The Arts Council Inc
The Arts Council Inc is based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and supports arts and cultural activity in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County through grants, artist support, and access to venues. Its 2025 filing identifies it as a Form 990 public charity.
The Arts Council Inc at a glance
In short: The Arts Council Inc gave $1.2M across 38 grants in 2025 (avg $31K), mostly in North Carolina. 16% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,190,897
- -29.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 38
- -13.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $31,339
- -18.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $28,043
- Total assets
- $10,578,104
- -12.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (6 of 38, 2025)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Arts Council Inc
- How to Apply
-
The website provides application links for the General Operating Support Grants and Arts For EveryBody Community Project Grants.
- Contact
Mailing address: 251 North Spruce St, Winstonsalem, NC 27101
Phone: (336) 722-2585
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from The Arts Council Inc
Artist Support Grant - North Carolina Arts Council Region 11
The Arts Council Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Express Grants (South Arts)
The Arts Council Inc
Amount
Up to $3,000
Deadline
Ongoing
National Emergency Grants for Dancers (Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grant)
The Arts Council Inc
Amount
Up to $3,000
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
Who The Arts Council Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools ($125K). Together the top 10 received $592K.
Grant Size Distribution
166 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 132 grants of 166 (80%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization describes its primary service area as Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Its 2025 itemized grants were all reported for recipients in North Carolina. The Artist Support Grant serves eligible artists residing in Forsyth, Davidson, Davie, Guilford, and Randolph counties.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Arts Council Inc open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 38 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $33K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 76% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $479K (2020) to $1.7M (2024). In 2025 it made 38 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools Winston-Salem, NC | Operating Assistance | $125,000 |
| Southeastern Center for Contemporar Winston-Salem, NC | Operating Assistance | $101,749 |
| Muse Winston-Salem Winston-Salem, NC | Operating Assistance | $89,425 |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts Foundation Inc Winston-Salem, NC | Operating Assistance | $67,211 |
| Communidad Mujer Valiosa Winston-Salem, NC | Operating Assistance | $35,000 |
| Royal Curtain Drama Guild Inc Winston-Salem, NC | Operating Assistance | $35,000 |
| Triad Cultural Arts Inc Winston-Salem, NC | Operating Assistance | $35,000 |
| Winston-Salem Mixxer Inc Winston-Salem, NC | Operating Assistance | $35,000 |
| Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | Operating Assistance | $34,500 |
| Creative Center of North Carolina Winston-Salem, NC | Operating Assistance | $34,003 |
Ready to take the next step with The Arts Council Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $10,578,104 | $3,398,838 | $4,609,971 | $1,190,897 | 38 | $89,934 |
| 2024 | $12,059,455 | $5,498,748 | $6,181,158 | $1,699,498 | 44 | $17,836 |
| 2023 | $12,738,849 | $3,345,650 | $4,795,140 | $1,223,777 | 40 | $-33,744 |
| 2022 | $13,960,396 | $3,229,060 | $3,960,249 | $1,298,696 | 23 | $4,768 |
| 2021 | $15,176,121 | $3,085,185 | $3,327,011 | $922,236 | 21 | $46 |
| 2020 | $15,705,377 | $2,746,354 | $3,015,693 | $479,458 | 22 | $2,360 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to support and advance innovation in and access to the arts as a core community value, including by providing grants and venues for artists and arts organizations and creating an environment in which the arts flourish.
Its website describes support for arts in education, venue accessibility and programming, and artist funding and support. Grant programs include unrestricted General Operating Support Grants for arts and culture organizations serving Forsyth County, community project grants, and regional Artist Support Grants for individual artists and small, unincorporated artist groups. The Artist Support Grant is funded by the North Carolina Arts Council.
2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. MUSE Winston-Salem describes its mission as connecting and enriching the community through history and storytelling. Bookmarks describes itself as a literary arts organization that fosters reading and writing through a book festival, school programming, and year-round events. The Winston-Salem Symphony Association says it brings live music, educational programs, and community engagement to the community.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Arts Council reported 38 grants totaling $1,190,897. Grants ranged from $5,601 to $125,000, with a median of $28,042. The largest awards included $125,000 to Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, $101,749 to Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, $89,425 to MUSE Winston-Salem, and $67,211 to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts Foundation. These grants were reported for operating assistance.
For General Operating Support Grants, the organization says eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits whose primary purpose is arts and culture and whose primary residence and programs and services are in Forsyth County. The stated award range is $10,000 to $20,000; no minimum operating budget is required. The website lists a November 2, 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST application deadline, with award notification in December 2026 and a project period of January 1 through December 31, 2027.
The Artist Support Grant provides $500 to $2,000 for professional and artistic development to eligible artists in Forsyth, Davidson, Davie, Guilford, and Randolph counties. The 2026 application deadline was September 4, 2026, and has passed. Arts For EveryBody Community Project Grants are listed as open, with awards of $5,000 to $20,000 for artist-led or community-based projects intended to foster arts participation and healthier communities through arts and culture.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Howard Upchurch as chairman and Samantha Howard End 7425 as CEO. It also lists Dr. Lynn Anthony, Courtney Benfield, Cindy Gindrich, Iris Cole, Melinda McConnell, Whitney Harness, Sue Henderson, and Stephanie Brown as board members.
The Arts Council Inc is led by Shannon Henry, Interim President since 2025 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 23 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Shannon Henry
Interim President
Board Member → Interim President, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Howard Upchurch
Chairman
Interim President → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$46K (2024) → $59K (2025)
Cheryl Lindsey
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Iris Cole
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lynn Anthony
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melinda McConnell
Board Member
Chair → Board Member, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rosa Otera
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Lancaster
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sue Henderson
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Talitha Vickers
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Pettigrew
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Courtney Payne Benfield
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robin Miller
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ben Schwab
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Gindrich
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darrell Farewell
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erica Palmiter
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Caraway
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jon Pierce
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Davis III
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Brown
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Berlin
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Whitney Harness
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (38)
- Former: Samantha Howard (2025) — CEO · Filing note: Ended 7425
- Former: Camille Kluttz-Leach (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Chad Cheek (2020–2024) — President
- Former: Claire Tuttle (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Clare Fader (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Drew Gerstmyer (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jake Wharton (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jason Kaplan (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jeff Lindsay (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Peggy Reingold (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Steve Berlin (2020–2024) — Secretary
- Former: Chase Law (2021–2024) — President · Filing note: Ended 21624
- Former: Jacinta White (2021–2024) — Board Member · Filing note: Ended December
- Former: Linda Gaskins (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Todd Bankhead (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Amy Reynolds (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Rich Geiger (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Stephan Dragisic (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Tracy Preston (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Christina Soriano (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Eric Swaim (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Michael Kelley (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Michael Suggs (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Nigel Alston (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Paula McCoy (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Richard Geiger (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: John Helmle (2020–2022) — Board Member · Filing note: Ended 62022
- Former: Lance Latham (2020–2022) — Board Member · Filing note: Ended 72022
- Former: Rick Moss (2020–2022) — Chair
- Former: Robert Slappey (2020–2022) — Board Member · Filing note: Ended 42022
- Former: Dana Caudill Jones (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Randy Eaddy (2020–2021) — President · Filing note: Ended 123120
- Former: Silvia Rodriguez (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Ken Pettigrew (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Adriana Granados (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Holly Pavlika (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Portia Mount (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Shaheen Syal (2020) — Vice Chair
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $59K, to Howard Upchurch (Chairman). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Arts Council Inc
How much does The Arts Council Inc give each year?
The Arts Council Inc gave $1.2M across 38 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.7M across 44 grants.
What is The Arts Council Inc's typical grant size?
The Arts Council Inc's median grant in 2025 was $28,043, and its average grant was $31,339, across 38 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Arts Council Inc that year got $25K on average.
Where does The Arts Council Inc give grants?
The Arts Council Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Winston-Salem, NC (35 grants).
Does The Arts Council Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Arts Council Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (38 of 38) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are The Arts Council Inc's largest grantees?
The Arts Council Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools ($125,000), Southeastern Center for Contemporar ($101,749) and Muse Winston-Salem ($89,425), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Arts Council Inc?
The Arts Council Inc reported $10.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.4M.
What does The Arts Council Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to support and advance innovation in and access to the arts as a core community value, including by providing grants and venues for artists and arts organizations and creating an environment in which the arts flourish. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Arts Council Inc?
The website provides application links for the General Operating Support Grants and Arts For EveryBody Community Project Grants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Arts Council Inc's EIN?
The Arts Council Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-0526856. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 25, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Other open foundation grants in North Carolina
North Carolina Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Arts Council Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Winston-Salem Foundation
Winston-Salem, NC
The Winston-Salem Foundation funds charitable organizations serving Forsyth County, North Carolina, across areas including education, housing, economic opportunity, civic engagement, arts, health, and human services. Its 2024 median grant was $25,000; specific programs offer grants ranging from small grants of up to $2,000 to capital grants of up to $100,000. The profile describes application-based programs but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$630.1M
Grants
823
Total Given
$90.4M
Reynolds American Foundation
Winston-Salem, NC
Assets
$56.0M
Grants
280
Total Given
$3.5M
Ta John W and Anna H
Winston-Salem, NC
This foundation supports charitable, scientific, literary, and educational projects, prioritizing short-term or non-recurring work in areas such as arts, education, health, human services, and the environment. It funds North Carolina public charities, with a focus on Winston-Salem and Forsyth County; 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to $500,000, with a median of $27,500. It accepts applications by email on a quarterly schedule; unsolicited requests are not specifically addressed.
Assets
$16.8M
Grants
52
Total Given
$2.5M
Duke Energy Foundation
Charlotte, NC
The Duke Energy Foundation funds workforce and local economic development, disaster resilience, conservation, clean water, and economic opportunity in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000; applications for grants of $20,000 or less are accepted year-round, after applicants discuss proposals with a state representative.
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
41
Total Given
$25.6M
Foundation for the Carolinas
Charlotte, NC
Foundation For The Carolinas funds education and youth development, environmental and wildlife work, health and human services, and animal welfare, with a reported median grant of $25,000 in 2024. Its competitive programs focus on Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the Carolinas, and specific local communities, while donor-advised funds may support eligible nonprofits more broadly; it accepts applications for some competitive grants, but most grants are recommended by fund advisors and have no application process.
Assets
$3.9B
Grants
1,605
Total Given
$609.1M
North Carolina Baptist Hospital
Winston-Salem, NC
North Carolina Baptist Hospital funds education and scholarships, indigent care, departmental needs, and community programs such as children’s learning, food security, housing, and health initiatives. Its 2024 grants ranged from $7,000 to $200,000, with a median of $20,000, and went to recipients in North Carolina. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
17
Total Given
$634K
More similar funders
More Funders in North Carolina
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Arts Council Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-arts-council-inc-morg_2a69de1982894935bbce508280c1d9f7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_560526856_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Arts Council Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-arts-council-inc-morg_2a69de1982894935bbce508280c1d9f7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Arts Council Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
The Arts Council Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?