The Jackson County Arts Council has awarded $50,250.06 in business interruption grants to local nonprofit arts organizations, other organizations with art programming, and individual artists through the North Carolina CARES for the Arts grant program.
In September, The North Carolina General Assembly designated $9.4 million federal CARES Act funds for arts councils and arts organizations to mitigate business disruptions caused by COVID-19. The North Carolina Arts Council distributed these funds on a per-capita basis to all North Carolina counties with a population of less than one million people. In many counties, local arts councils received the funds and sub-granted a portion of the county allotment to eligible recipients.
Art organizations and artists have suffered a tremendous financial hardship during COVID-19. Many have had to shut their doors and have lost much of their private funding and income. Funding from this grant is meant to help offset business disruption and/or expenses incurred due to COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and December 30, 2020. The Jackson County Arts Council was eligible to keep up to 50% of the funding awarded but elected to regrant 80% of the funding to community organizations and artists.
The Jackson County Arts Council received an allotment of $50,250.06 for distribution and had $283,409.25 requested from community organizations and artists, far exceeding the amount for distribution. After careful examination and due diligence of all applications, we determined $72,448.34 were eligible expenses to receive this grant. All applicants who met eligibility requirements set forth by the North Carolina Arts Council received a portion of the funds available.
The following expenses were considered eligible: paid salaries and benefits (including contractors), on-going operating expenses, costs associated with canceling programs and creating virtual programs, and COVID-related safety and cleaning measures. Applicants were required to provide documentation as evidence for expenses.
Awards were granted to the following organizations:
- The Jackson County Arts Council
- Blue Ridge JAM
- Full Spectrum Farms
- HIGHTS, Inc
- Appalachian Women’s Museum
- Jackson County Genealogical Society
- Glenville Area Historical Society
- Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau (Cashiers)
- Jackson County Visual Arts Assoc (Gallery One)
- Dogwood Crafters
- Art By Pam – Pam Haddock
- James Smythe
“We are incredibly grateful to the NC General Assembly and the North Carolina Arts Council for providing this funding to our local arts community,” said Jackson County Arts Council President, Hope Huskey. “We will continue to advocate for the arts sector in Jackson County and provide resources to our community in order to help keep the arts alive in Jackson County during these difficult times.” To learn more about the Jackson County Arts Council, please visit Jacksoncountyarts.org
About the Jackson County Arts Council
The mission of the Jackson County Arts Council is to promote individual artists, foster appreciation of the arts, provide art education and inspire creativity in Jackson County. The Jackson County Arts Council believes that exposure to the arts and participation in the arts are uniquely important to every community and should be encouraged and supported on several levels by; 1) Promoting excellence in artistic expression, citizen engagement and community involvement, 2) Encouraging a culture of creativity, and 3) Supporting the arts at all levels to accomplish enrichment of community life for all citizens.
About the North Carolina Arts Council
The North Carolina Arts Council builds on our state’s longstanding love of the arts, leading the way to a more vibrant future. The Arts Council is an economic catalyst, fueling a thriving nonprofit creative sector that generates $2.12 billion in annual direct economic activity. The Arts Council also sustains diverse arts expression and traditions while investing in innovative approaches to art-making. The North Carolina Arts Council has proven to be a champion for youth by cultivating tomorrow’s creative citizens through arts education. www.NCArts.org
