Arts Council receives Youth Growth Stock Trust Grant to support Artists In Schools Initiative

[Fayetteville, North Carolina] – The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County (Arts Council) is pleased to announce the continuation of its Artists In Schools (AIS) initiative, thanks to a generous grant from the United Way of Cumberland County. With $10,000 in funding received through the Youth Growth Stock Trust, the AIS program will continue to benefit students and teachers in Cumberland County throughout the 2023-2024 academic year.

Editorial by the Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County

The AIS program offers curriculum assistance to Cumberland County Schools by providing Teaching Artist engagements at a 50 to 100 percent subsidy of the program's expense. These engagements promote arts integration and are directly linked to North Carolina Essential Standards. For over two decades, AIS has partnered with Cumberland County Schools, benefiting more than a quarter-million students within the last decade alone.

“We value the deep appreciation for the expanding collaboration with Cumberland County Schools,” says Michael Houck, Director of Grants and Allocations. “Thanks to the crucial role of the United Way and the generosity of Mr. Short's legacy, over 18,000 students will be able to participate in the AIS program this academic year, benefiting over 75% of Title 1 schools. The Arts Council’s goal is to extend this opportunity to even more students in the coming year.”

The AIS program offers Cumberland County Schools the expertise of skilled Teaching Artists who collaborate with students, teachers, and administrators to integrate the arts into core subject areas. With a focus on interactive arts education, the Artists In Schools program is designed to equip students with lifelong learning and the necessary skills and knowledge to face challenges and thrive in the upcoming decade.

Learn more about the AIS program:

https://www.theartscouncil.com/artists-in-schools

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About the Youth Growth Stock Trust

Mr. Robert H. Short established the Youth Growth Stock Trust in 1992 at the United Way of Cumberland County. During his life, Mr. Short was a generous philanthropist, donating millions to support educational initiatives and student scholarships. Each year, the United Way of Cumberland County awards dozens of grants to support youth programming via income from the trust, thus creating a legacy for Mr. Short and education in the county. unitedway-cc.org/what-we-do/youth-growth-stock-trust/

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 supports individual creativity, cultural preservation, economic development, and 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 2021-22, the Arts Council distributed almost $1 million in grant funds and allocations to Cumberland County arts and culture non-profit organizations, artists, and municipalities.

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