Light the Night AVL, photo courtesy of Street Creature Puppets

ArtsAVL Announces 2024-25 Grassroots Arts Program Grant Awardees

Forty-one art programs and nonprofit organizations receive grants totaling $192,617

February 4, 2025 | ArtsAVL celebrates 41 recipients of the Grassroots Arts Program grant. The grant provides programmatic and operating support for nonprofit arts organizations in Buncombe County. Recipients for 2024-25 include organizations working in disciplines including arts for healing, dance, puppetry, music, children’s theatre, glass, fiber arts, literature, and more. Grants ranged from $2,500-7,500 dollars depending on the size of the organization.

For over 40 years, ArtsAVL has administered the North Carolina Arts Council’s Grassroots Arts Program (GAP) locally, which provides North Carolina citizens access to quality arts experiences. The Buncombe County Grassroots Grant Program is made possible by ArtsAVL, the North Carolina Arts Council, Buncombe County Government, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Funds can be used for program expenses, including professional artists’ fees, marketing and publicity, music, and equipment rental, or operating expenses, including salaries, office supplies, rent, utilities, and small capital projects.

“Street Creature Puppet Collective is grateful for the Grassroots Grant,” shared Director Jennifer Murphy. “With this support we are able to cover our studio rent, allowing us to focus on what we do best, bringing surprises and delights, like our giant blue heron and our interactive 20′ caterpillar, to local events all year long.”

Another grantee, MusicWorks, is an after-school program at Leicester Elementary in rural Leicester, NC, that teaches life skills through music. “In the wake of Hurricane Helene we have been able to provide kids with stability and a safe space to express themselves through music,” said Amanda Durst, the program’s Assistant Director. “Recently, the Leicester Elementary school principal told us, ‘There are some kids who don’t get a chance to shine anywhere but MusicWorks,’ and we can’t thank ArtsAVL enough for making that possible.”

“ArtsAVL is grateful to be able to provide this much needed support to our local nonprofit arts organizations,” said executive director Katie Cornell. We know this is a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed, and we will keep working with our partners, like the North Carolina Arts Council, Buncombe County Government, and the National Endowment for the Arts, to provide additional support for our local arts businesses.”

For more information about ArtsAVL’s grant programs visit artsavl.org/grants.