The Durham Arts Council Inc
The Durham Arts Council, Inc. is a public charity based in Durham, North Carolina. It supports arts activity through grants and access to its facilities, and provides arts education, performance, exhibition, training, and other opportunities for artists and arts organizations.
Key facts about The Durham Arts Council Inc
In short: The Durham Arts Council Inc gave $382K across 96 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 56-0599829
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $382,218
- Grants made (2025)
- 96
- Average grant
- $3,981
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $1,025,241
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Application processes and eligibility depend on the program. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Listed upcoming deadlines include September 27, 2026, for the Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artists Grants; October 15,…
- Next open deadline
- October 15, 2026 (Facility Grant Program)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$1.0M
-13.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$382K
-17.7% YoY
Grant Count
96
+20.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
-31.5% YoY
How The Durham Arts Council Inc gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Council’s mission is to lead, inspire, and promote excellence in and access to the creation, experience, and active support of the arts for all people in the community.
Its grants support arts projects and organizations, individual artists, and arts activities in its facilities. The organizations it has supported work across a range of disciplines. For example, the Carolina Theatre of Durham says it enriches audiences through programming that contributes to the region’s cultural, educational, and economic vitality. Claymakers Arts Community describes its mission as nurturing a ceramics community through education, resources, and support. Kidznotes says it empowers youth through music education, while North Carolina Arts in Action uses performance-based dance activities to help children develop life skills and confidence.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Council reported 96 grants totaling $382,218. Grant amounts ranged from $604 to $57,352, with a median of $3,000. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina.
Review Cycle
; applicants may not be enrolled in a degree or certificate program in their art form at the deadline.
How to Apply
es and eligibility depend on the program. Applicants should use the relevant program’s application and guidelines; the Catalyst process includes panel review and Board approval.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The Durham Arts Council Inc
Catalyst Grant
The Durham Arts Council Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Facility Grant Program
The Durham Arts Council Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
October 15, 2026
Season Grant Program
The Durham Arts Council Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with The Durham Arts Council Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Council is based in Durham, and its 2025 reported grant dollars all went to recipients in North Carolina. Program eligibility is more specific: the Catalyst Grant requires a Durham County-based nonprofit and a project in Durham County, while the Emerging Artists Grants cover applicants residing in Chatham, Durham, Granville, Orange, or Person County.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 96 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $83K (2020) to $590K (2021). In 2025 it made 96 grants totaling $382K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Carolina Theatre of Durham ($64K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $154K.
Grant Size Distribution
373 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 370 grants of 373 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina Theatre of Durham Durham, NC | Fletcher Performing Arts Fund Grant | $57,352 |
| Zenzalai Group INC(FISCAL Sponsor St Joseph's Historic Foundation) Durham, NC | Arpa Grant | $9,800 |
| Empower Dance Studio LLC Durham, NC | Arpa Grant | $9,800 |
| Historic Preservation Society of Durham Inc DBA Preservation Durham Durham, NC | Arpa Grant | $7,700 |
| The Stagville Memorial Project Durham, NC | Arpa Grant | $6,000 |
| Choral Society of Durham Durham, NC | Arpa Grant | $6,000 |
| Vault Theatre Limited Durham, NC | Arpa Grant | $5,800 |
| The Artisan Market at 305 Durham, NC | Arpa Grant | $5,440 |
| Party Illegal LLC Durham, NC | Arpa Grant | $5,120 |
| Claymakers Arts Community Durham, NC | Arpa Participation Fees | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,025,241 | $3,063,229 | $3,367,507 | $382,218 |
| 2024 | $1,189,801 | $2,719,713 | $2,824,811 | $464,700 |
| 2023 | $936,482 | $2,643,344 | $2,454,530 | $267,752 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,025,241 | $1,189,801 | $936,482 |
| Revenue | $3,063,229 | $2,719,713 | $2,643,344 |
| Expenses | $3,367,507 | $2,824,811 | $2,454,530 |
| Net Investment Income | $75,978 | $27,734 | $14,468 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Tabitha Concepcion as president; Geraud Staton and Adam Allegrini as vice presidents; Emric Jorgensen as treasurer; and Mike Woodard as secretary. It also lists Sheila Crosby, Lori Blake-Reid, Ian Brown, Stephen Valentine, and Jose Cruz as trustees.
The Durham Arts Council Inc is led by Sherry Devries, Executive Director since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 20 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sherry Devries
Executive Director
Executive Di → Executive Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$114K (2020) → $125K (2025)
Tabitha Concepcion
President
Trustee → Vice President, 2024
Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chandra Guinn
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Constanza Gomez-Joines
Trustee
Past President → President, 2023
President → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lori Blake-Reid
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Wiener
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Hinton
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marjorie Pierson
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wade Walcutt
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dan Ellison
Trustee
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maryah Smith-Overman
Trustee
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ian Brown
Trustee
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jose Cruz
Trustee
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chelsea Cook
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sheila Crosby
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Valentine
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adam Allegrini
Vice President
Treasurer → Trustee, 2022
Trustee → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emric Jorgensen
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Geraud Staton
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Woodard
Secretary
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: Heidi Cartner (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Rick Grant (2020–2024) — President
- Former: Mark-Anthony Middleton (2022–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Susan Amey (2022–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Baron Tymas (2020–2023) — Past President
- Former: Eugene Brown (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Janene Tompkins (2020–2022) — Vice President
- Former: Nancy Clapp-Channing (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Antonio Arce (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Peter Wooldridge (2022) — Vice President
- Former: Charlie Reece (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Chris Mesecar (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Michael Woodard (2021) — Past President
- Former: Elizabeth Weiner (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Rhonda Parker (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Rick Jorgensen (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Scott Hill (2020) — Trustee
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 $125K, to Sherry Devries (Executive Director).
Contact
Mailing address: 120 Morris Street, Durham, NC 27701
Phone: (919) 560-2787
Website: https://durhamarts.org
Frequently asked questions about The Durham Arts Council Inc
How much does The Durham Arts Council Inc give each year?
The Durham Arts Council Inc gave $382K across 96 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $465K across 80 grants.
What is The Durham Arts Council Inc's typical grant size?
The Durham Arts Council Inc's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $3,981, across 96 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does The Durham Arts Council Inc give grants?
The Durham 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 Durham, NC (89 grants), Rougemont, NC (3 grants) and Raleigh, NC (2 grants).
Does The Durham Arts Council Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 96 grants with a stated purpose on The Durham Arts Council Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Season Grant" (37 grants), "Arpa Participation Fees" (30 grants) and "Arpa Grant" (26 grants).
Who are The Durham Arts Council Inc's largest grantees?
The Durham Arts Council Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Carolina Theatre of Durham ($63,541 across 3 grants), Zenzalai Group INC(FISCAL Sponsor St Joseph's Historic Foundation) ($12,800 across 2 grants) and Shaleigh Dance Works ($11,250 across 3 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Durham Arts Council Inc?
The Durham Arts Council Inc reported $1.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.1M.
What does The Durham Arts Council Inc fund?
The Council’s mission is to lead, inspire, and promote excellence in and access to the creation, experience, and active support of the arts for all people in the community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Durham Arts Council Inc?
Application processes and eligibility depend on the program. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Durham Arts Council Inc's EIN?
The Durham Arts Council Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-0599829. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Durham Arts Council Inc by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Durham Arts Council Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Triangle Community Foundation Inc
Durham, NC
The foundation supports nonprofits working in cultural arts, education and youth, nonprofit capacity building, and sustainable communities, with discretionary grants focused on Durham, Orange, Wake, and Chatham Counties in North Carolina. Its 2025 grants had a median of $20,000, though amounts varied widely. Eligible nonprofits or fiscally sponsored organizations can apply through its online system during open grant cycles, so requests are accepted when a relevant cycle is open.
Assets
$335.8M
Grants
599
Total Given
$26.7M
The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation
Durham, NC
The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation primarily funds arts nonprofits and PreK–12 education in North Carolina’s Triangle region, with education grants focused on organizations serving Chatham, Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties; it also supports Duke University and other family-connected institutions. In 2024, grants ranged from $2,500 to $275,000, with a median of $15,000; its multiyear arts grants offer $20,000–$50,000 annually. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$43.0M
Grants
51
Total Given
$1.5M
Devonwood Foundation 009606-007
Wilmington, DE
Devonwood Foundation supports a varied mix of charitable organizations, including education, youth development, literacy, arts, and community programs; its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $110,000, with a median of $5,000. Funding was concentrated in New York, North Carolina, and Maine, and the foundation accepts no unsolicited requests, giving only to preselected organizations.
Assets
$14.3M
Grants
88
Total Given
$1.4M
Durham Merchants Association
Durham, NC
Durham Merchants Association funds North Carolina charities addressing needs such as homelessness, food insecurity, health, youth services, and education. In 2024, grants ranged from $250 to $15,000, with a median of $4,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$2.7M
Grants
39
Total Given
$168K
Fox Family Foundation Inc
Durham, NC
The Fox Family Foundation supports Durham-area nonprofits, including human services, housing, health, education, and cultural organizations, with operating support, capacity building, infrastructure, collaborations, and special projects. Its 2024 grants ranged from $750 to $40,000, with a median of $18,750; grants went to North Carolina organizations. The grants program is open, but organizations new to the foundation or returning after a gap must first have a meet-and-greet.
Assets
$9.5M
Grants
30
Total Given
$523K
United Way of the Greater Triangle Inc
Durham, NC
United Way of the Greater Triangle funds nonprofits and community programs addressing poverty and advancing economic mobility, including work in education, family stability, health, housing, and youth development, primarily in Durham, Wake, Orange, and Johnston counties. Its 2025 grants had a median of about $25,000, while specific funds offer awards from up to $5,000 for crisis-related needs to $10,000–$50,000 for youth initiatives. It accepts applications for its open Bull City Future Fund and Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund.
Assets
$2.2M
Grants
97
Total Given
$4.2M
Duke University
Durham, NC
Duke funds research, education, health, and community support, with 2025 grants ranging from $5,051 to $344,591 and a median of $11,095; it also offers a $150,000 annual prize for organizations scaling social or environmental impact. Most 2025 grant dollars went to North Carolina, with additional support concentrated in Massachusetts and California. The profile does not state whether Duke accepts unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$22.1B
Grants
108
Total Given
$4.3M
Truist Foundation Inc
Orlando, FL
The foundation funds nonprofit work that advances economic mobility and opportunity, especially workforce and career pathways, small-business support, and community development for low-to-moderate-income and disadvantaged people. Grants reach communities along the East Coast through Texas; the 2024 median grant was $25,000, though awards varied widely. It accepts unsolicited requests through an online application, with annual cycle deadlines of March 31, July 31, and November 30.
Assets
$547.9M
Grants
447
Total Given
$67.0M
Duke Energy Foundation
Charlotte, NC
The Duke Energy Foundation funds workforce development, local economic development and recovery, disaster resilience, conservation, and economic opportunity in communities across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. It reports more than $30 million in annual charitable grants; awards vary widely, with a 2024 median of $25,000, and applications of $20,000 or less are accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants should contact their local Foundation representative before applying.
Assets
$1.9M
Grants
41
Total Given
$25.6M
IBM International Foundation
Armonk, NY
The IBM International Foundation funds education and workforce programs that build 21st-century and technology job skills, including initiatives for underserved students and job seekers. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $8.48 million, with a median of $100,000, and went to organizations across several U.S. states, especially Delaware and Massachusetts. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$357.7M
Grants
16
Total Given
$11.7M
South Arts Inc
Atlanta, GA
South Arts funds artists, arts organizations, and communities through grants and programs for touring, fellowships, public arts activities, organizational capacity, and cross-sector partnerships. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,000 to $130,000, with a median of about $36,000; its core service area is Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Assets
$18.3M
Grants
233
Total Given
$9.3M
State Employees Credit Union Foundation
Raleigh, NC
The foundation funds capital projects, regional or statewide programs, and organizational capacity building that strengthen North Carolina communities; it favors projects with broad or replicable impact and does not fund operating budgets or shortfalls. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,250 to $1 million, with a median of $2,500. Applications are accepted at any time and typically reviewed semiannually.
Assets
$61.0M
Grants
1,806
Total Given
$17.4M
More Funders in North Carolina
The Durham Arts Council Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?