The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County

Name

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County

Legal name

The Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County

Website

https://theartscouncil.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Grantmaking and Nonprofit Cultural Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Museums (71211)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAHAH

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAHAD

Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAHAG

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAHAB

Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

Keywords

• Arts grantmaking
• Community arts funding
• Arts education programs
• Artist residency programs
• Cultural programming services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fayetteville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Public Funding: The Arts Council receives funding from government sources including City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and the N.C. Arts Council (a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources). They also receive Cumberland County Occupancy Tax funds. In FY24-25, they distributed $1,096,180 to artists and organizations through grant funding.
2. Corporate and Institutional Sponsorships: The organization receives contributions from community partners and corporate sponsors for specific programs and events. Sponsors like Youth Growth Stock Trust (administered through United Way) provide grants for specific initiatives like Artists In Schools.
3. Individual Donations: The organization accepts donations and monthly giving contributions from individual supporters. They run annual fund drives and GivingTuesday campaigns.
4. Facility Rental: The Arts Council operates ArtsXL (214 Burgess Street) and The Arts Center (301 Hay Street) which can be rented for events and activities through building use request forms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit steward of public and private arts funding in the Cape Fear Region. It distributes grants to individual artists, arts nonprofits, and municipalities, delivers the Artists In Schools K-12 arts education program, runs professional development workshops (Creative Summer School), manages an artist residency (Southeastern Artist in Residence), operates gallery exhibitions at The Arts Center, and provides accelerator space at ArtsXL.

Product overview

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County operates as a multi-program arts organization serving as the primary steward of public and private funding for arts and cultural activities in the Cape Fear Region. The organization offers a portfolio of grant programs (Mission Based Grants, Grassroots Art Project Grants, Rapid Response Funding, Creative Impact Cohort), arts education initiatives (Artists In Schools reaching 17,000+ students annually), artist residencies (Southeastern Artist in Residence), professional development (Creative Summer School), and exhibition/gallery programming. The Council also operates subsidiary brand We Are The Arts for event distribution and manages facilities including the Arts Center and ArtsXL accelerator space. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, funding comes from City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and NC Arts Council.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• We Are The Arts: Primary source of distribution of Arts and Cultural events in the city of Fayetteville, North Carolina.
• ArtsXL
• The Arts Center

Products and services

• Artists In Schools Arts education initiative bringing multidisciplinary teaching artists into Cumberland County Schools for interactive, arts-integrated performances and workshops at reduced or free cost, reaching over 17,000 students in 65 schools annually, including 77% of local Title I schools.
• Southeastern Artist in Residence (SEAR) Residency program providing mid-career visual artists of exceptional artistic merit dedicated studio time, space, and stipend to complete a body of work, along with public arts education activities.
• Creative Impact Cohort Cohort-styled grant program providing up to $4,000 for 6-month artistic projects, combined with mentorship, monthly professional development sessions, and a culminating public showcase for Cumberland County artists.
• Rapid Response Funding Quick-turnaround grant program offering up to $5,000 for projects enhancing cultural vibrancy and tourism, with rolling submissions and expedited review process for Cumberland County organizations.
• Artist Support Grant Grant program providing financial support for individual artists in all phases of their career.
• Mission Based Grant Grant program for mission-based nonprofit organizations supporting arts and cultural activities in the region.
• Grassroots Art Project Grant Grant program supporting grassroots arts projects and community-based artistic initiatives.
• Creative Summer School Free professional development workshop series for individual artists covering marketing, grant writing, budgeting, taxes, and project management.
• Public Works Exhibit Annual community art exhibition celebrating creativity of artists of all ages and skill levels, with People's Choice awards and expanded voting categories, showcasing over 120 works.
• International Folk Festival Major annual cultural festival showcasing diverse traditions and bringing visitors to the region.

Quantifiable outcome

• Distributed $1,096,180 in grants to artists and organizations in FY24-25
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Cape Fear Regional TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 May 2026Announced $500,000 capital investment to drive tourism and visitation. Part of Arts Council's strategy to position arts as a driver of economic development.
• Cumberland County SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Cumberland County Schools for the Artists In Schools program. AIS has partnered with schools for over two decades, reaching nearly a quarter million students total.
• Public Works Commission (Fayetteville PWC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual sponsorship and co-hosting of the Public Works exhibit showcasing community art. PWC and Arts Council partner each summer to display over 120 works from artists of all ages.
• Cape Fear Regional TheatremajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCORE Grant recipient - major cultural institution that draws visitors and drives tourism. Arts Council provided $500,000 capital investment to support tourism and visitation.
• Cape Fear Botanical GardenmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCORE Grant recipient supporting cultural tourism programming at the botanical garden.
• Fayetteville Symphony OrchestramajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCORE Grant recipient supporting classical music programming.
• Arts North CarolinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide advocacy organization for the arts. A 501(c)(3) organization that calls for equity and access to the arts for all North Carolinians, unifies NC's arts communities, and fosters arts leadership.
• Tarheel Quilters GuildminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Joined by Stitching: A Quilter's Art exhibit at The Arts Center gallery.
• Fort BraggminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorically, Artists In Schools program expanded to include Fort Bragg schools in addition to public and private schools in Cumberland County.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County: Regional arts council in North Carolina providing grants, arts education, and community programming across Wake County. Closest mission-aligned peer in the same state with similar funding streams and program structure.
• Durham Arts Council: North Carolina-based local arts council offering similar grantmaking, arts education, and gallery programs to a single county. Directly comparable mission and operating model as a designated primary steward of arts funding in its region.
• Charlotte Arts & Culture Coalition (ASC): Community-wide arts council serving the Charlotte region with grantmaking, education, and advocacy. Comparable operating model as a regional arts steward though operating in a larger metro area.

Others

• Cape Fear Regional Theatre: Major CORE Grant recipient of the Arts Council. While a grantee rather than a peer, it is a comparable performing arts organization in the same region with overlapping audiences and programs.
• Arts North Carolina: Statewide nonprofit advocacy partner for North Carolina arts councils. Already a partner of the subject company and operates a similar statewide ecosystem support role.
• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA): Federal grantmaking agency that provides key funding (e.g., $20,000 NEA GAP grant for SEAR) to local arts councils. Functions as a primary upstream funder rather than a direct competitor.
• Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra: CORE Grant recipient and regional performing arts organization. Comparable in mission and community focus as a regional arts organization, though focused on performance rather than grantmaking.

Broad incumbents

• Arts Midwest: Regional arts organization serving multiple Midwestern states, providing grantmaking, convening, and programming for a wide regional footprint. Comparable at the higher level of nonprofit arts intermediary functions.
• Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit advocate for arts and culture. Operates as a broader industry umbrella that supports local arts councils including the subject company, providing research (Arts & Economic Prosperity studies) and policy advocacy.

Regional players

• Greensboro Arts Alliance: Another North Carolina local arts council providing grants, education, and programming within Guilford County. Same regional funding context (NC Arts Council, local government) but serving a separate geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/artscouncilfay
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/TheArtsCouncilOfFayettevilleCumberlandCounty/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArtsCouncilFay
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-arts-council
• Instagraminstagram.com/artscouncilfay

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County