The Arts Council:

• Is the Designated County Partner for the North Carolina Arts Council and administers state funds for local arts organizations and artists.
• Produces arts-in-the-schools programming with major funding provided by Henderson County government.
• Annually produces popular events such as Art on Main and the Open Studio Tour.
• Actively seeks new partnerships and collaborations to better serve the artists, residents and visitors in Henderson County.

As the Designated County Partner of the North Carolina Arts Council, The Arts Council of Henderson County administers two state grant programs: Grassroots Grant Program and Regional Artist Project Grants.

The Grassroots Grant Program helps fund a variety of Henderson County arts organizations, projects and events. Recipients include the Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra, the After-School Arts Program of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County, Friends of Carl Sandburg at Connemara, Carolina Concert Choir, Hendersonville Chorale, Hendersonville Children’s Choir, and the Hendersonville Little Theatre. In 2007-2008 nine local arts and community organizations received grants totaling $15,400 through a competitive grant program managed by the Arts Council.

The Arts Council administers the Regional Artist Project Grants for several western North Carolina counties, supporting professional artists in any discipline and at any stage in their careers. Some of the past projects funded have included purchase of equipment, creation of new work, advanced training and the development or upgrading of professional marketing materials. 2008-2009 awarded artists from Henderson, Polk, Transylvania, and Haywood Counties grants totaling $5000.

Henderson County government provides funding for Arts in Education/Artists in the Schools programs that place professional artists in classrooms covering Cherokee history and crafts, visual and art techniques, theatre performance, story telling, and music. Summer 2009 this grants program will fund a professional art instructor and a Native American storyteller at the Henderson County Summer Day Camp at Stoney Mountain Activity Center.

Touring Companies may be presented as part of the North Carolina cARTwheels program. Past projects have included The African American Dance Ensemble and The Carolina Ballet, which performed before 2700 Henderson and Polk county students during 2008. Funding was provided by the NC Arts Council, which covered the costs of the performers, venue and student transportation.

The Open Studio Tour is a self-guided tour of Henderson County artist studios and the area’s finest art galleries. In 2008, the second annual Open Studio Tour drew more than 1,700 attendees to visit 29 artists’ studios and 13 galleries. Visitors came from throughout the western Carolinas as well as from California and Hawaii.

The Arts Council introduced a holiday themed program in 2008 with "Hallow’d Is The Time", a special one-hour holiday performance at St. James Episcopal Church. This original Readers’ Theatre production with music, presented some universal and traditional reflections on the Christmas season. The prophet Isaiah, Shakespeare, John Lennon, Dylan Thomas, and Nobel Prize winner Joseph Brodsky were among the great voices woven into the fabric of this performance. Another holiday special is planned for December 2009.

"The Arts Council Presents …" is a ten-day celebration (October 2 – 11) of the arts in Henderson County under a special marketing “umbrella” designed to provide greater awareness of the diversity of the arts and culture in our community. “The Arts Council Presents …” will be anchored by the 50th anniversary of Art on Main and the third annual Open Studio Tour.

Opportunities for adults to take performing and visual art instruction is being considered for late 2009/early 2010. As the Arts Council increases its service to children by increasing the number of professional artist hours spent out in the community, we will be exploring ways to use our facilities to provide creative outlets for the adults in Henderson County.

For more information call: 828-693-8504 or email: acofhc@bellsouth.net
Located at 538-A North Main Street , 2nd Floor, Hendersonville , NC 28792

Executive Director – Jim Faucett
Arts in Education Manager – Patricia James
Administrative/Grants Manager - Patty Smyers
Accountant – Nancy Waddell