Here is what Big Night In 2021 made possible in our four counties:
ARTS PROGRAMMING
- Wake County: $115k increase in mission support grants to arts organizations
- Durham County: $65,000 in Covid-19 relief grants to 41 arts organizations, 15 individual artists, and supporting arts integration programs in 47 schools
- Orange County: $37k in COVID-19 relief grants to seven arts organizations
- Chatham County: Creation of new (soon to be announced!) Survive to Thrive arts organization support model
INITIAVTIVES FOR EQUITY IN THE ARTS
- Durham: Over 50% of grants supported BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) artists and arts organizations
- Wake: Offering COHEART equity, diversity, and inclusion training from Tru Access to teaching artists in schools for the first time in Wake County
- Chatham: Support for paying Black and Brown artists in their Artists-in-Schools and Truck-and-Trailer Roving Performances
- Orange: Investment in the new Eno Arts Mill, an inclusive, multi-purpose arts space in Hillsborough where 36% of studio artists identify as BIPOC and 21% identify as persons with disabilities.
ARTS RELIEF EFFORTS
- Orange: $14k in grants to 19 individual artists
- Wake: $20k increase in individual artist grants, which helped 13-14 artists purchase supplies, update equipment, record, and develop new work
- Durham: Grants and honorariums to 15 individual artists, including video production support for seven BIPOC teaching artists
- Chatham: JumpstART grants to 15 individual artists - with a platform to perform and exhibit at their November 7 Chatham Experience event in downtown Pittsboro
ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS
- Chatham: Kicking off the ArtAssist for Kids program this school year with 140 sketchbooks for economically vulnerable art students in rural Chatham--and launching their Artists-in-Schools Initiative at 16 public elementary schools across the county
- Orange: Support for Social-Emotional Learning workshop for local educators
- Durham: Support for arts integration programs in 47 Durham Public Schools
- Wake: Increasing investment in the Wheels on the Bus Fund with 6,500 kids taking field trips to a cultural destination this school year