Jeffrey Burroughs

Office: Asheville City Council

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

Arts and culture are not extras in Asheville. They are central to our economy, our identity, and our ability to recover and rebuild. Artists and creative workers support tourism, small businesses, and community vitality, and they play a critical role in community recovery after disruption.

As an artist and as President of River Arts District Artists, I have been deeply involved in recovery efforts following Helene and in long-term planning for the district. That experience has shown me how vulnerable creative ecosystems are when policy, infrastructure, and recovery planning are not aligned.

Local government should be a proactive partner through funding, policy, and planning that treat artists as workers and cultural spaces as essential infrastructure. Supporting arts and culture means investing in affordable workspace, housing stability, and long-term resilience so creatives can remain part of Asheville’s future.