Neha Patil (Editor)

Arts Council of Winston Salem Forsyth County

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The Arts council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, covering Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, North Carolina, USA, claims to have been the first (1949) locally established arts council in the United States. Now there are more than 4,000. The Arts Council raises funds for the arts, advocates for the arts, sponsors events with other arts organizations, provides educational opportunities, develops social capital, and assists economic development. It relies on volunteers and contributors (both private and public) to run effectively.

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The council employs full-time staff members, including CEO Jim Sparrow, and has a Board of Directors that makes decisions regarding grant appropriations

History

The Arts Council was founded in 1949 with $7,200 in seed money from the Junior League of Winston-Salem. They were the first arts council created in the United States and continue to be a model for similar organizations throughout the country. In the late 1980s, city and county leaders recognized The Arts Council as the official local arts agency for public arts funding. The organization raises funds on an annual basis to support artists and arts and cultural organizations. The Arts Council owns its office downtown, the Arts Council Theatre, the Downtown Center for the Arts, and a parking lot.

Community Impact

The Arts Council states that for 60 years it has aimed to "provide proactive leadership and spark cultural growth." Their sponsored programs provide arts education to school children, help artists advance their careers, and help organizations in the community provide performances, exhibits and events throughout the year. It is estimated that annually they reach 500,000 local residents and school children through programs and initiatives. The arts have a substantial economic impact on Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.

Grants

The Arts Council gives five different types of grants. They are listed below.

The Organizational Support Grant (OSG)

  • Offers financial support to local arts organizations to assist in the day-to-day operations of the organization

    • The Arts-In-Education Grant (AIE)

  • The program is planned and administered in conjunction with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System

    • The Regional Artist Project Grant (RAPG)

  • Offers support to artists in the local community and region
  • The Regional Artist Project Grant provides financial support to individual artists and small, unincorporated groups of collaborating artists
  • Given to the following disciplines: Music Composition, Film/Video, Literature/Playwriting, Choreography/Dance, and Visual Art/Craft

    • The Advertising Assistance Program (AAP)

  • supported by area radio stations and print publications

    • Innovative Project Grant (IPG)

    References

    Arts Council of Winston-Salem Forsyth County Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA