Call to Action: Arts AVL’s City CDBG-DR Funding Requests
March 19, 2025 | The City of Asheville is currently taking public comment on the recently released action plan for CDBG-DR funding (Community Development Block Grant- Disaster Recovery). This plan provides a general framework for how the City will spend $225 million in federal recovery funding. Once this framework is in place, the City will begin identifying specific recovery projects over the coming months and years. The City is expected to receive this funding in August and will have up to six years to spend it. The deadline for public comment is April 3.
Arts and culture are what make Asheville a desirable place to live, work, and play. ArtsAVL’s last creative economy report for Buncombe County estimated that the creative sector was responsible for $1.1 billion in industry sales and 9,000 local jobs in 2023. These jobs and businesses are vital to economic recovery, resident retention, and the return of tourism. If we don’t act now, we are in danger of losing this substantial economic driver and an important part of our cultural heritage.
Since the storm, ArtsAVL has conducted a number of assessments for Buncombe County and the WNC region (full reports available here). Our latest cultural asset map really highlights the devastating impact on the local arts sector. The map reveals that 581 out of 1286 cultural assets (45%) were significantly impacted by Helene– of those 572 (98%) are in the City of Asheville.
To assist the recovery of this vital economy sector, ArtsAVL asks for CDBG-DR support for the following initiatives:
Planning: 5 Year Arts Recovery Plan
ArtsAVL will work with internationally recognized cultural planning firm Lord Cultural Resources in partnership with the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, and other arts leaders to create a comprehensive recovery plan. The plan will build on arts recovery initiatives that have been successful in other communities, while safeguarding the things that make Asheville unique. The completed plan will also aid in leveraging additional public-private partnerships.
Housing: Affordable Workforce Housing
Prior to the storm, the high cost of living in our area was already forcing creatives to leave our community. More affordable workforce housing is needed to retain our creative workforce.
Infrastructure: Arts Inclusion in Infrastructure
Entertainment Infrastructure Improvements/ Replacement
Asheville’s arts infrastructure is a powerful economic revitalization tool for our community. The recent Billy Strings performances alone generated an estimated $15.7 million in direct spending. However, as ArtsAVL’s cultural asset map demonstrates, there has been significant damage to arts infrastructure caused by Helene. Additionally, the City’s main cultural facility, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, already had significant maintenance needs that pose legitimate safety risks. Due to these severe limitations, it is time to explore the feasibility of building a new multi-use arts facility– especially if this investment provides the unique opportunity to leverage additional private partnerships. ArtsAVL also urges the City to consider infrastructure improvements for outdoor events for the safety of participants and to reduce burdens on City staff and event producers alike– such as permanent infrastructure for removable street bollards to protect spectators from possible vehicular threats instead of costly barricades. Strategic investments in multi-use infrastructure that maximize economic returns and better support the needs of our community are vital for Asheville’s recovery.
Ensuring Local Craft Business Inclusion
To preserve the destination appeal crucial to WNC’s tourism-driven economy, the region must rebuild in a way that celebrates its unique cultural heritage by investing in work by local craft artisans. Additionally, craft artists were hit particularly hard by the storm and these investments would aid in the recovery of these creative businesses. ArtsAVL proposes working with the City’s Business Inclusion office to ensure opportunities for local craft artisans to be part of the build back.
Economic Revitalization: Small Business Support Program
Workforce Development/ Support Services
ArtsAVL has been working with Craft Your Commerce at Mountain BizWorks to provide free wraparound support services for WNC artists and arts businesses impacted by the storm. These include services like grant writing support and business coaching. Funding to continue these services will be vital over the next several years of recovery, as will continued business recovery grants and loans.
Support for Phased Reopening of Existing Businesses
Transitional support is needed to allow for the phased reopening of creative businesses, such as small scale recurring festivals and special events that incubate entrepreneurs. These types of activations to support businesses, as infrastructure is rebuilt, are important to keep business traffic and revenue streams flowing– without this kind of support many businesses will close before rebuilding projects can be completed. Currently programs like the City’s Event Support Grant administered by ArtsAVL, could be used to support the administration of additional funding support.
How Can You Help?
- Share support for these requests on the City’s CDBG-DR input page
- Attend one or more of the 3 community input sessions:
- March 19 – Housing – Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville, Banquet Hall- 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- March 24 – Economic Revitalization – Radical Hotel, Golden Hour Restaurant – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
- March 26 – Infrastructure – AB Tech, Ferguson Auditorium – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
- Email City Council and let them know these initiatives are important