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Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County just announced its grant offerings for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), continuing its mission to nurture creativity, cultural diversity and community engagement across the region.

The new suite of grants replaces previous programs and has been tailored to better meet the needs of the evolving arts landscape and fulfill new requirements as set by the North Carolina Arts Council.

In FY25, Arts Council introduces three new grant opportunities to foster innovation and inclusivity:

• General operating support grants: Designed to provide unrestricted funding to arts organizations, allowing them to focus on sustaining their operations and fulfilling their missions.
• Multicultural grassroots arts grants: Aimed at promoting cultural diversity, these grants support community-driven arts initiatives led by and for underrepresented populations.
• Arts for everybody community project grants: Created to encourage projects that make the arts accessible to all, particularly those in underserved communities.

In addition to these new grants, Arts Council will continue offering funding through the Artist Support Grant Program, which provides direct support to individual artists, and the Wells Fargo Arts in Education Grant Program, which is the largest funder of initiatives that integrate the arts into Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. In FY25, AC will grant $902,000 compared to $900,000 in FY24.

“We are thrilled to introduce a more flexible, inclusive grant structure this year,” said Shannon Stokes, vice president of strategy and community impact of Arts Council. “These programs reflect our commitment to making the arts a vital part of every person’s life in Forsyth County. By addressing the unique needs of diverse communities, we are helping ensure the arts remain accessible and vibrant for all.”

Applications for the FY25 grant programs are now open and will close on Oct. 31. Interested organizations and individuals can find more information on eligibility, deadlines, and application guidelines by visiting Arts Council’s website at intothearts.org/funding. An Arts Council Grants Program Information Session will take place on Oct. 7 at 11 a.m. on Zoom. Interested applicants may register online at bit.ly/grantsWSFC.