#wcartcouncil

— press release

The Warren County Arts Council has launched its Artist Registry, a new website feature and community development tool. The registry will feature artists and arts organizations not only from Warren County, but from the region. Artists and organizations from neighboring counties in the region are encouraged to join the registry.

According to Warren County Arts Council board member and registry project lead, Dian Sourelis, “Our new Artist Registry will be a tool to not only identify and inform the creative community by directly providing information about grants, best practices and exhibition opportunities, but the registry will also introduce this talented population to the community at large.”

The Artist Registry, found at warrencountyartsnc.org, is open to artists of multiple disciplines and varied experiences. The registry will also list arts-based organizations. For $25 a year, the registry will host a brief bio about the artist, 4 work samples, and link to a website or social media page.

“Working on several projects and grants recently really drove the point home that our arts council just didn’t have a good grasp on all the artists in our area,” said Charla Duncan, Chairperson of the Warren County Arts Council. “When we want to reach out about funding or development opportunities, or to hire someone for community programming, we really need a database of creatives to pull from.”

“It’s the next step in our organization’s growth,” Duncan said.

Duncan’s words are echoed by Sourelis, who has been a mixed media artist for 45 years and recently relocated to Warren County from Chicago, and who herself is listed on multiple artist registries in the country.

“This registry is a big step toward identifying the talents and needs of our artists, while creating communities that value and support the arts,” stated Sourelis.

For more information or questions please contact the Warren County Arts Council at warrencountyartscouncil@gmail.com. The Warren County Arts Council can be found online at warrencountyartsnc.org and on Facebook and Instagram at @wcartcouncil.

— press release courtesy of the Warren County Arts Council

Warren County Arts Council Awards Funding to Regional Artists

The Warren County Arts Council has awarded $6,701 in direct funding to 7 artists in the North Carolina Arts Council’s first ever Artist Support Grant program. The Warren County Arts Council was chosen by the North Carolina Arts Council to be the lead arts council in a grants region that includes: Warren, Vance, Halifax, Northampton, Granville, and Franklin counties.

“The Artist Support Grants program responds to the impact of the pandemic by ensuring that artists and the state’s arts infrastructure have the resources needed to help our state make a strong social and economic recovery,” said Wayne Martin, executive director of the North Carolina Arts Council.

“We are honored to serve as the lead arts council in this new initiative,” said Charla Duncan, Chair of the Warren County Arts Council. “Working with our regional partners in this new consortium of rural counties gives us a chance to impact local artists in ways we haven’t been able to do before.”

Twenty-two artists from all six counties and from various disciplines applied for funding in this competitive application process, requesting a total of $25,900 in funding. Artists were not allowed to request more than $1,200 in funding. This year the grants are non-matching, but will most likely require a match in future cycles.

“Our review panel had a tough decision to make. The state only granted our region $5,000. The Warren County Arts Council chose to contribute $1,000 to increase the impact,” stated Duncan. “The Vance County, Franklin County, and Northampton County arts councils also contributed, so in total we were able to increase our region’s funding by $1,700.”

Awards went to: Senora Lynch, a potter from Warren County; Marvin Richardson and the Stoney Creek Singers, contemporary pow wow singers from Warren County; Ellen Newbauer, a woodworker from Warren County; Jereann King Johnson, a quilter from Warren County; Lydia Dudley, a singer from Warren County; Allison Darcy, a writer from Granville County; and Brandi Parker, a theatrical director from Vance County.

Funding will be used to support projects or needs that enhance the artists’ craft and careers.

The grant review panel consisted of arts professionals from across the state, and not members of any of the arts councils in the qualifying region. The panel included: Trista Porter (Executive Director, Greenville Museum of Art); Amy Grossman (President & CEO, NC Folk Festival); Hobey Ford (master puppeteer and Kennedy Center Partner in Education); Antoine Williams (mixed media artist and Guilford College professor); and Sarah Bryan (Executive Director, NC Folklife Institute).

“We were so honored to have such a thoughtful and intentional group of panelists,” said Duncan. “It was clear that they value the arts in rural communities as much as we do.”

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About the Warren County Arts Council

The Warren County Arts Council was founded on April 20, 1999 in order to promote and increase appreciation for the arts in Warren County.

About the North Carolina Arts Council

The North Carolina Arts Council builds on our state’s longstanding love of the arts, leading the way to a more vibrant future. The Arts Council is an economic catalyst, fueling a thriving nonprofit creative sector that generates $2.12 billion in annual direct economic activity. The Arts Council also sustains diverse arts expression and traditions while investing in innovative approaches to art-making. The North Carolina Arts Council has proven to be a champion for youth by cultivating tomorrow’s creative citizens through arts education. www.NCArts.org

Tag Archive for: #wcartcouncil

Warren County Arts Council Launches Artist Registry

Artists in Warren, Vance, Granville Awarded Funds