Tyler Holden
Staff Writer
ArtsGreensboro, an art-centered nonprofit organization, was granted funds by Guilford County and the North Carolina Arts Council to help promote the arts and enhance economic development. According to a press release issued on Jan. 18, 2023, “ArtsGreensboro has been awarded a transformative allocation of American Rescue Plan Act support from Guilford County and the North Carolina Arts Council, totaling $3,019,812.”
ArtsGreensboro describes itself as “a community-supported nonprofit organization and the largest public and private alliance dedicated to sustaining our local arts economy.” ArtsGreensboro believes that the arts are meant for everyone, are essential to our economy and connect and inspire us while building prosperous communities. Consistent with these beliefs, the organization plans to strategically use the awarded funding to maximize impact.
In the Jan. 18 press release, ArtsGreensboro indicated their focus when utilizing the newly acquired funds will be:
- Building the sustainability and resiliency of arts nonprofits,
- Equipping artists with professional development tools,
- Piloting an Artist-in-Residence program to deliver an arts-integrated curriculum for better educational outcomes for third-graders and
- Developing a multifaceted marketing campaign, “Arts Across Guilford,” to drive tourism and economic development.
ArtsGreensboro hosted town hall meetings on Jan. 23 and 24, 2023, to discuss plans among other nonprofit arts organizations in Guilford County. This gave them an opportunity to meet with other local nonprofit arts organizations to discuss the objectives for long-term sustainability and organizational capacity. Looking to the future, ArtsGreensboro aims to implement its plans through peer-to-peer learning models and outside consultants in order to maintain its work for years to come.
ArtsGreensboro hopes to continue striving to capitalize on arts as a means of fostering a healthy and thriving community. The organization intends to support arts organizations and promote professional development for local artists. This effort is aimed at cultivating a Guilford County where the arts can thrive. Many community leaders hold that an environment which underpins the success of artists’ achievement makes the community as a whole better. Guilford County Board Chairman Alston stated, “The Arts reflect our culture and help build our sense of community. The Board of County Commissioners is pleased to be part of this strategic effort to help our artists overcome the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and define a strategy to give creatives, artists, and arts organizations tools and resources to become financially stronger and better able to serve the community and thrive in a post-pandemic environment.”
ArtsGreensboro has been a catalyst for growing events such as the North Carolina Folk Festival, an event that takes place annually in Greensboro every September and showcases over 300 artists. This event attracts visitors from all over and is a testament to the dedication of the artists who make Greensboro a central hub for the arts.
Greensboro has a rich history surrounding the arts. In fact, on our very own campus of the University of North Carolina Greensboro sits one of the most substantial art collections in the southeastern United States. Weatherspoon Art Museum exemplifies UNCG’s commitment to the arts as well as the university’s understanding of its importance. The museum is named in honor of Elizabeth McIver Weatherspoon, the sister of UNCG’s founder and first president Charles Duncan McIver. Weatherspoon, herself an alumna of the newly formed college as well as an ardent proponent of art, was an early advocate for the formation of a Department of Art and went on to become an associate professor of that department. The seeds were sown for the love of the arts at the University of North Carolina Greensboro from its outset, and its flowering effects can be seen through the creativity and vision of our students and community.
The investment that Guilford County and the North Carolina Arts Council made in ArtsGreensboro is a notable step towards greatly bolstering the arts in Greensboro and all of Guilford County. It is a step consistent with the Greensboro tradition of supporting the arts as a means of expression and sense of community.
THE CAROLINIAN 
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