• Share specific stories that show how the arts impact you and the people in your community. It can be about access to the arts, arts education, or your local economy.
• Educate about the current impact of NC Arts Council Grants and the Nonprofit Arts Sector to show that the arts are a valuable part of both your community’s culture and economy.
• Explain how this additional investment will improve your community, and all communities in North Carolina, in a variety of ways.

• NC Arts Council has a 50-year legacy of accountable investment of taxpayer dollars through statewide arts grants.
• Increased funding would be an additional investment of only 37¢ per person ($3.7 million).
• Increased funding will allow the NC Arts Council to invest strategically and equitably in arts, culture and economic development.
• The North Carolina Arts Council requires a 1:1 cash match for grant awards, except for organizations that serve rural and low-wealth Tier I counties. Overall, every grant dollar invested by the North Carolina Arts Council is matched at a rate of 1:17.
• Remember to speak well of the NC Arts Council and their impact on the state. You want your legislator to feel confident about the distribution and oversight of the grants.

• Grassroots Grants are equitable population-based allocations that go to all 100 counties and are controlled locally, allowing each county to determine how utilize those funds.
• Increased funding would be an additional investment of only 22¢ per person ($2.2 million).
• Currently each county receives a $6,000 base in addition to a per capita allocation.
• By increasing the base allocation to $20,000, rural communities would see much larger percentages in funding growth, allowing the impact to be more significant.
• This will treat every county equitably while having the largest impact on Tier I and Tier II Counties which have the greatest need.

• The grants are purposeful investments with regional or statewide impact.
• Increased funding would be an additional investment of only 15¢ per person ($1.5 million).
• Includes grants for arts education, veteran’s programs, and touring into rural areas.
• Encourages significant economic development projects that also create community pride.

• Invest in arts organizations and artists that serve the entire state
• Encourage economic growth and downtown revitalization through a variety of projects and partnerships
• Support arts education and youth programs which improve student outcomes and creative thinking skills needed for 21st century careers, with greater impact on socio-economically disadvantaged students.
• Champion arts integration which includes teaching science and math, as well as other subjects by using the arts. STEAM has better results than STEM alone.
• Support military/veterans arts programs (NC has 2nd highest veteran population in the US)
• Encourages partnerships and innovation that best serve North Carolina

• Creates $2.12 Billion in Spending (Organizations: $940 Million, Audiences: $1.18 Billion)
• Supports 71,977 FTE Jobs (Organization Spending: 37,194, Audience Spending 34,783)
• Produces $107 Million in NC State Taxes AND Generates $95 Million in Local Taxes
• Arts events attract approximately 30% of patrons from outside the County
• Promotes additional spending other than admission, which doubles when patrons are not local
• Attracts investment from businesses, which creates jobs and growth

“The purpose of the Joint Caucus on Arts and Arts Education will be to educate Members of the House and Senate on the economic, education, and civic impact of the arts industry in North Carolina. The Caucus will meet as called by the Chairs for the purpose of disseminating research and information and to help grow awareness of North Carolina as The Creative State.”

NC House of Representatives

Co-Chair: Rep. Becky Carney (D)
    Becky.Carney@ncleg.net
Co-Chair: Rep. Jeffrey Elmore (R)
    Jeffrey.Elmore@ncleg.net

• Fully Bipartisan Caucus
• Will convene once or twice annually
• Will educate NCGA Members about the impact of Arts and Arts Education
• Purpose is to inform - Not vote together
• Presentations about impact as well as Arts Experiences and Performances
• Members just need to contact a Chair to JOIN UP for the ARTS

Co-Chair: Rep. Becky Carney (D)
Co-Chair: Rep. Jeffrey Elmore (R)

Rep. Jay Adams (R)
Rep. John Autry (D)
Rep. Cynthia Ball (D)
Rep. Chaz Beasley (D)
Rep. Mary Belk (D)
Rep. MaryAnn Black (D)
Rep. William Brawley (R)
Rep. Cecil Brockman (D)
Rep. Deb Butler (D)
Rep. Ted Davis, Jr. (R)
Rep. Andy Dulin (R)
Rep. John Faircloth (R)
Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield (D)
Rep. Susan C. Fisher (D)
Rep. Carl Ford (R)
Rep. John A. Fraley (R)
Rep. Holly Grange (R)
Rep. Kyle Hall (R)
Rep. Edward Hanes, Jr. (D)
Rep. Jon Hardister (R)
Rep. D. Craig Horn (R)
Rep. Julia C. Howard (R)
Rep. Pat B. Hurley (R)
Rep. Joe John (D)
Rep. Linda P. Johnson (R)
Rep. Marvin W. Lucas (D)
Rep. Susan Martin (R)
Rep. Pat McElraft (R)
Rep. Allen McNeill (R)
Rep. Graig R. Meyer (D)
Rep. Bob Muller (R)
Rep. Michele D. Presnell (R)
Rep. Dennis Riddell (R)
Rep. Stephen M. Ross (R)
Rep. Jason Saine (R)
Rep. Mitchell S. Setzer (R)
Rep. Larry C. Strickland (R)
Rep. Evelyn Terry (D)
Rep. John A. Torbett (R)
Rep. Brian Turner (D)
Rep. Rena W. Turner (R)
Rep. Harry Warren (R)
Rep. Larry Yarborough (R)