ARTS ADVOCACY

ArtsAVL advocates for sustained public investment in arts and culture through partnerships with local governments, public agencies, and philanthropic organizations. This includes support for county and municipal arts funding programs, recovery funding initiatives, and efforts to ensure arts and culture remain part of broader community investment strategies.

ArtsAVL works to position arts and culture as essential economic infrastructure. Through research, planning, and partnerships, we support initiatives that strengthen creative businesses, expand workforce opportunities, and advance the role of the arts within economic development efforts across Western North Carolina. This includes work to support the growth of creative manufacturing, the music industry, and other key creative sectors that contribute to the region’s economy and cultural identity.

ArtsAVL advocates for artists, makers, performers, and creative entrepreneurs within broader small business and disaster recovery programs. Recent efforts include participation in Asheville Recovers Together and other initiatives designed to ensure creative businesses have access to funding, technical assistance, and recovery resources.

ArtsAVL works with community partners to support investment in the spaces and facilities that make arts and culture possible. This includes advocacy related to arts districts, cultural venues, public art, creative workspaces, artist housing, and the integration of arts into public infrastructure and community development planning.

As the designated local arts council for Buncombe County, ArtsAVL works across sectors and jurisdictions to strengthen connections between artists, arts organizations, creative businesses, public agencies, funders, and community partners. We help align regional efforts, foster collaboration, and support initiatives that recognize the arts as an essential part of Western North Carolina’s economy, cultural identity, and long-term vitality.

Effective advocacy starts with reliable information. ArtsAVL conducts and supports research that helps demonstrate the value of the creative sector and identify opportunities for investment and growth. Current efforts include music industry studies, craft and creative manufacturing research, creative economy analysis, and regional cultural planning initiatives.

Advocate for federal policies and funding that strengthen arts education in schools and communities. Arts education supports student achievement, workforce development, creativity, and lifelong learning while ensuring all students have access to high-quality arts experiences.

Advance federal policies that improve economic stability for artists, freelancers, and creative entrepreneurs, including access to healthcare, affordable housing, workforce development programs, and protections for independent workers who make up a significant portion of the creative economy.

Encourage federal investment in cultural infrastructure, creative placemaking, downtown revitalization, disaster recovery, and community development programs that recognize arts and culture as drivers of economic growth, tourism, and community resilience.

Support federal policies that recognize the arts as a major economic sector and invest in creative businesses, entrepreneurship, workforce development, and innovation. Arts and cultural industries generate billions in economic activity and support millions of jobs nationwide.

Advocate for federal disaster recovery programs that explicitly include artists, arts organizations, cultural institutions, and creative businesses. The experience of Hurricane Helene demonstrated that arts and culture are essential to both economic recovery and community resilience.