Anna V. Stearns

Party: Democrat

Office: Buncombe County Commissioner District 1

Primary Candidate Survey Response

To what extent do you agree with the following statement? Please briefly explain your answer.

“Local government should play an active role in supporting arts and culture because of their impact on the economy, quality of life, and community recovery.”

Strongly agree – Local government should be a proactive partner through funding, policy, and planning

A strong arts community is an essential aspect of what makes Buncombe County such a desirable place to live and visit. It is a critical part of our economy and contributes to the quality of life. Local government should treat investment in the arts as we do other areas of public service or infrastructure. Sometimes that will mean direct funding or policy initiatives, and other times it will mean leveraging partnerships or advocating to outside groups to support our arts and culture. In either case, it should be a priority for our county commission.