Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County
ActiveArts, Culture & Humanities
About Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County
The mission of the Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County is to support artists and arts organizations through innovative public/private partnerships that support jobs, stimulate commerce, and showcase the region as an arts destination.
Focus Areas
arts and cultureartist project grantsorganizational arts grantspublic art and placemakingarts educationcapacity building and operational supporttheater and performing arts
Who They Fund
grassroots arts organizationslocal/community artistscommunity-based arts programs
Funding Style
subgranting/grantee-of-grantees
About Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County
A defining feature of the Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County is its role as an administrator of local and state arts grant programs, including the North Carolina Arts Council Artist Support Grants and The Endowment’s arts and culture grants. That makes the council both a direct funder and a subgranting hub for artists and nonprofit arts organizations in New Hanover County and the surrounding region. Its recent grant record shows support for a mix of performance, film, museums, education, and community arts groups, with awards reaching professional artists, arts nonprofits, and grassroots projects. The council’s stated mission is to support artists and arts organizations through public-private partnerships that support jobs, stimulate commerce, and showcase the region as an arts destination. Recent recipients include Cucalorus Film Festival, Cameron Art Museum, Thalian Association, Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, and Dreams Center for Arts Education. The pattern suggests a funder that works across both project-level activity and organizational support, while also channeling restricted recovery funding through arts-specific grant programs. Leadership is listed as Rhonda Bellamy, and the foundation’s giving is local in scope, centered on New Hanover County and nearby communities.
What Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County Funds
The Arts Council of Wilmington and New Hanover County supports a broad set of arts and culture activities, but several program types stand out. Through The Endowment’s arts and culture grants, it funds nonprofit arts organizations for arts programming, artist fees, production and presentation costs, community cultural projects, and capacity-building or operational support. It also administers the North Carolina Arts Council Artist Support Grants, which are designed for professional artists and cover creation of new work, materials and equipment, travel, professional development, and promotion. The council also uses arts funding to strengthen local institutions. The Endowment’s Arts Community Development Grants support nonprofit arts organizations in New Hanover County, while the Grassroots Arts Program supports grassroots arts activity and community-based projects. Across these programs, the council is funding both individual artistic practice and the organizational infrastructure that keeps local arts programming running.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$269K
Total Assets
$225K
Total Revenue
$482K
Total Expenses
$577K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $7K and $14K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$14K
Geographic Reach
Local3 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Rhonda Bellamy
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