The Chatham Arts Council is proud to celebrate the recipients of the 2025–2026 Grassroots Arts Grants—totaling $29,600 in state and local funding to support arts programming across Chatham County.
From festivals that celebrate culture and community to arts education initiatives in local schools, this year’s grantees are using the arts to connect, uplift, and inspire. The Grassroots Arts Grant Program is a partnership between the Chatham Arts Council and the N.C. Arts Council, designed to ensure that public dollars for the arts reach every corner of North Carolina.
Meet This Year’s Arts Grant Recipients:
Chatham Artists Guild
The Chatham Artists Guild is expanding their successful member education and educational outreach programs to a wider audience–free of charge!–including adults outside of the guild who desire professional development in the visual arts.
Chatham County Partnership for Children
Mark your calendars! CCPC will bring Chatham its annual El Día de los Libros/The Day of the Books event on April 25. The Day of the Books festival brings families together with community partners and local artists to celebrate children, the arts, literacy, and multiculturalism.
Chatham Education Foundation
This funding provided for virtual creative writing workshops with professional authors for Chatham County youth.
Communities in Schools
A collaborative public art mural is underway in Siler City, engaging middle and high school youth with a local artist in the full creative process — from concept development and design to preparation and painting.
CORE – Community Organizing for Racial Equity
CORE will bring the 9th Annual Juneteenth Black Arts Festival to Chatham County–and they’ll offer two experiential art-making workshops for the community.
El Vínculo Hispano/The Hispanic Liaison
El Vinculo Hispano hosted the 30th Annual Festejo in September–a free, outdoor event Hispanic Heritage Month with live Latin music, food, and a visual art exhibition.
JMArts – Jordan-Matthews High School Arts Foundation
This grant helped to fund a stained glass workshop for youth interested in visual arts. Additional funding supported a lab production of “Seussical, Jr.”, with invited audiences of local elementary students and an evening performance for the community.
NC Arts Incubator
The NC Arts Incubator’s is gearing up to host Art Lab, a 6-week summer ceramics program introducing high school students to the fundamentals of pottery.
Pittsboro Elementary
North Carolina Arts in Action led a 7-day performing arts residency with youth who attend Pittsboro Elementary, focusing on confidence, perseverance, and excellence.
Seaforth High School Arts Foundation
An experienced tech theatre artist is bringing backstage know-how–with plenty of teaching moments–to Seaforth High School’s afterschool musical.
Shakori Hills – Hoppin’ John Fiddlers’ Convention
The 2025 Hoppin’ John Fiddlers’ Convention featured concerts with Cedric Watson and Richie & Rosie, plus a dance with Forró Triângulo and workshops taught by traditional musicians and folk dancers.
Interested in applying for the 2026-27 Grassroots Arts Grant? We’ll be accepting applications via the CAC website later this spring. Visit our Grassroots Arts Grants page to see if this grant might be a good match for a Chatham County organization you know and love. And sign up for our email to be the first know when the grant application is live!
Leave a Reply