New Grant Awards Will Support Music Trails Exhibits, Programs, and Concert Venues
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership (BRNHA) is pleased to announce the award of 9 grants totaling $62,760 to support traditional music projects across the North Carolina mountains and foothills.
“These grant awards will help our small towns and arts organizations showcase our music heritage and provide new experiences for visitors,” said Angie Chandler, Executive Director of BRNHA. “We have a rich musical story to tell, and you’ll find it alive and well in our small towns.”
The 9 grant awards include:
Clay County Communities Revitalization Association: $2,850 for a music heritage sculpture in downtown Hayesville.
Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center: $6,600 for an outdoor stage at the historic Cowee School to expand the capacity to present traditional music concerts.
Madison County Arts Council: $5,000 for a portable sound system to support traditional music events around the county.
One Dozen Who Care, Inc.: $5,000 to develop exhibits on the music traditions of African American communities in partnership with Western Carolina University.
Peacock Performing Arts Center: $2,225 for a new sound system to support music performances.
Surry Arts Council: $8,000 to expand and improve backstage space for musicians performing at the Historic Earle Theatre in downtown Mount Airy.
Western North Carolina Historical Association: $8,085 to support a music heritage exhibit and related educational programs at the Smith-McDowell House Museum.
Wilkes Heritage Museum: $10,000 to expand the museum’s Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame exhibit and event space.
Will & Deni McIntyre Foundation: $15,000 to support the national broadcast of David Holt’s State of Music series which showcases Western North Carolina’s bluegrass, old-time, and gospel traditions.
All of the grant awards will be matched with state or local funding and donated services.
Because the Wilkes Heritage Museum project involves renovations to the old Wilkes Courthouse, the grant is undergoing additional consultation by the State Historic Preservation Office.
The BRNHA Partnership is a nonprofit organization charged with preserving, interpreting, developing, and celebrating the rich and unique natural and cultural heritage in the 25-county Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. The Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina is a joint initiative of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership and the North Carolina Arts Council.
