One Year Later: Survey Offers New Insights into Arts Business Recovery

One year after Hurricane Helene, ArtsAVL’s follow-up survey shows a creative sector that has largely reopened but continues to face uneven economic recovery and ongoing operational challenges.

ASHEVILLE, NC (July 2026) —One year after awarding Arts Business Relief Grants to 136 arts businesses across Western North Carolina, ArtsAVL has released the results of a follow-up survey examining the current state of the region’s creative sector recovery.

The survey provides a snapshot of where participating businesses stand today. While most respondents have successfully reopened and expressed confidence in their long-term future, many continue to face financial pressures, staffing challenges, and lower-than-normal revenues as recovery continues.

The findings are based on responses from 97 of the 136 businesses that received $5,000 ArtsAVL Arts Business Relief Grants, representing 17 of the 26 counties served by the program. Awarded in May 2025, the grants helped eligible for-profit and nonprofit arts businesses recover from the physical damage and economic losses caused by Hurricane Helene. Recipients could use the funds for expenses such as salaries, facility operations, equipment, programming, promotion, and artist fees. As part of the program, recipients agreed to complete follow-up surveys at the six-month and one-year marks to help measure recovery over time.

Among survey respondents, 87.6% reported they are now fully open, while 9.3% are partially open. Two businesses said they are still planning to reopen, and one business reported permanently closing. Most respondents reopened between September and December 2024.

Grant recipients reported using funds to support a wide range of recovery expenses, with salaries (66%), supplies and equipment (53.6%), and facility operations (48.5%) among the most common uses. Many businesses used grant funds for multiple purposes as they worked to stabilize operations.

Revenue recovery remains uneven. Approximately 39% of respondents reported revenues above pre-Helene levels, while nearly 30% reported revenues between 1% and 24% below pre-storm levels. Another 26% reported revenues 25% or more below pre-Helene levels, highlighting that recovery has been uneven across the sector.

Despite these challenges, businesses generally expressed optimism about the future. More than half (51.5%) said they were very confident in their ability to fully recover, while an additional 32% reported being somewhat confident.

When asked about their current needs, respondents most frequently identified financial stability and unrestricted operating support, marketing and audience development, staffing and workforce capacity, and facilities and infrastructure improvements.

Since Hurricane Helene, ArtsAVL has distributed more than $2 million in relief and recovery funding to individual artists, arts businesses, and nonprofit arts organizations while providing advocacy, research, technical assistance, and long-term recovery planning for the region’s creative sector. The Arts Business Relief Grant survey is one of several ways ArtsAVL is tracking recovery and identifying where support is still needed.

ArtsAVL is grateful to the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, the City of Asheville, and the many public, private, and philanthropic partners whose support has made this work possible.

Recovery is far from over. If you’d like to help strengthen Western North Carolina’s creative economy, please consider making a donation to ArtsAVL. Your gift helps provide grants, advocacy, research, and recovery resources that ensure artists and arts organizations continue to create, employ, and contribute to the communities we all call home.

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