More Than $500,000 Invested in the Arts
The Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County proudly awarded more than $500,000 in grants to local artists and arts organizations during Fiscal Year 2025–2026—fueling creativity, strengthening nonprofits, and expanding access to arts and culture across our region.
As the North Carolina Arts Council’s Designated County Partner, the Arts Council administers two key grant programs:
- Artist Support Grants help professional artists in New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Columbus, and Bladen counties pursue projects that advance their artistic and professional careers.
- Grassroots Arts Program Grants were awarded to New Hanover County arts organizations, continuing a statewide initiative that has expanded access to quality arts experiences in every North Carolina county since 1977.
In partnership with The Endowment, the Arts Council also awarded $430,000 in Arts & Culture Grants to 43 organizations throughout New Hanover County. Building on the success of the 2025 pilot program, the enhanced 2026 initiative invests in organizational sustainability, innovative programming, and greater access to arts and culture for all residents.
Every grant represents an investment in the artists, organizations, and creative experiences that make our community vibrant, connected, and economically strong.
ARTIST SUPPORT GRANTS – $25,000
Hannah Abrams -$ 1000 – NH – Literary
Purchase of laptop
Wafa Alsleem -$ 750 – NH – Visual
Supplies for home studio
Breanna Burge -$ 1000 – Brunswick – Visual
Produce gallery block, metal and acrylic prints of existing collections
Christine Capen -$ 1000 – NH – Visual
Attend workshop at John C. Campbell Folk School
Jared Michael Cline -$ 1000 – NH – Music
Studio album recording of original music with live musicians
Kady Devaun -$ 1000 – Brunswick – Visual
Purchase pottery wheel
Brenden Emmerson -$ 750 – Brunswick – Visual
Upgrade equipment, buy materials for travel to venues, and marketing
James Farley -$ 1000 – NH – Visual
Purchase of tintype equipment
Carol Gardner -$ 892.56- Brunswick – Visual
Supplies for Sculpture and Functional Pottery
Mandi Gillespie -$ 1000 – NH – Visual
Sourcing rare wood for pyrography collection, travel, website, and marketing
Meagan Golden -$ 750 – NH – Film
Submission fees for 19 film festivals
Kevin Green -$ 750 – NH – Dance
Studio rental
Katelyn Guthrie -$ 750 – NH – Visual
Two-week winter residency at the Penland School of Craft
Lemuel Heida -$ 1000 – Brunswick – Visual
Hand-fabricating a kinetic light sculpture to exhibit a stop-motion film
Timothy Koehler & Alex Goodell -$ 1000 – NH – Music
Soul-R-Fusion to attend Southeast Regional Folk Alliance
Sean Meade -$ 1000 – NH – Music
Record debut jazz album featuring Echromatics, a band of local musicians
Stephen Merriam -$ 1000 – Brunswick – Visual
Professional grade carving tools and supplies to create three large-scale sculptures
Megan Peterson -$ 1000 – NH – Film
Install electricity in home studio
Sherry Pfeifle -$ 1000 – NH – Visual
Coaching program to transition into a boutique-style portrait photography business
Heather Purdin -$ 996.75 – NH – Visual
Tools and enameling materials to expand metalsmithing practice
Kaylie Saidin -$ 1000 – NH – Literary
Purchase computer
Michael Sherrod -$ 900 – NH – Visual
Purchase of professional-grade camera
Andre Silva -$ 1000 – NH – Film
Film festival submission fees
Shannon Silva -$ 1000 – NH – Film
Purchase of iPad, Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard
Cedric Turner-Kopa -$ 750 – NH – Literary
Self-publishing costs, ISBN registration, coaching sessions, and web hosting
Jesslyn Wilson -$ 750 – NH – Theater
Theater rent, materials for set design, costume, props
Joshua Woodard -$ 1000 – NH – Music
Purchase drum set and marketing
GRASSROOTS ARTS PROGRAM GRANTS – $75,000
Alban Elved Dance Company – $3000 – Sarus Festival for Site-Specific & Experimental Art
Bellamy Mansion Museum – $1000 – Exhibitions by Helen Barnett & Milton Gore /Jim Horton
Black Arts Alliance, Inc. – $5000 – 23rd North Carolina Black Film Festival
Boys and Girls Club of SENC – $5000 – Club Creations Art Immersion Program
Cape Fear Chorale – $500 – Annual Fall Concert
Cape Fear Cultural Assoc. of India – $1500 – Passage to India
Cape Fear Swing Dance – $2500 – Live music at six monthly dances
Carolina Beach Mural Project – $5000 – Mural on the Katie B. Hines Center
Cinema Sisters International – $5000 – 10th Annual Uptilt Film Fest
Friend of Public Radio WHQR – $2500 – Cinematique of Wilmington Film Series at Jengo’s
Harrington Repertory Theatre – $3000 – Production of “Orion’s Choice”
Island Arts Council – $750 – Clay Art for Therapy for Cancer Patients workshops
Mouth of Babes Theatre – $2500 – Scotopia 2026, A New Works Theatre Festival
Narrative Arts – $2500 – Coastal Connections: Coastal Youth Media project
NC Jazz Festival – $5000 – NC Jazz Festival Youth Workshops
Opera Wilmington – $2500 – Costumes and set for “Don Giovanni”
Performance Club Theatre Co – $2500 – Summer Stock Youth Productions
Pleasure Island Chamber – $1500 – Carolina Beach Kite Festival’s Art of the Wind
Port City Music Festival – $1250 – 18th Annual Port City Music Festival 2026
Port City Playwrights – $1000 – Production of “Ten Minute Miscellany 2026”
Port City Rock Jam – $1250 – Supports arts festival produced by local band RuKus
Techmoja Dance/Theatre – $1500 – Sweet Sixteen season
Thalian Association – $5000 – Venue rentals for five Youth Theatre productions
Thalian Hall – $5000 – Presentation of Ailey II, the Next Generation of Dance
Turning the Wheel Productions – $2500 – Body-based creative expression and play
UNCW – $1500 – Annual Writer’s Week produced by UNCW’s Creative Writing Dept.
Wilmington Jewish Film Fest – $1500 – 12th Festival and Summer Series
Wilmington Symphonic Winds – $2500 – 2025-2026 season of three concerts
Wilmington Virtuosi Brass – $750 – Two concerts (UNCW and St. Thomas Hall)
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The Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County awarded $430,000 in grants to support 43 arts and culture organizations throughout New Hanover County. Building on the success of its 2025 pilot program, The Endowment, in partnership with the Arts Council, launched an enhanced Arts & Culture Grants Program for 2026. The funding strengthens local arts organizations, supports innovative programming, and ensures that arts and culture remain accessible to the community.
ENDOWMENT ARTS & CULTURE GRANTS – $430,000
| Big Dawg Theatre Company | 15000 | Rehearsal space rental |
| Black Arts Alliance | 5000 | North Carolina Black Film Festival |
| Brooklyn Arts Music Academy | 15000 | Salary support for Executive Director and Artistic Director |
| Cameron Art Museum | 15000 | Andy Warhol’s Silver Clouds Exhibition |
| Cape Fear Chorale | 5000 | 2026-2027 Concert Season |
| Cape Fear Cultural Association of India | 5000 | Diwali (Festival of Lights) 2026 |
| Cape Fear Swing Dance Society | 5000 | Sea Jam 2026 |
| Carolina Beach Mural Project | 5000 | 2nd Annual Carolina Beach MuralFest |
| Chamber Music Wilmington | 15000 | Business Manager and Development Consultant |
| Children’s Museum of Wilmington | 1000 | Picture This! Exploring Art Through Various Media |
| Cinema Sisters/UpTilt Film Fest | 5000 | UpTilt Film Festival |
| Cucalorus Film Foundation | 15000 | Cucalorus Film Festival |
| Dance Cooperative | 5000 | Wilmington Dance Festival and Outreach |
| DREAMS | 15000 | Teaching Artist Outreach Program |
| FlowILM | 5000 | FlowILM 2026 |
| Harrington Repertory | 4575 | Potpourri, November 2026 |
| Island Arts Council | 5000 | Pleasure Island Mosaic Totems 2026 Public Sculpture Project |
| Mouths of Babes Theatre Company | 15000 | 2026 General operating expenses |
| Music on Market Fine Arts Series | 5000 | 2026 Concert Series |
| Narrative Arts | 15000 | 2026 General operating expenses |
| North Carolina Jazz Festival | 15000 | 2026 General operating expenses |
| Opera House Theatre Company | 15000 | 2026 Artistic contracts |
| Opera Wilmington | 15000 | 2026 General operating expenses |
| Panache Theatrical Productions | 5000 | 2026 Season Technical and Artistic Staff |
| Performance Club Theatre Company | 5000 | Summer Stock Youth Theatre 2026 |
| Port City Playwrights Project | 4425 | 10 Minute Miscellany |
| Preservation NC Bellamy Mansion Museum | 15000 | 2026 Community and Education Programs |
| Soaring as Eagles Outreach Ministry | 5000 | Inspired Minds Mosaic Art Project |
| Thalian Association | 15000 | Community Theatre Venue Rental 2026-2027 Season |
| Thalian Hall | 15000 | Pied Piper Institute |
| Theater For All | 15000 | Salary support for Managing Director and Artistic Director and rehearsal space rental |
| Turning the Wheel | 15000 | DC Virgo Residency |
| WHQR | 15000 | Arts & Culture Programming |
| Willis Richardson Players | 5000 | Theatrical Productions and Community Outreach |
| Wilmington School of the Arts | 15000 | Artists in Residence Program |
| Wilmington Symphonic Winds | 5000 | 2026 Concert Season |
| Wilmington Symphony Orchestra | 15000 | 2026 General operating expenses |
| Wilmington Virtuosi Brass | 5000 | 2026 Concert Series |
| Wilmington Voices | 5000 | Songs of Heritage and Hope: 2026 Wilmington Voices Choral Series |
| Wilson Center | 15000 | Hello Arts Ticket Giveback Program |
| Working Films | 15000 | 2026 General operating expenses |
| Wrightsville Beach Museum | 15000 | General Summer Operations and Education Program Delivery Support |
| Youth Choir of Wilmington | 5000 | Rebuilding the Youth Choir of Wilmington |
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