitality since its founding. Arts Across NC features artists and arts leaders who talk about their personal connections to the arts…
South Arts has kicked off a pilot program to help expand opportunities for performing arts presenters and grow the performing arts field in its nine member states—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Through its Launchpad initiative, the regional arts organization is providing mentorships and other professional development services to…
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