Forsyth groups get over $400,000 in COVID relief grants

The Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County has announced more than $400,000 in “NC CARES for Arts” awards to 21 arts and cultural organizations based in Forsyth County. The funding is part of the state’s spending plan for funds received under provisions of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress with bipartisan support and signed into law in late March. This more than $2 trillion economic relief package was enacted to reduce the public health and economic impacts of COVID-19 through direct economic assistance for American workers, families, and small businesses, and preserve jobs for American industries.

Some CARES funds were passed through to State governments, and in September, $9.4 million was designated by the North Carolina Legislature to provide direct aid to arts councils and arts organizations in an effort to mitigate business disruptions caused by COVID-19. The Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County serves as Forsyth County’s designated partner arts council to assist the NC Arts Council, the state’s arts agency, in distributing the funds statewide. Arts and cultural organizations whose primary residence and service area is Forsyth County were eligible to apply.

“Organizations will receive between $10,000 and $30,000, depending on the amount of eligible expenses submitted in the application process. We received more than $9 million in COVID eligible expenditures,” said Chase Law, Arts Council President and CEO.

“We are grateful for the support provided by the North Carolina Legislature to help our local arts and cultural organizations. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on the overall financial health of the arts. This funding will allow our partners to recoup some of the expenses they’ve incurred as a result of COVID-19 while they continue developing creative ways to sustain their organizations, provide jobs, bring the arts into our homes and give us joy and hope during this challenging time,” said Law.

Organizations receiving funding:

• Reynolda House $30,000
• Old Salem $30,000
• WS Symphony $30,000
• Bookmarks $25,000
• WS Festival Ballet $25,000
• Piedmont Opera $25,000
• NC Black Repertory Company $25,000
• Piedmont Craftsmen $25,000
• SECCA $25,000
• a/perture cinema $25,000
• WS Theatre Alliance $25,000
• Arts Council of Winston-Salem & Forsyth County $24,271
• RiverRun International Film Festival $15,000
• NC Writers’ Network $15,000
• The Korner’s Folly Foundation $15,000
• The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem $15,000
• Sawtooth School for Visual Arts $15,000
• Winston-Salem Delta Fine Arts $10,000
• Authoring Action $10,000
• Triad Cultural Arts $10,000
• Spring Theatre $10,000

Winston-Salem, known as a “City of Arts & Innovation,” and Forsyth County have a robust arts community that enriches the lives of area residents every day and accounts in large part for the recognition they continue to receive as a great place to live, learn, work and play. Forsyth County’s nonprofit arts industry supports more than 5,500 full time equivalent jobs; accounts for more than $129 million in resident household income and generates more than $14.8 million in local and state tax revenues.