Arts Council Announces FY25 Grant Programs to Boost Arts and Cultural Initiatives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 30, 2024 (Winston-Salem, NC) — Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County is pleased to announce its grant offerings for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), continuing its mission to nurture creativity, cultural diversity, and community engagement across the region. The new suite of grants replaces previous programs and has been tailored to better meet the needs of the evolving arts landscape and fulfill new requirements as set by the North Carolina Arts Council.

In FY25, Arts Council introduces three new grant opportunities to foster innovation and inclusivity: 

• General Operating Support Grants: Designed to provide unrestricted funding to arts organizations, allowing them to focus on sustaining their operations and fulfilling their missions.

• Multicultural Grassroots Arts Grants: Aimed at promoting cultural diversity, these grants support community-driven arts initiatives led by and for underrepresented populations.

• Arts for EveryBody Community Project Grants: Created to encourage projects that make the arts accessible to all, particularly those in underserved communities. 

In addition to these new grants, Arts Council will continue offering funding through the Artist Support Grant Program, which provides direct support to individual artists, and the Wells Fargo Arts in Education Grant Program, which is the largest funder of initiatives that integrate the arts into Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. In FY25, AC will grant $902,000 compared to $900,000 in FY24.

“We are thrilled to introduce a more flexible, inclusive grant structure this year,” said Shannon Stokes, Vice President of Strategy and Community Impact of Arts Council. “These programs reflect our commitment to making the arts a vital part of every person’s life in Forsyth County. By addressing the unique needs of diverse communities, we are helping ensure the arts remain accessible and vibrant for all.” 

Applications for the FY25 grant programs are now open and will close on October 31. Interested organizations and individuals can find more information on eligibility, deadlines, and application guidelines by visiting Arts Council’s website at intothearts.org/funding. An Arts Council Grants Program Information Session will take place on Monday, October 7 at 11am EST on Zoom. Interested applicants may register online at bit.ly/grantsWSFC.

Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County is the leading advocate of arts in our region and seeks to enhance and support the local artistic and cultural landscape. Established in 1949 as the first arts council in the nation, the pioneering organization is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024. Arts Council owns and operates a campus which includes the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts. In 2023, it hosted 670 on-campus events with 60,000 attendees and distributed over $1.2 million in grants, benefiting over 800,000 people. Arts Council is the largest funder of arts education for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools.

[END] 

For more information, please contact: 

Katie Hall Nicolas

Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President of Development

Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County

khall@intothearts.org 

336-747-1421