Arts Council of Wilmington Awards $430,000 in Grants to Local Arts Organizations

On April 7, 2026, the Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County announced the awarding of $430,000 in grants to support 43 arts and culture organizations located throughout New Hanover County.

The funding was made possible through the New Hanover Community Endowment, which provided the grant to the Arts Council to administer the 2026 Arts and Culture Grants Program. This initiative is an enhanced version of a pilot program launched in 2025.

The arts are vital to our community’s identity, economy, and quality of life. Thanks to The Endowment, People can invest in our anchor arts institutions as well as numerous volunteer-led organizations that bring creativity, inspiration, and cultural enrichment to Wilmington and beyond.

Rhonda Bellamy, president and CEO of the Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County

Program Objectives and Eligibility

The 2026 grant cycle accepted requests from February 1 to February 28, 2026. All grantmaking was conducted to align with the mission and funding priorities of the New Hanover Community Endowment, focusing on strengthening the local arts and cultural ecosystem to support four primary pillars: community development, community safety, social and health equity, and education.

To be eligible for funding, organizations were required to be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations based in and primarily serving New Hanover County. Applicants had to demonstrate an arts and culture–centered mission, maintain good standing with both the Arts Council and the New Hanover Community Endowment, and possess an independent governance structure with an active board providing fiduciary oversight. Newly formed organizations were not considered for this cycle.

Eligible uses for the grant funds included artist fees and contracts, arts programming and public engagement, production and presentation costs, community-based cultural projects, marketing and audience development, and operational support or capacity-building. Funding was prohibited for any activities conducted outside of New Hanover County.

Grant Recipients and Funding Allocation

The 43 recipients represent a variety of artistic disciplines, including literary arts, dance, music, and theater. The grants support a range of activities, including public performances, community engagement projects, exhibitions, and educational initiatives.

The following organizations received $15,000 grants:

• Big Dawg Theater
• Brooklyn Arts Music Academy
• Cameron Art Museum
• Chamber Music Wilmington
• Cucalorus Film Foundation
• Dreams
• Mouths of Babes
• Narrative Arts
• NC Jazz Festival
• Opera House Theatre
• Opera Wilmington
• Preservation NC (Bellamy)
• Thalian Association
• Thalian Hall
• Theater For All
• Turning the Wheel
• WHQR

The following organizations received $5,000 grants:

• Black Arts Alliance
• Cape Fear Chorale
• Cape Fear Cultural Association of India
• Cape Fear Swing Dance Society
• Carolina Beach Mural Project
• Cinema Sisters
• Dance Cooperative
• FlowILM
• Island Arts Council
• Music on Market
• Panache
• Performance Club Theatre Company
• Soaring as Eagles
• Willis Richardson Players

Additional funding was awarded to the following organizations:

• Harrington Repertory: $4,575
• Port City Playwrights: $4,425
• Children’s Museum of Wilmington: $1,000