[Fayetteville, North Carolina] – The Board of Trustees for the Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County (Arts Council) has awarded $184,200 in Project Support funding to support cultural arts projects in Cumberland County.
Editorial by the Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County
The Project Support initiative is an annual funding opportunity that grants awards to 501(c)(3) organizations, institutions of higher education, and municipal entities that produce arts-, culture-, and history-focused programs in Cumberland County. Organizations can apply for support for up to three unique programs in up to three different grant categories. For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the Arts Council received applications to support 30 projects from 18 organizations with requests totaling $295,000.
“This year’s grant cycle was particularly competitive with many impactful projects,” says Robert Pinson, President|CEO of the Arts Council. “The Arts Council is very proud of the work these institutions are doing to better our community through these programs.”
Project Support requests are evaluated by a panel committee of community members. Panel recommendations are presented to the Arts Council Grants Assessment Committee of the Board of Trustees. For FY24, Project Support awards will support 17 organizations producing 23 unique cultural arts programs with 19 returning programs and four new programs.
Project Support awards for the funding period July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, are as follows:
Arts Education Project Support Awards:
 | Cape Fear Valley Medical Foundation - Art Therapy Sessions Funds will be used to support the on-going art therapy sessions for patients in the behavioral health unit. |
 | Crossroads Outreach Alternative Program Ministries - Music Lessons Funds will be used to support the weekly, hands-on music lesson program for K-12 students. |
 | Cumberland County Public Library - Storytelling Festival: Jungle Jamboree 2024 Funds will support the month-long literary festival which embraces diverse storytelling. |
 | Methodist University - Friends of Music Series 2023-2024 Funds will support the guest artist music series which provides masterclasses for K-12 students and includes public performances. |
 | Museum of the Cape Fear - History to Go! Funds will support History to Go! initiative which provides make-and-take history-focused kits for students in Cumberland County. |
Collaborative/Fellowship Project Support Awards:
| Cape Fear Valley Medical Foundation - Art Therapist Residency Funds will be used to support a residential artist for Cape Fear Valley’s art therapy program for cancer patients and caregivers. |
 | Cultural Heritage Alliance - Book Black Women Funds will be used to support a collaborative performance series that will showcase black female vocalists, dancers, and poets. |
Cultural Tourism Project Support Awards:
 | Community Concerts of Fayetteville - Concert Series 2023-24 Funds will be used to support the music concert series presented at the Crown Complex. |
 | Cool Spring Downtown District - 4th Friday District Vibes Funds will be used to support the 4th Friday concert series which showcases diverse performing artists in Downtown Fayetteville. |
| Cultural Heritage Alliance - 7th Annual African World Peace Festival Funds will be used to support the annual, two-day celebration in Downtown Fayetteville which highlights music and performing artists from Mother Africa. |
 | The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival - Dogwood Festival 2024 Funds will be used to support cultural and artistic attractions as part of the 2024 spring festival in Downtown Fayetteville. |
 | Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation - July 4th Concert Funds will be used to support the annual collaborative Independence Day concert by the Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Department and the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. |
 | Groundswell Pictures - Indigo Moon Film Festival 2023 Funds will be used to support the marketing efforts of Groundswell Pictures’ 8th annual film festival which will bring filmmakers from around the world to Downtown Fayetteville. |
Inclusive Outreach Project Support Awards:
 | Employment Source, Inc./DBA ServiceSource - Community Inclusion Day Funds will be used to support the art program which will provide art, music, and dance engagements for adults with developmental disabilities. |
 | Fayetteville State University - International Music Festival 2024 Funds will be used to support the three-day festival presenting international musicians at various venues across Cumberland County. |
Military Arts Project Support Awards:
 | The Rick Herrema Foundation - Messy Mondays Funds will be used to support the weekly, hands-on arts engagement program for military families in Cumberland County. |
Series Project Support Awards:
 | Cape Fear Studios - Exhibition Series 2023-2024 Funds will be used to support the series of gallery installations and events. |
| Cool Spring Downtown District - Arts In Motion 2023-2024 Funds will be used to support the cultural trolley tour series. |
 | Crossroads Outreach Alternative Program Ministries - Ex’Posion Funds will be used to support the on-going series of comprehensive arts education programming to introduce K-12 students to music, literary arts, and visual arts. |
 | Cumberland Choral Arts - Concert Season 2023-2024 Funds will be used to support the concert series at various venues across Cumberland County. |
| Fayetteville State University - Fine Arts Series 2023-2024 Funds will be used to support Fayetteville State University’s Department of Performing and Fine Arts series for the 2023-2024 academic year. |
 | FTCC Foundation, Inc. - Fine Arts Series 2023-2024 Funds will be used to support Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Fine Arts and Guest Lecture series for the 2023-2024 academic year. |
| Museum of the Cape Fear - History Live 2023! Funds will support History Live 2023! series for cultural arts events taking place in fall 2023. |
PROJECT SUPPORT GRANT
If you have questions regarding the Project Support Grant, visit theartscouncil.com/projects-support-grants or contact:
Michael Curtis Houck
Director of Grants and Allocations
910-460-5725
About the Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County
The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization based in Fayetteville, NC that connects our communities, embraces diversity, promotes individual creativity, advances economic development, and fosters lifelong learning through the arts. As a primary steward of public and private funding for arts, cultural, and historical activities in the Cape Fear Region, all affiliated programs of the Arts Council exemplify our 5 core values: Excellence, Accountability, Transparency, Collaboration, and Innovation. theartscouncil.com
In the year 2022-2023 year, the Arts Council distributed more than $1 million in grant funds and special allocations to Cumberland County non-profit organizations, artists, and municipalities producing arts and cultural activities.
Grants, programs, and services of the Arts Council are funded in part by contributions from community partners, and through grants from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. ncarts.org