ArtsAVL Emergency Relief Grant: $750,000 Awarded to 1,500 Artists Across Western North Carolina

Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene, ArtsAVL launched the Emergency Relief Grant to support Western North Carolina artists experiencing loss of income, studio damage, and displacement. Between October 14 and November 30, 2024, ArtsAVL received 2,391 applications and awarded 1,500 $500 stipends—totaling $750,000 in relief funding.

Artists across all 26 westernmost counties, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), applied for support. The greatest number of applications and awards came from Buncombe County, but significant needs and responses were also seen in Madison, Yancey, Watauga, and Mitchell counties.

Artists who received grants represented a wide range of disciplines:

• 30% in craft (ceramics, fiber, metal, wood)
• 27% in visual arts (painting, sculpture, photography)
• 25% in performing arts (music, dance, theater)
• 11% in interdisciplinary practices
• 5% in media and literary arts

The storm’s impact was deeply felt across the region’s creative sector. Artists reported extensive damage to equipment, inventory, and workspaces—especially kilns, looms, and studios. Many experienced income loss during what is typically a peak season for festivals and holiday sales. Emotional distress and economic hardship were compounded by ongoing utility outages and displacement.

More than three-quarters of applicants cited urgent needs for help covering bills, groceries, equipment replacement, and housing repairs. The grant also revealed how deeply artists are embedded in community teaching and engagement, and how essential they are to the region’s cultural and economic recovery.

This emergency grant is part of a broader set of disaster recovery efforts coordinated by ArtsAVL, reinforcing the role of the arts as both an economic driver and a vital component of community resilience.

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