In September, The North Carolina General Assembly designated $9.4 million federal CARES Act funds for arts councils and arts organizations to mitigate business disruptions caused by COVID-19. 

The North Carolina Arts Council distributed these funds on a per-capita basis to all North Carolina counties with a population of less than one million people. In many counties, local arts councils received the funds and sub-granted a portion of the county allotment to eligible recipients.

Art organizations and artists have suffered a tremendous financial hardship during COVID-19. Many have had to shut their doors and have lost much of their private funding and income. Funding from this grant is meant to help offset business disruption and/or expenses incurred due to COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and Dec. 30, 2020. 

The Jackson County Arts Council was eligible to keep up to 50 percent of the funding awarded but elected to regrant 80 percent of the funding to community organizations and artists.

The Jackson County Arts Council received an allotment of $50,250.06 for distribution and had $283,409.25 requested from community organizations and artists, far exceeding the amount for distribution. After careful examination and due diligence of all applications, the organization determined $72,448.34 were eligible expenses to receive this grant. All applicants who met eligibility requirements set forth by the North Carolina Arts Council received a portion of the funds available.

The following expenses were considered eligible: paid salaries and benefits (including contractors), on-going operating expenses, costs associated with canceling programs and creating virtual programs, and COVID-related safety and cleaning measures. Applicants were required to provide documentation as evidence for expenses. 

Awards were granted to the following organizations: 

• The Jackson County Arts Council

• Blue Ridge JAM

• Full Spectrum Farms

• HIGHTS, Inc

• Appalachian Women’s Museum

• Jackson County Genealogical Society

• Glenville Area Historical Society

• Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau (Cashiers)

• Jackson County Visual Arts Assoc (Gallery One)

• Dogwood Crafters

• Art By Pam (Pam Haddock)

• James Smythe

To learn more about the Jackson County Arts Council, visit www.jacksoncountyarts.org.