• The arts council received two Arts in Education grants. A cARTwheels grant for $7,000 which is sponsoring a production of “Jackie Robinson: A Game Apart” for the Jackson County Schools on Oct. 26. The other Arts in Education grant for $7,500 will sponsor the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program. This is an after school program held at Cullowhee Valley School and is open to students in the Jackson County School system.  

• The arts council also received two Arts in Communities grants. The Grassroots Arts Program which provided $15,564 to help sponsor other local organizations in the community who provide arts programs and events in Jackson County. The organizations that received sponsorship this year through the grant are: Western Carolina Community Chorus, Western Carolina Civic Orchestra, CuRve, Blue Ridge Early College, Jackson County Visual Arts Association, Cullowhee Mountain Arts, Sylva Baptist Church after school art programs, Jackson County Farmer’s Market Art in the Park, Junior Appalachian Musicians, WNC Pottery Festival, Mountain Heritage Day artists, Jackson County Senior Center art programs, ColorFest in Dillsboro, Catch the Spirit of Appalachia and WCU Art Education Club.

• The Regional Artist Project grant for $2,500 was also received to award individual artists for artistic projects. This grant is available for individual artists from Macon, Graham, Haywood, Clay, Cherokee and Jackson Counties who apply for the award. This grant is matched by contributions from each county who is part of the consortium.

• The Jackson County Commissioners also provided $10,000 in grant funding to the arts council to sponsor arts programming and workshops for the Jackson County community.  All arts events and programs by the arts council are offered free of charge to the community. The arts council will be presenting Artists Talks on the second Monday of each month in the Community Room of the Jackson County Library Complex as well as concerts and art/theater workshops throughout the year.

The JCAC thanks the North Carolina Arts Council and the Jackson County Commissioners for their support and for keeping art alive in Jackson County. To learn more about the JCAC, visit www.jacksoncountyarts.org, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 828.507.9820.