Prior to joining The Arts Council in 2006, New worked with the City of Charleston in the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, with PURE Theatre and as a consultant to non-profits including colleges, community foundations, professional development groups and arts organizations.  At The Arts Council she has served as Director of Special Gifts and Advocacy Relations, Director of Corporate and Workplace Giving and, most recently, as Director of Major Gifts.

“Our core mission at The Arts Council is to raise money effectively and efficiently for our member organizations. Catherine New has been a part of that process for some five years now and is a valuable part of our Arts Council team. As Senior Director of Development, she will have increased responsibilities and, with them, greater opportunities to be of service to our arts community,” said Milton Rhodes, President and CEO of The Arts Council.

New’s appointment is part of Arts Council staff restructuring. Terri Dillon, Vice President of Development, is transitioning to fundraising consulting.

New graduated summa cum laude from the College of Charleston with the Bachelor of Arts degree in Arts Administration and Fine Art.  She is a graduate of the Leadership Winston-Salem Class of 2009 and serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors for Arts North Carolina, First Vice Chair of the Board of Director for Piedmont Craftsmen and Volunteer Development Chair of the Junior League of Winston-Salem Board of Directors.

The artists will present samples of their recent work including storytelling, dance, film, animation, music and spoken word.  Amy Lindsey, Terri Ingalls, Iana Dontcheva, David Goliszek, Julian Semilian, Rob Simon, Amy Knox Brown, Matthew James Allivato, Ed Bumgardner, Taimur Sullivan, Patrick Tucker, Britt Harper Uzzell and Eurydice White are featured.  Norman Ussary, Executive Director of Twin City Stage, will emcee.

This event is free.   A suggested donation of $5 per person will go to support The Arts Council’s Regional Artists Project Grant.

Regional Artist Project Grants from The Arts Council provide financial support to committed, gifted individual artists and small, unincorporated groups of collaborating artists.  The grant is awarded to projects that promise to advance the career of the artist or group.  Career development opportunities arise at different stages of careers; therefore, the grant is open to both emerging and established artists.

The Regional Artist Project Grant is funded and administered by The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County and is supported by a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council.  The program is operated in partnership with Arts United for Davidson County, the Davie County Arts Council, the Foothills Arts Council, the Stokes County Arts Council, the Surry Arts Council, and the Yadkin Arts Council.

The Hanesbrands Theatre is located in the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts at 209 N. Spruce Street, Winston-Salem. To reserve seats, call the Hanesbrands Theater box office at (336) 747-1414 between noon and 6 p.m., Monday – Friday.

For more information contact Dara Silver, Director of Funded Partner and Grant Programs at (336) 747-1426 or dsilver@intothearts.org.

The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County was established in 1949 and was the first locally established arts council in the United States. The Arts Council enriches the lives of people in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County and neighboring communities by raising funds for arts organizations, advocating for the arts, providing arts education for children, strengthening cultural resources, developing social capital, and aiding economic development.  In 2011, the Arts Council made some $2 million in grants to 43 arts organizations and 26 individual artists.

“The Annual Campaign is the most important activity of The Arts Council,” said Arts Council Board Chair Tom Ingram.  “Our Funded Partners, whose arts programs and offerings touch almost everyone in our community, count on it to provide funds to defray operating expenses.  Leon Porter brings to this position a wealth of experience with nonprofits in general and fundraising in particular. His wide range of friends and professional associates will enable him to pull together a Campaign Cabinet that can meet our goals and the needs of our Funded Partners and other grantees in the arts community.”

The Arts Council will announce it 2012 Campaign Cabinet and its fundraising goal for 2012 at its Campaign Kickoff on February 9.  Last year the Arts Council raised more than $3 million and made some $2 million in grants to 43 arts organizations and 26 individual artists.

Porter is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Wake Forest University School of Law. His specialties include business and corporate law, employment issues, intellectual property and franchising.  He was a partner in a major national law firm before serving as Chief Counsel-Branded Apparel, Sara Lee Corporation (now Hanesbrands) from 1991 to 1998.  He also was Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Jefferson-Pilot Communications Company (Lincoln Financial Media Company following merger) from 2003 to 2008.

“I gladly devote time and energy to The Arts Council,” said Porter, “because I see clearly how it affects so many vital parts of our community – the education of children, quality of life,  jobs and tax revenues, and our ability to attract and retain the kind of creative minds we need for our new economy.  The recent “Vibrancy Index” based on a five–year study by The Arts Council showed significant increases in arts and entertainment opportunities in Winston-Salem making the city an even more attractive place to live. I look forward to this challenging opportunity to be of service to The Arts Council and to this community.”

The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County was established in 1949 and was the first locally established arts council in the United States. The Arts Council enriches the quality of life for people in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County by raising funds for the arts, advocating for the arts, sponsoring events in conjunction with other arts organizations, providing arts education for children, developing social capital and aiding economic development.

For additional information, please contact Carroll Leggett, Public Relations/Public Affairs, 336.725.3487.  cleggett@triad.rr.com

An amazing 4,000-plus people turned out between Feb. 10-12 to view and purchase hundreds of pieces of artwork from the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company art collection.

Earlier this year, The Arts Council received some 3,000 pieces of artwork from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.  Proceeds from this sale of a portion of the art collection will benefit a host of local arts organizations and individual artists who receive grants from The Arts Council.

The central office of WSFCS recently held an arts day featuring lunch for employees, a silent auction of artworks from Piedmont Craftsmen, Associated Artists, Sawtooth School for Visual Art and the Reynolds Tobacco Company Arts Collection; and performances by a trio from the Winston-Salem Symphony and the Hispanic Arts Initiative, all funded partners of The Arts Council. For photos of the event, please click below.

Teacher representatives from each elementary, middle and high school gathered Thursday, Jan. 19 in the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts to hear about the arts in education grants given annual by The Arts Council and other ways in which WSFCS benefits from a vibrant arts community. Leon Porter, 2012 chair of the campaign, spoke to the group.

The WSFCS campaign is the pacesetter campaign for The Arts Council each year. Last year, 1558 employees of the WSFCS raised more than $75,000 to benefit the arts in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.

The study results were announced today at a press conference held at the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts in downtown Winston-Salem.

Milton Rhodes, President and CEO of the Arts Council, said, “We all have seen the evidence.  Sidewalks bustling with people at night.  A profusion of sidewalk cafes.  Arts and cultural activities almost every evening at our new arts center.  But no one had stopped to count.

“In 2006, we had 50 restaurants downtown,” said Rhodes. “In 2008 we had 61.  Today we have 81.  You see quickly that our Downtown is alive and growing. Four of our downtown restaurants and bars, as well as a chocolate shop, were featured in the November issue of Southern Living. Downtown is energetic and electric now.”

Rhodes said that five years ago Winston-Salem was a quiet place. “A lot of us were not content with that. We thought our city ought to be a destination for arts, culture, entertainment and dining.   In 2006, we had 670 events city wide.  So we set a goal of 1,000 events a year, and there were a lot of raised eyebrows. But by 2008, we had 845 total events and by 2010 we had 2519 – almost four times the number five years before. Talk about progress.  Talk about vibrancy,” Rhodes said.

In 2006, there were seven festivals in the city.  That number more than doubled to 19 by 2008 and in 2010 Winston-Salem hosted 22.

Rhodes said The Arts Council’s interest has been multi-faceted. “Those of us who were working on vibrancy five years ago were interested in quality of life, of course.  But the arts people were amazingly realistic.  We also looked at economic impact.  Jobs and tax revenue. And business executives, especially, were talking about transitioning to a creative economy and building a community that would attract and retain the kinds of creative minds that new economy required. We knew to accomplish that we had to create an environment where they could live, interact, exchange ideas and produce intellectual foment.

“We also wanted retirees to move to Winston-Salem because we know how much they bring to our community in terms of leadership in the nonprofit community and support for arts and cultural activities.  And they have disposable income. Many of the things young people deem important are also those that attract retirees, also,” he said.

Mayor Allen Joines said, “While I think we all knew that Downtown Winston-Salem and the Downtown particularly is a far cry from what is was five years ago, I don’t think we expected the numbers to be this dramatic. They are an insight into where we are as a community today. Downtown is now very much a place where people live as well as work, eat, and spend leisure hours. And that trend is going to continue because of the energy there.”

Joines quoted a Winston-Salem Journal editorial that noted the favorable attention Winston-Salem has received from rating groups. The Journal ran an editorial last week titled, “We’re near the top for good reason.” It started by saying, “There’s little doubt.  If you are in Winston-Salem, you are in the right place.”

“I certainly say ‘Amen’ to that,” Joines said   “And it doesn’t matter whether you are young or old. CNNMoney.com, as well as Where to Retire Magazine and TopRetirements.com all have recently pointed to Winston-Salem as one of the best places in America to retire.  That is exciting news for at least two reasons.  One, we welcome retirees because they make great citizens, but also because the things that make Winston-Salem a great place for them also makes Winston-Salem a great place for the young, creative minds we need to attract for the development of our knowledge based economy.

“They both want a reasonable cost of living.  Good restaurants.  A variety of arts and cultural offerings.  Housing that accommodates their life styles and is affordable. A safe environment where people can stroll and walk their dogs and ride their bikes.  They want to gather at sidewalk cafes and interact with neighbors and make new friends and exchange ideas in ways that encourages innovation.”

Joines quoted other favorable rankings for the city. “Bloomberg Business Week ranked us number 10 on the list of Most Fun and Affordable Cities in America.  And Livability.com ranked us second in the nation in Downtown Livability.  Who would have predicted this in 2006? Thank goodness we had leadership in the private and public sectors that did more than wring their hands.  We put together plans, and we pursued them.  We took some risks. And it worked.”

“The common complaint I heard five or six years ago was, ‘There is nothing to do in Winston-Salem.’” Rhodes said. “But today? Winston-Salem has a virtual smorgasbord of arts, culture, dining and entertainment.”

ABOUT THE ARTS COUNCIL

The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County was established in 1949 and was the first locally established arts council in the United States. The Arts Council enriches the quality of life for people in Winston-Salem and neighboring communities by raising funds for the arts, advocating for the arts, sponsoring events in conjunction with other arts organizations, providing educational opportunities, strengthening cultural resources, developing social capital, and aiding economic development.

“This is an amazing accomplishment in this economy,” said Milton Rhodes, President and CEO of The Arts Council “and is confirmation of the fact that people in our community see the arts not only in terms of quality of life but as an economic driver that provides jobs and a valuable part of the educational process that enhances learning in our schools. We have scores of volunteers to thank for the success of the 2011 campaign.”

At its annual meeting, The Arts Council elected Tom Ingram as Chair of its Board of Trustees. Ingram has been the Director of Facilities Planning and Construction at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center since 2009.

The $2,000,008 million made this year in grant awards was an increase of $58,000 or three percent over 2010-11.  Forty-three organizations and 26 individual artists received grants.

The Arts Council made 21 Organizational Support Grants for the 2011-2012 grant year totaling $1,758,000, the largest amount in its history.  This is an increase of $58,000 or three percent over last year.  Major grant recipients were N.C. Black Repertory Company ($200,000); Piedmont Opera ($105,000); Sawtooth School ($130,000); Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art ($190,000); RiverRun International Film Festival ($100,000); Twin City Stage ($195,000); and Winston-Salem Symphony ($250,000).

Arts-in-Education is a collaborative grant program with Winston-Salem/ Forsyth County School System, and in this category, The Arts Council made 20 grants totaling $100,000. An Arts Council supported program touches every child in Forsyth County schools at least once every year.

Innovative Project Grants and Regional Artist Project Grants are partially funded by the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Affairs, and the National Endowment for the Arts.  The Arts Council made 14 grants in this category.

Regional Artist Project grants, which promote the work and careers of emerging artists in Forsyth and adjacent counties, were awarded to 19 applicants and totaled $50,000.

The Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, opened last fall, had a successful first year. A total of more than 72,000 people visited the Center, including more than 26,000 who attended events in the Hanebrands Theatre. The Arts Council Theatre on Coliseum had about 78,000 visitors, so about 150,000 people came through Arts Council doors last year.

New Board members elected are Bill Benton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Salem Senior Housing; Chad Cheek, Principal and Director of Strategy & Accounts, Elephant in the Room; Denise D. Adams, North Ward City Council Member; Steve Dollase, Executive Vice President, Inmar; Paul Hammes, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Forsyth Medical Center;  Peggy Joines, Community Relations Officer for Triad West Region, Wells Fargo; Allen Shaw, owner, Centennial Broadcasting; Howard Upchurch, President, Innerwear and Hosiery, Hanesbrands; Merritt Vale, Executive Director, Winston-Salem Symphony; Amy Wein, Senior Vice President, PR & Social Influence, Mullen; and Errol Wint, Project Manager, Caterpillar.

New Arts Council Board officers are Tom Ingram, Chair; Steve Berlin, Vice Chair, Administration; Jim Martin, Vice Chair, Board Development; Brenda Allen, Vice Chair, Community Relations; Bill Benton, Vice Chair, Facilities; Cheryl Lindsay, Vice Chair for Agency Relations; Hunter Douglas, Secretary; Andrew Gilchrist, Treasurer; Wanda Merschel, At-Large Executive Committee Member; Marybeth Wallace; At-Large Executive Committee Member; and Merritt Vale, Member Group Representative.

Sarah and Rob Simon received The Arts Council Volunteer of the Year Award and were honored for their 25 years of combined service.   “Philanthropically generous,” “artistically creative” and “unselfish in commitment” were descriptions of this couple’s approach to helping organizations that include the Children’s Museum, Associated Artists, Reynolda House, Piedmont Opera, the Winston-Salem Symphony and more.

Andy Tennille received this year’s R. Philip Hanes Jr. Young Leader Award. A native of Winston-Salem who returned to the city a few years ago, he has had an impact on Winston-Salem arts organizations with his creative approach to program design, boundless energy to get projects done and his enthusiasm for bringing younger audiences into the arts.

Two new awards recognized positive collaborations between various arts, social service and other non-profit organizations in Forsyth County. The Hispanic Arts initiative and Arts Based Elementary School jointly received The Arts Development Award for a first-time innovative, collaborative project between at least one Funded Partner and one or more community organizations designed to attract new arts and cultural audiences to participate in events in Forsyth County.  They collaborated on a production of the play, Romeo & Juliet on the Border and received a $1,000 grant.

The Arts Knowledge-Sharing Award recognizes two current grant recipients of differing arts, cultural or organizational expertise that have agreed to create an employee knowledge-sharing program between their organizations that improves each grantees’ success by filling gaps that hamper organizational success in the areas of fundraising, audience development, marketing, technology or finance.

The winners were five community theatres – Twin City Stage, Kernersville Little Theatre, Clemmons Community Theatre, Winston Salem Theatre Alliance and Stained Glass Playhouse – who created a common program booklet for all of their productions. They received a grant for $1,000.
Annual Campaign Co-Chairs, Mayor Allen Joines and Peggy Joines, reported that some 125 volunteers raised 3,123,005 – the largest amount raised in the Arts Council’s history. Peggy Joines said, “This is due to the generosity of more than 5,100 of our neighbors – individuals, corporations, small businesses, and foundations – as well as local, regional, and State government agencies – who supported our campaign. More than 1,500 teachers and school administrators gave an average of $48 each. She noted that The Arts Council was fortunate in being named the beneficiary of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Art Collection valued at more than $700,000.

The Arts Council partners with the Winston-Salem Journal, The Chronicle, WFDD, WSNC and the design firm Pursuit of Happiness to allow its members to purchase advertising at one half of their standard rate.  This year 21 groups availed themselves of this two-for-one program and enjoyed savings of $261,007 on their advertising through these venues.

The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County was established in 1949 and was the first locally established arts council in the United States. The Arts Council enriches the quality of life for people in Winston-Salem and neighboring communities by raising funds for the arts, advocating for the arts, sponsoring events in conjunction with other arts organizations, providing educational opportunities, strengthening cultural resources, developing social capital, and aiding economic development.

To be placed on the email notice for ushering opportunities, please email theatre manager Jerry Word at jword@intothearts.org.

Your gifts will help us continue supporting  programs such as arts in education offerings for public schools; regional artists’ project grants; operating support grants to the Symphony, Old Salem and many others; and the opportunity to witness great dance, art, music and theatre at the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, the Sawtooth School for Visual Art and the Hanesbrands Theatre.